IHPC urges practitioners to call representatives to attend health and wellness caucus

The Integrative Health Policy Consortium (IHPC) is calling on integrative practitioners to reach out to their representatives and urge them to attend the Congressional Integrative Health and Wellness Caucus on Wednesday March 6, according to an announcement sent by the organization earlier today.

The meeting will take place at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and is open to members of Congress and staff only. Experts from academic, government, and association settings will educate attendees on the field of integrative pain management, said the IHPC.

The briefing will feature a discussion of multi-modality models of care, including models currently being implemented within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, university hospital systems, and integrative pain clinics across the country. Additionally, long-standing integrative therapies, such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy, and yoga therapy, will be offered to members and staff to demonstrate their ability to treat neck and back pain.

Qualified participants are invited to participate in demonstrations of complementary therapies provided by licensed acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and naturopathic physicians as well as certified reflexologists and craniosacral practitioners at an Interdisciplinary Therapies room. Bento boxes are also available, with each component being a recipe for treating pain and inflammation, according to the announcement.

The IHPC is encouraging integrative practitioners to reach out to their representative today and request that they attend this important meeting. Click here to find the name and contact information for your representative. 

The IHPC also shared a sample script written by its staff, which practitioners may use when calling their represntative: 

My name is: ______

Last year, Congress passed H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, aimed at addressing our nation’s ongoing opioid crisis. This law proposed that we not only examine the need for new methods of treating chronic pain, but also examine the use of complementary and non-pharmacological methods of treating pain. I am calling to encourage you or your staff to attend and consider joining the Congressional Integrative Health & Wellness Caucus. You will learn more about these therapies, common barriers to access and what Congress can do to bring integrative health to our constituents.

• The briefing and lunch will take place from Wednesday, March 6, 2019 in Rayburn HOB 2043 at 11:45am - 2:00pm.
• The Interdisciplinary Therapies room in Rayburn HOB 2103 from 10:30am- 2:30pm. One-on-one appointments are available.

If you have any questions, please contact Ellen Hamilton at [email protected] with Congresswoman Chu’s office or Martin Schultz with Congresswoman Walorski at [email protected].

Thank you very much.

Click here for more information.