AAAOM Outreach: Grow the State Grow the Nation

With advocacy at the forefront of the AAAOM mission, it is a priority to help states in their legislative challenges with two major projects:

1. In collaboration with the National Acupuncture Foundation (NAF), the AAAOM is gathering information for and updating a nationwide state statutory and regulations database to be used for comparative analysis. This database is not only a tool for reciprocity but, equally, a tool to gain stronger scopes of practice for states with and without regulation. Knowing where we are now can help us get where we want to be in terms of overall national regulation and standardization. National regulation and standardization are the keys by which parity as a health care profession for acupuncture will be accomplished. Plans are underway to involve other national organizations and state associations in the development of this database system.
2. In conjunction with the state regulation database, the AAAOM is launching a new initiative to work with the six remaining states and one territory that have yet to establish acupuncture regulation: South Dakota, North Dakota, Alabama, Kansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico. Each region’s current status to practice ranges from no certification required for treatment to imprisonment for practicing medicine illegally. For this reason, AAAOM will address each state individually through research and by working with practitioners residing in that state. If you practice in one of these unregulated states and want to get involved in these projects, please contact AAAOM President Deborah Lincoln at dlincoln@aaaomonline.org.