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

Utah licensees, please read carefully to see if you qualify for our upcoming trainings.
If you are not licensed in Utah, contact your state licensing board (OR see this summary to determine if you are eligible to provide the 5-NP in your state).

Current Process to Practice the 5 Needle Protocol (Auricular Acupuncture or Acudetox) for Utah licensees:

START HERE: 

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

  • Utah Nursing, Mental Health and PA licenses are included.  Utah-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 Utah 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 in Utah.] Master Addiction Counselors and Associate Master Addiction Counselors will be eligible once those licenses begin to be issued in Utah.

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 as outlined here.

    4. 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 AAT Trainee Level and obtain a POCA username.  More guidance here.

    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 Utah MD's, DO's, chiropractors, naturopaths or licensed acupuncturists.

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  • However, all other licensed Utah 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. Utah DOPL will add the 5 Needle Protocol (Auricular Acupuncture or Acudetox) certificate to the DOPL file. 

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

Download this information as a handout.

If you are licensed in a state other than Utah, you need to be eligible to perform acudetox in your state before you can take the training.  Contact your state licensing board if you have questions or for more information.

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