Our most recent Advocacy project

The Advocacy Committee organizes the annual Acupuncture Education Day at the Florida State Capital in Tallahassee.

This is a fun volunteer opportunity and a wonderful way to support the profession! During this special annual event, practitioners from all over Florida travel to the State Capitol and spend the day educating our lawmakers and their staff about the benefits of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM). We provide treatments in the Capitol and introduce ourselves to our local Senators and Representatives and their aids. In this way, Florida lawmakers come to understand the benefits of AOM for Floridians and hopefully become more inclined to help us protect those benefits if challenged. As a result of the annual Acupuncture Education Days since 1997, Florida lawmakers look to FSOMA for information and advice about AOM. Some of the Capitol members look forward to their treatment every year. It’s a fun and important event and includes the chance to connect with fellow practitioners from around the state.

Coming March 11, 2025

The Advocacy Committee monitors current issues that impact Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Current and Ongoing Initiatives:

1. 2025 Acupuncture Education Day being held at the Florida State Capital in Tallahassee | Tuesday, January 9, 2024.
2. FSOMA has declared July as Acupuncture Awareness Month every year.
3. FSOMA is developing a new outreach program to enable and support members who wish to promote the benefits of AOM and the profession at public events in their local cities. More information on how to apply to our New Outreach Program coming soon.

PLEASE JOIN US AND HELP KEEP AOM STRONG IN FLORIDA & the US!

National Advocacy Initiatives:In addition to the advocacy work that FSOMA does, there are two additional national organizations that are currently active in national advocacy work. American Society of Acupuncturists and AcuCongress, are organizations that help build a powerful professional community base by organizing town-hall meetings for our professional community to have important discussions, provide trainings and build community.

1. American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA): is made up of state associations like FSOMA. FSOMA supports the work of the ASA as a member organization, and our members are recognized as ASA members. Learn more by visiting their website:www.asacu.org

2. Find out About Inclusion of our Profession in Medicare
   H.R. 3133, the Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act 2023

   Our Medicare Fact Sheet and Benefits of Medicare Provider Status for Acupuncturists are great resources to answer many common questions.

   The ASA and NCCAOM Taskforce continue to identify strategic members of congress and hold virtual congressional meetings along with constituents in each of those key districts. If you’re interested in meeting with your U.S. Representative’s Washington, D.C. office, sign up here. The ASA/NCCAOM team will take care of everything (scheduling your meeting, providing talking points, preparing you for the meeting) and will participate in these meetings with you.

Chair
Cynthiaann Hayes-Hurst AP
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Co-Chair
Rebecca Acosta
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Julia King
Kimberly Netling
Latasha Perez
Rebecca Hayes-Hurst