POCA (People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture) defines it as the practice of offering acupuncture:

1) in a group setting where multiple patients receive treatments at the same time;

2) by financially sustainable and accountable means, whereby community acupuncture clinics depend directly on the support of the people who receive acupuncture in them, rather than on grants, donations, or other funding;

3) within a context of accessibility created by consistent hours, frequent treatments, affordable services, and lowering all the barriers to treatment that we possibly can, for as many people as possible, while continuing to be financially self-sustaining; and,

4) with a commitment to social justice in health care.

The practice of community acupuncture is a grassroots movement intended to greatly increase access to acupuncture and widen its use in our increasingly complex health care system.