Volume 10 / Issue 4 / October 2014

The mission of the AAC is to provide a unified voice to practitioners and students of AOM by involving and
communicating with members, educating the public, and influencing legislation to promote and protect AOM
in Colorado.

Message from the President –
An Opportunity for Change

It is rare that a week goes by and I don’t get a phone call or an email from a practitioner asking what can be done to improve an issue within our scope of practice. Right now, during this election period, every single one of us has the opportunity to let our voice be heard and help improve how our medicine is perceived and practiced in our state. We each need to learn about who is running in our area. Who is the better candidate? Who will cultivate an environment that allows us to treat our patients the best way we know how and to have a thriving practice? Please read the Legislative Chair’s report below to see key districts in this election and use ballotpedia.org to find out if you reside in one of them.

Our organization is not as big as, and does not have the funding of the other medical associations. We cannot make the same size donations that they can. The best way we can let our voice be heard is by people volunteering with a candidate and walking his or her area. It provides an opportunity to learn who your representatives are and to let them learn about who we are as a profession. We are getting calls almost daily from campaigns asking if we are going to contribute again to specific candidates. Believe me when I say that they remember who donated and volunteered when it comes time to vote on a piece of legislation. We need as many of you out there as possible representing our profession and helping to move it forward.

The AAC needs to make more donations before the election. If you can contribute any amount at all to help us make an impact, please use this secure PayPal button.

We have a big year coming up. There are problems that need to be fixed and we have an amazing group of people working to make that happen. If there are issues coming up that you don’t like, please help us make a change. If you want to see this powerful medicine be more fully utilized within our healthcare system, help us make that happen. We cannot do it alone. We are here to represent you and the only way we can do that effectively is if you work with us.

Again, we have an amazing group of professionals on the AAC board. I feel honored to have the opportunity to work with them. If you don’t know who we are, or don’t know the issues we are facing, please—come to a meeting, introduce yourself, and take an active role in our profession.

Scott Richardson, M.S., L.Ac.
President – Acupuncture Association of Colorado
President@acucol.com

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Legislation Report –
November 4^th Election Alert!

There are many tight legislative races in Colorado this election and the AAC is doing all we can for state legislative candidates who advocate for acupuncturists. In August Leo Boyle (our awesome lobbyist) and I went to a fundraising event in downtown Denver that was well attended by many of the candidates who support acupuncturists. We handed out our budgeted $2000 in campaign contributions to key candidates to remind them we are here and want to be counted. Unfortunately that amount is a drop in the bucket compared to other organizations that were giving the maximum amount of $400 per candidate. Our budget only allowed us to give half that to the candidates at this event (and there are others who are calling daily to ask if we can support them again this year). This was a soft touch event and I was still able to bend the ears of several candidates, reminding them of our continued plights: fighting professional discrimination, not being able to procure injectables, getting to the table to achieve essential health benefit status and the dry needling controversy—I was a bit of a nudge.

Now that we have dipped as deeply as we could into our coffers, we are asking you, AAC members, to contact campaigns in your districts and give your time by phone banking, giving a personal money contribution or door knocking. This would be great exposure for us professionally and can really make a difference for these legislative campaigns that operate on shoestring budgets. The election is just a few weeks away and the candidates in your districts can really use your help in the home stretch.

Here is a list of candidates in key races that you can contact. Their websites are easy to find by searching their names. You can use www.ballotpedia.org to easily find out if you reside in one of these key senate and house districts.

Rhonda	Fields	rhonda.fields.house@state.co.us	303-866-3911	HD 42
Joann	Ginal	joann.ginal.house@state.co.us	303-866-4569	HD 52
Jenise	May	jenise.may.house@state.co.us	303-866-2945	HD 30
Elizabeth	McCann	beth.mccann.house@state.co.us beth@bethmccann.org	303-866-2959	HD 8
Dianne	Primavera	dianne.primavera.house@state.co.us	303-866-4667	HD 3
Jonathan	Singer	jonathan.singer.house@state.co.us	303-866-2780	HD 11
Dave	Young	dave.young.house@state.co.us dave@repdaveyoung.com	303-866-2929	HD 50
Irene	Aguilar	irene.aguilar.senate@state.co.us	303-866-4852	SD 32
Jeanne	Nicholson	jeanne.nicholson.senate@state.co.us	303-866-4873	SD 16
Leroy	Garcia	leroy.garcia.house@state.co.us	303-866-2968	HD 46
Tracy	Kraft Tharp	reptracy29@gmail.com	303-866-2950	HD 29
Mike	Foote	mike.foote.house@state.co.us	303-866-2920	HD 12
Su	Ryden	su.ryden.house@state.co.us	303-866-2942	HD 36
Mike	McLachlan	mike.mclachlan.house@state.co.us	303-866-2914	HD 59
Max	Tyler	max@maxtyler.us	303-866-2951	HD 23
Judy	Solano	judysolano4senate@gmail.com		SD 24
Rachel	Zenzinger	SenatorRachelZ@gmail.com	303-866-4840	SD 19
Pete	Lee	pete.lee.house@state.co.us	303-866-2932	HD 18

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Thank you.

George Graf, MTOM, L.Ac.
Legislative Committee Chair
LegislativeComm@acucol.com
(719) 278-9696

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Treasurer Report – Political Contributions Limited by Low Funds

In this election year our lobbyist Leo Boyle carefully chose candidates for our $2,000 contribution budget this year. He requested an extra $3,000 to keep our contributions on par with the physical therapists and chiropractors. Unfortunately, we were unable to comply. These other organizations have triple the membership and higher dues than we have. Our political fund consists of half of the dues we collect. We use this fund to pay our lobbyist, to pay our lawyers when they are combating issues such as dry needling, and also for campaign contributions to keep our interests in our legislators’ minds. In Colorado we still have 70 percent of acupuncturists who are not yet members of the AAC. Please help us spread the word that their support would make a big difference!

I once again want to thank all board members for a terrific job. Their work shows on the home page of the AAC website, it shows on YouTube, it shows on Facebook, and we are showing all of this to the public. BRAVO!

Katie Robinette, L.Ac.
Treasurer – Acupuncture Association of Colorado
Treasurer@acucol.com

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Fundraising Chair Report

The Fundraising committee has been busy promoting classes through Standard Process with Michael Gaeta as the presenter. June’s class on the Thyroid was held at SWAC, September’s class on the Autoimmune System was just held in Castle Rock, and we can look forward to the class on the Cardiovascular System October 29th at CSTCM. These classes have been fundraisers for us. With the money made we will be able to provide public forums on acupuncture at libraries, “lunch and learn” classes at key businesses, and education on the benefits of our services to insurance companies. We are currently developing a PowerPoint presentation to allow anyone to be able to present, educate, and spread the word.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Angie Pierce, Deb and David Martin and Mark VanOtterloo for coming forward to volunteer their services to the AAC board and its committees. This is a great time for our profession and a great opportunity to serve on the board, so again, I thank you.

Sue West, MA, L.Ac.
Fundraising Chair
Fundraising@acucol.com

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It’s Not Too Late to Promote AOM DAY and Revitalize Your Practice!

As you probably already know, AOM Day is observed nationally on October 24^th as part of an effort to increase public awareness of the progress, promise, and benefits of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Both Governor Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock have proclaimed October 24^th as Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day in Colorado again this year.

The Colorado Acupuncture Association would like to see as many events in the state as possible during October. You don’t have to stick with one day! Several marketing packets have been created to help you generate campaigns. Consider putting an event together yourself, or join with other practitioners in your area. In these toolkits are helpful descriptions for setting up health fairs and how to re-activate your patient contacts. You can download them all here Free Toolkits. Click here AOM Day for more information.

The Council of State Associations has prepared materials to help us all implement a National AOM Day Outreach Campaign. Click here to download the Council of State Associations’ Outreach Toolkit.

Acupuncture Media Works has been a generous supporter of this event. They have been instrumental in the creation of a free marketing kit and will donate profits to the Council of State Associations from the sale of AOM Day brochures that you can personalize with your clinic name.

We want to hear back from everyone what events you are planning. AAC Members can post on the Yahoo Group email what you are offering so we have a full calendar of events listed on our website. You can also submit your event to be listed on the national AOM Day website. Let’s see how big an impact we can make!

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Zombie Apocalypse!

Halloween morning Friday, October 31^st, Longmont United Hospital will hold a mock disaster drill with the theme of “Zombie Apocalypse”. The drill, which will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., will simulate an authentic zombie Armageddon, complete with moulage and tons of fun! The Colorado Acupuncture Medical Reserve Corps has been invited to set up a disaster clinic at the event, and volunteers are needed to treat an estimated 100 people with the NADA protocol. ANY Colorado licensed acupuncturist may participate; you do not need to be a CAMRC member to volunteer.

Please contact Monica Edlauer if you are willing to brave the zombie apocalypse!

CONTACT THE FOLLOWING

Monica Edlauer, MSOM, L.Ac.
boulderacupuncture@comcast.net
(303) 859-7556

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AAC Membership

There are options to becoming a member of the AAC. You can make a once yearly payment or use our automatic monthly payment option. Click on the link below.

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