BILL 1943 -- FW: Gov. Davis Signs Chu's Acupuncture Bill

[Guest guest]

LANDMARK ACUPUNCTURE BILL BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN JUDY CHU SIGNED BY GOVERNOR DAVIS September 23 - Sacramento, CA - Today, Governor Gray Davis signed landmark legislation by Assemblywoman Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) that will increase curriculum hours for students who enter acupuncture training programs beginning January 1, 2005. Current law, established by the California State Acupuncture Board in 1984, requires that acupuncture and Oriental medicine training programs include a minimum curriculum of 2,348 hours. Assembly Bill 1943 was written to partially implement the recommendations of the California Acupuncture Board's Task Force on Competencies and Outcomes, on which two dozen professional acupuncturists and representatives from major acupuncture schools participated. After meeting for nine months to review and discuss existing curricula, standards of practice, reports, and surveys, the Task Force voted in April to recommend a minimum 3,000 hour curriculum, which the California Acupuncture Board voted unanimously to adopt at their May 2002 meeting. Assemblywoman Chu introduced AB 1943 on behalf of its sponsor, the Council of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Associations, in order to improve educational standards and quality of care for individuals practicing acupuncture and Oriental medicine in the state of California. The profession and Assemblywoman Chu, who has a doctorate degree in clinical psychology, felt that improved professional standards would result in increased quality of care for consumers and would produce a pool of more confident and experienced acupuncture practitioners who would be better prepared to meet the rising demand for the competent provision of acupuncture, herbal medicine, and other Oriental medicine services. "I applaud Governor Davis for his approval on AB 1943 and his support for the oriental medicine and acupuncture profession. This bill represents a major victory for the acupuncture profession and one step toward greater acceptance of the Asian healing arts in California's healthcare system," Assemblywoman Chu commented. Dr. Ta Fang Chen, acupuncturist and president of the Council of Acupuncture Organizations, further added, "The acupuncturist profession, the Asian-American community, and the public owe a doubt of gratitude to Assemblywoman Judy Chu for her support of our traditional medicine. We believe that everyone must have access to Oriental medicine of a high standard." The next step in the process will be for the Acupuncture Board to implement the 3,000 hour standard into new regulatory codes, and to direct schools to update their curriculum for students entering school on January 1, 2005. Since most schools already require over 3,000 hours for graduation, they will have few changes to make. Additionally, the new law recommends that the Little Hoover Commission to study future standards for education, specifically educational programs from 3,000 to 4,000 hours, and to provide recommendations as to whether currently licensed practitioners would need to meet any additional licensing standards when such a new standard is adopted. According to historical documents, the profession has long endorsed the development of a 4,000-hour first professional doctorate degree as entry level for the Oriental medicine profession, with the potential for post-graduate specialty programs to follow, similar to physicians and chiropractors. Such programs do not yet exist. Supporters of AB 1943 and the higher educational standards it represents included the multiple professional acupuncture organizations in California, the American Association of Oriental Medicine, the National Guild of Acupuncture of Oriental Medicine, various labor unions, a chamber of commerce, South Baylo University, Southern California University of Health Sciences, and many individual acupuncturists and students. Democratic and Republican legislators alike supported the bi-partisan bill. A further list of supporters and opponents can be found in the August 5 2002 legislative analysis.

[Guest guest]

, " Teresa Hall " <

Teresa.bodywork4u@w...> wrote:

>

> LANDMARK ACUPUNCTURE BILL BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN

JUDY CHU SIGNED BY GOVERNOR DAVIS

 

Well that was gutted in the final version. the only thing left was

an increase in curriculum hours to 3000, the one part I opposed

for its insane micromanagement. Most of the best schools

already have more than 3000 hours anyway. They eliminated all

the CE requirements, reservation of future titles and

administrative changes affecting herbal practice. The fact that a

commision may undo years of work at PCOM (and others) in

deciding what must be taught for each of those 3000 hours

seems shortsighted. PCOM has a very high 13 year pass rate

on national and state boards. Based upon pass rates and

absence of complaints against graduates, there is absolutely no

cause to change the curriculum of schools like PCOM (and

others with 3000 hour programs). I have no problem with a

3000 hour entry level program, but we already have various

agencies overseeing the curriculum of accredited schools.

What this law has ended up doing has substituted the opinion

(bought and sold, of course) of the california legislature (the

same folks who gave us energy deregulation) for ACAOM and

CCAOM. And in a few years, schools will have to jump through

additional state hurdles to maintain their status with the CA

DOE. Now I am no fan of the national infrastructure, but the

california assembly, gimme a break. I may disagree over details

with ACAOM and CCAOM, but at least we all work for

acupuncture in our own ways. The assembly works for whoever

has the most dollars at any given time. Let's see. Elections are

coming up. The answer is always the same. Follow the money.

 

By the way, within 2 years, there will be well established doctoral

programs with over 4000 hours of education available for

anyone who wants to attend. So anyone who is worried about

higher standards and the title of doctor, you will have both

available to you shortly. Except instead of just getting the title for

years of service, you'll have to go back to school or at least pass

a challenge exam.