Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Organizing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council of Colleges outlines strategic plan, clean‑needle program and member portal; seeks more school‑association collaboration
Summary
The Council of Colleges for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (CCAHM) presented its strategic priorities — including faculty development, a newly launched member portal and promotion of the Clean Needle Technique (CNT) program — and sought greater collaboration with associations and the board on clinical education and student supports.
Thomas Kuo, president of the Council of Colleges for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (CCAHM), and executive director Kristen Rickheimer presented the council’s mission, strategic plan and recent work at the board’s March 7 meeting. CCAHM represents member colleges and focuses on faculty development, clinical partnerships, the Clean Needle Technique (CNT) certification program and institutional support.
Kuo and Rickheimer described the council’s strategic goals: strengthen professional recognition in the broader medical community, expand collaborations and clinical partnerships, elevate teaching and learning, and build organizational capacity. CCAHM noted it represents 37 member schools overall, administers the CNT course and exam, and has launched a new member portal (Connect) to host recorded workshops, committee materials and networking for administrators and faculty.
Rickheimer highlighted recent faculty‑development and administrative workshops, a social‑media campaign to support enrollments and a spring conference planned in conjunction with the American Society for Acupuncture (ASA). The council also described committees and a newly convened presidents’ council intended to better surface schools’ priorities.
Several public commenters and board members urged greater coordination between schools and associations to help graduates gain clinical experience and business skills; CCAHM leaders signaled interest in mentorship programs, student support networks and partnerships to expand clinical placements (including hospital and veterans’ programs). Several association representatives praised CCAHM’s outreach and asked to coordinate on student access to mentorship and practice‑management training.
On the CNT program, CCAHM said it administers the course and exam and is working to improve online accessibility and administration following pandemic-era transitions; the council said it will continue updates to accessibility and examine options including in‑person test options where appropriate. CCAHM committed to share meeting materials and to coordinate future engagement with the board and state associations.
