PURPOSE: This rule outlines the requirements for supervision of auricular detox technicians.

1. (1) An auricular detox technician (hereinafter technician) shall insert and remove acupuncture needles in the auricle of the ear only. The points where a technician shall insert needles are limited specifically to the points known as Shen Men, Lung, Liver, Kidney, and Sympathetic as described and located by the National Acupuncture Detox Association (NADA) or other national entity approved by the advisory committee.

2. (2) A licensed acupuncturist shall provide supervision of a technician. For the purpose of this rule, electronic communication is acceptable for supervision if the communication is visually and/or verbally interactive and no more than fifty percent (50%) of the supervision shall be by electronic means.

   1. (A) A licensed acupuncturist shall be available on-site or by telephone or pager when the detax technician is providing services as defined in 4 CSR 15-4.010(1).
3. (3) Each technician shall meet with the licensed acupuncturist supervisor face-to-face a minimum of two (2) hours per week every two (2) weeks for each detox program utilizing the technician. The technician must obtain at least four (4) hours of face-to-face supervision within a calendar month for each detox program.
4. (4) The licensed acupuncturist must exercise professional judgement when determining the number of technicians s/he can safely and effectively supervise to ensure that quality care is provided at all times.
5. (5) Any duties assigned to a technician must be determined and appropriately supervised by a licensed acupuncturist and must not exceed the level of training, knowledge, skill, and competence of the detox technician being supervised. An acupuncturist may delegate to a technician only specific tasks that are not evaluative, assessment oriented, task selective, or recommending in nature.
6. (6) The licensed supervising acupuncturist is responsible for the professional conduct of a technician functioning in the acupuncture setting and performing procedures as defined in section (1) of this rule.

7. (7) Duties or functions that a technician may not perform include, but are not limited to:

   1. (A) Interpretation of referrals or prescriptions for acupuncture services;
   2. (B) Evaluative procedures;
   3. (C) Development, planning, adjusting or modification of acupuncture treatment procedures;
   4. (D) Acting on behalf of the acupuncturist in any matter related to direct patient care that requires judgement or decision making; and
   5. (E) Any acupuncture service performed independently or without supervision of a licensed acupuncturist.

AUTHORITY: sections 324.475, 324.481 and 324.484, RSMo 2000.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 15-4.010. Original rule filed July 24, 2001, effective Feb. 28, 2002. Moved to 20 CSR 2015-4.010, effective Aug. 28, 2006.

*Original authority: 324.475, RSMo 1998, amended 1999; 324.481, RSMo 1998, amended 1999; and 324.484, RSMo 1998, amended 1999.