IT’S THE FALL 2024 LICENSE RENEWAL SEASON
FOR LICENSES EXPIRING ON NOVEMBER 30, 2024
The standard renewal period has ended.
Late renewal is December 1 - 31, 2024
*Don’t know your license expiration date? Check the
License Verification page.
*Please Note: The office will be closed on Wednesday, December 25th for the Christmas holiday & on Wednesday, January 1st for the New Year’s Day holiday.
FROM: The Board of Acupuncture Members & Staff
TO: You & Yours
During the holidays our culture tends to focus on
happily ever after and the
miracles of the season. We get caught up in the holiday cheer, thoughts of generosity fill our hearts and manifest as free holiday feasts, donations, and gift drives for things like coats and toys. The hope is that strangers will put aside their differences momentarily to learn that their commonalities outweigh their differences. Another desired outcome is that people feel cared for, connected, fulfilled, have their needs met and feel healthy overall. While all this seasonal good will is great to momentary experience, what if we, us, our communities, society were inspired to cultivate an environment for “overall wellness” all year long. Envision the ripple effect of holiday type vibes that don’t end on January 2nd, but flow from month-to-month. Imagine year long manifestations of holiday cheer, generosity and whole life prosperity. It all starts with one thought, and one intentional act. Post the 2024 holiday season, try carrying thoughts of good cheer and wellness into the new year as a habit and not just an experience. For example, consider sharing your acupuncture and East Asian medicine expertise and wisdom with a new person or group routinely. The legislative season is starting in January. Maybe commit to reaching out to your representatives throughout the session. Nope these are not resolutions but rather wellness commitments that lead to long term quality of life impacts.
Amongst the December health observances are
World Aids Day, the
International Day of Persons with Disabilities,
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month and
National Safe Toys and Gifts Month. A little about each one….
World Aids Day
HIV was once a virus whose exposure seemed uncontainable with no hope of a
happy ending. Today the story is a little different. There are people around the world living with the human immunodeficiency virus after their diagnosis instead of automatically making end of life arrangements after being diagnosed. Additionally, the number of infections per year have decreased dramatically. This progress is reason to be grateful not only during the holiday season but all year long.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
This year’s theme is “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future”. This year’s theme is a clear indication of the progress made integrating persons’ having a disability into every aspect of a community’s daily activities. The types of disabilities - any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for a person with the condition to do (limitation) certain activities and interact (participation restrictions) with the world around them - vary and are not restricted by factors such as gender or race. Regardless of the impairment, it is likely that many of us encounter a person with a disability daily in our family, office and/or favorite place to hang out or shop. Creating a community in which everyone is welcome is yet another reason to be grateful during the holiday season and all year long.
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
Operating a vehicle while under the influence of any mood altering substance is never safe. During times of celebration some are more prone to feel less obligated to adhere to safety standards. Does, “Its only this one time” sound familiar? Unfortunately that ‘one time’ may be the very time that a life altering event happens. With all the different types of riding services, let’s remember that adhering to safety standards makes celebrating possible not only in the moment (holiday season) but also in the future (all year long). Don’t forget to share the message of safety with your circle(s) of influence.
National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
When you get excited about giving a gift to that special young person in your life, do you think about the safety of the gift? For example, do you research where the toy was produced, the ratings from other buyers or do you check the toy for wear and tear after weeks or months of use? Did you know that there are safety guidelines that you can review before purchasing a toy? What about adult gifts? Do you perform any research before giving that Secret Santa gift? I know it seems like a lot but consider learning something new during this gift giving season about the
gifts you are giving.
As we continue to stroll toward the end of 2024, there’s a lot that can happen in 30 days or less. The holiday season is full of lots of activities and different types of parties large and small. As we try to squeeze as much as we can into already jam packed schedules, we create the perfect environment for imbalance and overload. So do your best not to completely abandon your personal care routine which includes exercise, mindful nutrition, quality hydration and sleep. Acupuncture and East Asian medicine can be integral to maintaining balance and a health-filled routine. There is research to support the effectiveness of acupuncture and East Asian medicine as it relates to health promotion and the Board has featured related resources throughout the year. A list of some of the previously featured articles will be included in this month’s list.
RESOURCES TO REVIEW:
WHAT’S ON THE CALENDAR:
- Fall 2024 Late License Renewal: December 1 - December 31, 2024
- First day of the 2025 session of the General Assembly: January 8, 2025
- Spring 2025 License Renewal Season: April 1 - June 30, 2025
- Society for Acupuncture Research Conference in Newport Beach, CA: April 3 - 6, 2025
- Last Day of the 2025 session of the General Assembly: April 7, 2025
DON’T FORGET that the Board has eliminated manual payments (checks and money orders). Electronic payments are a convenience for Licensees and improves thAbout HIVinfo.NIH.gove efficiency of the services provided by the Board. Board staff is excited about the progress made in this area of the operation and is appreciative of your cooperation.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION CHECK-IN:
Please contact our office -
mdh.acupuncture@maryland.gov or (410)764-4766 if you:
- require a reasonable accommodation,
- need assistance due to limited English proficiency,
- want to submit an application for licensure but don’t have a social security or individual taxpayer identification number, or
- have military orders to transfer to Maryland, have questions about what you need to practice in Maryland and want to submit an application.
