slow poke community programs
what is a community acupuncture program?
A community acupuncture clinic pop-up. We come to you and provide group acupuncture.
This can be done in any community room or setting that can comfortably hold the number of people who want to participate.
why acupuncture?
A regular acupuncture program increases engagement with services and service providers.
Acupuncture is popular and can draw new people into the doors of your organization.
Acupuncture is direct pain relief without use of opioid painkillers.
Acupuncture is a perfect component of a harm reduction program, providing pain reduction and trauma relief with no contraindications for accompanying medications or drugs.
Research shows acupuncture is effective for alleviating stress, chronic and acute pain, PTSD, depression, insomnia, and anxiety.
Regular treatments boost the immune system, curb addictive cravings and assist the recovery process.
Acupuncture is patient/client centered. We focus on the issues identified by the person receiving treatment.
In our experience, people who may not normally go to a conventional doctor will utilize acupuncture as healthcare. This expands options for people who may be experiencing bureaucratic barriers to care, or are dealing with trauma experiences around medical treatment and access.
how it works
Everyone sits in a room together or an outside area in chairs.
The acupuncturist will speak to each person individually and set their needles.
People sit with the needles in for twenty minutes to one hour.
We provide background music or white noise for relaxation.
Folks can talk or sit quietly - every pop-up has it's own unique personality that develops over time according to who shows up.
We use NADA points (see What is Nada?) and sometimes other points on the ears, scalp, and lower arms and legs.
Getting acupuncture regularly yields the best results, so we suggest to start with a minimum of three months of weekly visits.
what about the details?
Acupuncturists are California State Board Licensed.
Acupuncturists are primary care providers in CA. While we do not prescribe medications, acupuncture works easily alongside conventional medicine.
Acupuncturists are covered by malpractice insurance for every person we treat, in every place we go.
Acupuncturists are HIPAA compliant and chart into a compliant EHR system.
past programs include:
Weekly Clinics at Shelters and Drop-in Centers such as A Woman’s Place
Weekly drop-in hours at homeless service providers such as Homeless Youth Alliance and Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic during Needle Exchange
Monthly Pop-up clinics on the street in Partnership with Lavamae
Weekly Street Clinics in Partnership with the Center for Harm Reduction Psychotherapy & SF Department of Public Health to serve encampment residents
Event Pop-ups at DPH Primary Care Clinic locations such as Tom Waddell
Thank you to all who made 4+ years of operation at the SF Mission Clinic truly a dream come true. Every treatment that you received helped to fund our work in the community - We gave thousands of free acupuncture treatments to people who could not otherwise have afforded or accessed Chinese medicine.
