Berkeley Acupuncture Project Of California

PROMOTE PUBLIC ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE ACUPUNCTURE, PROVIDE CONTINUING EDUCATION TO ACUPUNCTURISTS AND ACUPUNCTURE STUDENTS, AND PROVIDE A LIVING WAGE TO OUR EMPLOYEES.

PROGRAM 1: COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE AND HERBAL PRESCRIPTIONS: BAP PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 200 ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTS PER WEEK. THE PRIMARY TREATMENT MODALITY AT BAP IS ACUPUNCTURE, COMPRISING APPROXIMATELY 90% OF BAP'S TIME SPENT PROVIDING SERVICES. ACUPUNCTURE IS THE THERAPEUTIC INSERTION OF NEEDLES TO TRIGGER THE BODY'S NATURAL HEALING MECHANISMS. IT IS FREQUENTLY USED FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT, TREATMENT OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC INJURY, AND STRESS AND ANXIETY MANAGEMENT AND ASSOCIATED AILMENTS. ACUPUNCTURE AT BAP IS PROVIDED IN A GROUP SETTING WITH APPROXIMATELY FOUR PATIENTS PER HOUR RECEIVING TREATMENT. THE TREATMENT ROOM IS AN OPEN SPACE WITH A CIRCLE OF RECLINING CHAIRS, USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS. PATIENT CONSULTATIONS ARE HELD CHAIRSIDE IN QUIET VOICES AND ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLES ARE INSERTED ON LOCATIONS ON THE SCALP, EARS, FACE, AND LIMBS. ALL ACUPUNCTURE PROVIDERS AT BAP ARE LICENSED BY THE CALIFORNIA ACUPUNCTURE BOARD AND HAVE MASTER'S LEVEL EDUCATION IN THE SAFE ADMINISTRATION OF ACUPUNCTURE. ONCE NEEDLES ARE INSERTED, PATIENTS ARE FREE TO REST IN THE RECLINING CHAIR FOR AS LONG AS THEY ARE COMFORTABLE. PATIENTS COMMONLY RETURN FOR A COURSE OF TREATMENTS TO ADDRESS A SINGULAR ISSUE, OR INDEFINITELY AS A METHOD OF HEALTH MAINTENANCE. HERBAL MEDICINE IS PROVIDED AT BAP LESS FREQUENTLY THAN ACUPUNCTURE, AND IS UTILIZED BY APPROXIMATELY 10% OF PATIENTS. BAP MAINTAINS AN INVENTORY OF PRE-MADE HERBAL FORMULATIONS IN PILL FORM, POWDER, AND TINCTURE. HERBAL PRESCRIPTIONS ARE PROVIDED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LACS WITH MASTER'S LEVEL EDUCATION IN CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE. PATIENTS PAY 1.5X THE WHOLESALE COST OF ALL HERBAL PRODUCTS. "PROGRAM 2: CEU CLASSES: LACS IN CALIFORNIA ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE 50 HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR LICENSE RENEWAL. BAP IS A CALIFORNIA ACUPUNCTURE BOARD CERTIFIED PROVIDER OF CEUS FOR CALIFORNIA LACS. CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES ARE USUALLY TAUGHT APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEKEND OF A MONTH, 5-6 MONTHS A YEAR. IN 2021 DUE TO COVID WE DID NOT TEACH ANY CLASSES. INSTRUCTORS ARE PAID APPROXIMATELY $50/HR IN TEACHING FEES, DEPENDING ON THE LENGTH OF TEACHING TIME. CEU CLASSES ARE OPEN TO LACS AND STUDENTS AT ACCREDITED SCHOOLS OF ACUPUNCTURE. LAC'S AND STUDENTS PAY $20 PER CLASS. CLASSES ARE USUALLY LIMITED TO 20 ENROLLEES.