FW: ASNY E-News 9-4-02: Two Important Issues

[Guest guest]

Thought this would be of interest to some on the list - if you haven't

already heard.

 

Geoff

 

> ASNY E-News 9-4-02: Two Important Issues, and a Correction

>

> Please forward to any students or practitioners you know.

> If you would like to be added to or removed from the ASNY E-list, do

so at

> www.asny.org.

>

> Colleagues,

>

> I am writing to inform you of two current issues relevant to our

> profession. Please read the important update below and take action, so

 

> that your views are heard. I thank Kathleen Golden, ASNY Chair

Emeritus,

> for preparing this call for comment.

>....

>

> Some have commented that the apostrophes in ASNY?s E-News appear as

> question marks in their e-mail program. It seems to be a translation

error

> in our e-mail distribution program, and we are working on fixing it.

>

> Peace,

>

> Michael Gaeta

> ASNY Chairman

> chair

>

>

> COMMENTS ALERT

>

> To Members of the Acupuncture/Oriental Medicine Profession:

>

> There are two important public comment opportunities available to

support

> the continued growth of the AOM profession in the United States.

Please

> take the time to respond to these opportunities and participate in the

 

> evolution of our profession in this country. The time spent reading

and

> responding is worth a tremendous amount if all participate. Short

comments

> are always fine and appreciated.

>

> The two opportunities for comment are with the:

> 1. National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental

Medicine

> (NCCAOM), and

> 2. United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

>

> The NCCAOM is the organization responsible for the national

certification

> of acupuncturists, Chinese herbologists, and Asian bodywork therapists

in

> the USA. This is done primarily through a national certifying exam. To

 

> maintain certification there are annual continuing education

requirements.

> The NCCAOM?smission is, " to promote nationally recognized standards of

 

> competency and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine for the

purpose

> of protecting the public. " According to the NCCAOM handbook, " Earning

a

> credential from the NCCAOM represents a significant professional

> achievement. NCCAOM Certification makes an important statement about

> professional competency that is recognized by federal regulatory

bodies,

> third party payers and the public. " The organization is obviously an

> integral part of the profession in this country and plays an important

 

> role in supporting standards of training in the United States.

>

> The route of eligibility for NCCAOM certification is based on formal

> education, in some cases apprenticeship and can also be a combination

> route. Currently, in all cases, the training is specifically in the

> distinct fields of acupuncture, Oriental medicine and Asian bodywork.

>

> The NCCAOM is considering changes to:

> 1. route of eligibility,

> 2. languages the exam is offered in, and

> 3. an addition to the exam categories and recertification.

>

> It is important for current members of the profession to respond to

these

> proposed changes, so that the NCCAOM directors have heard the voices

of

> those working in the field and can weigh these comments in making

these

> important decisions.

>

> To read the full explanation of proposed changes, go to the web site

at

> www.NCCAOM.org. There are two sections to read, recertification public

 

> comment on proposed changes and public comment page.

>

> Attention should be paid to all the issues, but of particular note is

the

> expansion of the combination route of eligibility to sit for the exam.

 

> There is a proposal that would allow 10 points to be awarded towards

> eligibility for having an active, uninterrupted healthcare license in

the

> USA. The professions being considered for this award include

chiropractic,

> dentistry, naturopathy, nurse practitioner, occupational therapy,

> pharmacy, podiatry, and medical doctor. So training in a Western

medical

> modality would help a person be eligible to sit for an NCCAOM exam.

> Certainly, members of the AOM profession should giveserious

consideration

> to such a proposal and take the time to comment on it.

>

> The second issue to address can be found on this website:

> www.aspe.hhs.gov. This is the website for comment on the current Draft

 

> Proposal for the goals of the Strategic Plan for the United States

> Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The website connects

to

> the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). The ASPE

is

> the principal advisor to the Secretary of HHS on policy development

and is

> responsible for major activities in the areas of policy coordination,

> legislative development, strategic planning, policy research and

> evaluation and economic analysis. The current draft will determine

action

> from 2003-2008.

>

> The importance for our profession in responding to the HHS Strategic

Plan

> is that the care provided by the acupuncture/Oriental medicine

profession

> can enhance achievement of many of the goals proposed in the plan.

The

> department of HHS is not knowledgeable as to how our profession can

> support their goals and it is up to members of the profession to

provide

> them with this information. We must act as ambassadors for our

profession

> and the care we are capable of providing to the American public. There

are

> eight goals proposed in the Strategic Plan, the acupuncture/Oriental

> medicine profession can participate in most of them.

>

> Comments are being accepted until 9/9/02, so we must act quickly.

>

> Goal 1: To prevent disease and illness. The strategy is to promote

healthy

> behaviors such as regular exercise and a healthy diet to reduce

obesity

> and the incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes.

> Acupuncture/Oriental medicine can participate in both the prevention

of

> disease and the treatment of disease. Another strategy in this

category is

> to reduce substance abuse by expanding and improving communities'

> substance abuse prevention and treatment programs. The

> acupuncture/Oriental medicine provider is capable of participating

widely

> in this goal. The profession is already working in this arena and

should

> be a part of greater means of prevention and treatment.

>

> Goal 2: To protect our homeland. The goal is to enhance the ability

of

> the Nation's healthcare system to effectively respond to bioterrorism

and

> other public health challenges. The profession was very supportive of

 

> FEMA Search and Rescue workers in the aftermath of 9/11 in both NY and

 

> D.C. Our profession should be an integral part of the deployment

system in

> cases of Homeland rescue work. Our profession is capable of keeping

the

> Rescue worker healthy and fit for service.

>

> Goal 3: To close the gaps in health care. The goal is to increase the

> percentage of the nation's children and adults who have access to

regular

> healthcare and expand consumer choices. The strategies include:

creating

> affordable health insurance options, to better serve low income

persons,

> expand services to populations with special needs, such as persons

with

> HIV/AIDS. Acupuncture/Oriental medicine should be an included option

for

> healthcare; this would help expand consumer choice. The profession

> currently serves many with HIV/AIDS and should be included in expanded

 

> services to this population. By including acupuncture/Oriental

medicine

> care in the expanded care healthcare system, the system will be more

cost

> effective and the public will be healthier.

>

> Goal 4: to improve Health science. The goal here is to enhance

research

> efforts. Acupuncture/ Oriental medicine should be included in the

> research.

>

> Goal 7: Leave no child behind. The goal is to improve the stability

and

> healthy development of our Nation's children and youth. Asthma is

> affecting our nations children in epidemic proportions.

> Acupuncture/Oriental medicine clinics should be set up to treat these

> children and cycle them off a life long dependence on medication.

>

> As you can see there is much that the profession can offer to support

> achievement of these goals. Take the time to educate the policy makers

in

> Washington. The profession will benefit and most important the

American

> public will benefit.

....

>

> Acupuncture Society of New York

> Promoting the growth and preserving the integrity of the acupuncture

> profession in New York since 1990 1858 Pleasantville Road #112

> Briarcliff, NY 10510-1038

> Phone/Fax: 914.923.0632

> Website: www.ASNY.org

> E-mail: info

>

>

>

>

>