The regulation of any health professional is intended to ensure the general public that the people who are identified as a specific type of health professional are qualified to practice. Even when a profession has been working in the health care industry for a number of years without regulation, establishing requirements for registration are setting the stage for the future of the profession. The passage of legislation requiring regulation of a profession is only the first step.

The Governor has now appointed a Board of Acupuncture, which consists of four acupuncturists, three physicians licensed to practice in Michigan and two public members.

The Department of Community Health, in consultation with the Board, is meeting and developing administrative rules that identify the minimum standards for registration. The development of rules is a detailed and lengthy process. The rules must identify the standards by which all applications are evaluated. The proposed rules will be available at this website as soon as they become available for review by the administrative agencies prior to the required public hearing.

Applications for registration and the actual issuance of registrations can not begin until the rules have been developed and formally approved. This process can take 12-18 months. Periodic updates will be made to this website as the program progresses.

If you wish to receive an application for registration, you can submit your name and address to us at bhpinfo@michigan.govat any time. We will distribute applications to those on our list in 2009.

Check the website periodically for updates on our progress. We are creating a list of people who are interested in information when it becomes available. You can email us at bhpinfo@michigan.govor you can call our main line and leave your name and address in the applications mailbox.

Thank you for your patience.