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I'm a Utah Health Care Provider.  How do I get to do this?

Please read carefully to see if you qualify for our upcoming trainings.

Current Process to Practice the 5 Needle Protocol (Auricular Acupuncture or Acudetox) in Utah

START HERE: 

Are you actively licensed by DOPL in Utah with one of the accepted health care provider licenses* per HB 195 (2022)?

  • Nursing, Mental Health and PA licenses are included.  Licensed Acupuncturists, Physicians, Naturopaths and Chiropractors are also able to provide acupuncture based on language in their practice acts.  

  • * (a) "Health care provider" means an individual who is licensed under: 

    • ​32 (i) Subsection 58-31b-301(2)(a), (b), (d), or (e); 

    • 33 (ii) Chapter 60, Mental Health Professional Practice Act; 

    • 34 (iii) Chapter 61, Part 3, Licensing; or 

    • 35 (iv) Chapter 70a, Utah Physician Assistant Act.

  • *Eligible licensees are MD, DO, Chiropractor, Naturopathic Physician, Licensed Acupuncturist, RN, APRN, LPN, PA, Psychologist, LCSW, CSW, LMFT, CMHC, SUDC, ASUDC. [Please note that Physical Therapists and Licensed Massage Therapists are not currently eligible.]

If you meet the qualifications above,

Utah has 2 pathways (NADA ADS or POCA AAT) to receive a certificate to practice the

5-Needle Protocol (Auricular Acupuncture or Acudetox): [only one pathway is required]

  • PATHWAY 1:  Complete NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) Acudetox training:

    1. Apply for a NADA-approved training.

    2. Provide your qualifying UT healthcare professional license number. Pay associated fees. 

    3. Complete a NADA-approved training, practice sessions and all other requirements. 

    4. Submit all materials to your NADA-Approved trainer.  

    5. Your NADA-Approved trainer will submit your materials to NADA. 

    6. NADA will send you a certificate of completion as an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist (ADS). 

  • PATHWAY 2:  Complete POCA (People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture) training:

    1. Join POCA at the Punk Level and obtain a POCA username. 

    2. Apply for a POCA AAT Training.  Pay associated fees.  You will need to enter your qualifying healthcare license and Utah license number.  

    3. Complete a POCA-approved AAT Training, practice sessions and all other requirements.

    4. Submit all required materials to POCA and to your POCA-approved trainer.

    5. POCA will send you a certificate of completion as a POCA Auricular Acu-Technician (AAT).

    6. Questions?  See the POCA AAT FAQs.

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  • After obtaining a NADA ADS or POCA AAT certificate, MD’s, DO’s, chiropractors, naturopaths and licensed acupuncturists can officially practice the 5 Needle Protocol (Auricular Acupuncture or Acudetox) under their license in Utah. No documentation needs to be sent to DOPL by MD's, DO's, chiropractors, naturopaths or licensed acupuncturists.

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  • However, all other licensed providers (RN, APRN, LPN, PA, Psychologist, LCSW, CSW, LMFT, CMHC, SUDC, ASUDC) must also:

  1. Submit their NADA ADS Certificate or POCA AAT Certificate to the applicable licensing board at Utah DOPL. ​​[Email to Larry Marx (lmarxATutah.gov or mail a hard copy to Larry Marx, Bureau Manager, Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, 160 E 300 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84114 or PO Box 146741, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-6741. Write your Utah License Number on the copy.].

  2. DOPL will add the 5 Needle Protocol (Auricular Acupuncture or Acudetox) certificate to the DOPL file. 

  3. Then and only then will those licensed providers be able to independently practice the 5 Needle Protocol (Auricular Acupuncture or Acudetox).

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Download this information as a handout.

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