Consumer Information Public Information Request To make a public information request, please click here or contact the Board office at (602) 542-3095 and a form will be sent to you.  The fees for public information are included in the Fee Schedule found on this page. Fees   2008 FEE SCHEDULE    Type of Fee   Amount 1. Issuance of initial license   $275.00 2. Acupuncture application   $150.00     Auricular certificate application   $75.00 3. Renewal of license   $275.00 4. Late renewal of license   $100.00 5. Issuance of duplicate license   $50.00 6. Visitor professor certificate   $600.00 7. Visiting professor certificate renewal   $600.00 8. Issuance of initial auricular certificate   $75.00 9. Renewal of auricular certificate   $75.00 10. Copies of records, documents,      letters, minutes, applications and files   25 cents per page 11. Copies of current year board meeting minutes   $25.00 for each set of minutes 12. Sale of lists and directories for commercial purposes   $50.00   Complaints Following is an overview of the complaint process for The Arizona Acupuncture Board of Examiners.  This information is to assist the public and acupuncturists to better understand what takes place when the Board receives a complaint. As stated in our mission statement, the Board is charged with protecting the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Arizona.  This means an investigation is done on every complaint and the Board then determines if a law or rule was violated. How is a complaint filed? Anyone, including the Board may file a complaint against a licensed acupuncturist for anything they believe is a violation of law. To get a complaint form you can click here or contact the Board office at (602) 542-3095 and one will be sent to you. When filing a complaint it must include the following information: The complainants name, address and telephone number. The acupuncturists name and address. The nature of the complaint with as much detail as possible. Anonymous complaints are accepted, however, the Board cannot guarantee the anonymity of the complainant if the nature of the complaint will require a witness or testimony from the complainant. The Board cannot accept complaints filed against a clinic or facility when an acupuncturist is not identified in the complaint. What happens once a complaint is filed? All complaints filed against an acupuncturist are investigated and brought before the Board for review and action. A complaint number is assigned and file opened. A copy of the complaint is sent to the acupuncturist and response is required. Any supporting documents are obtained. A copy of the response is sent to the complainant who then can make a written rebuttal. Once the complaint investigation is complete the matter is set on a Board agenda for them to review.  At the Board meeting, they will determine the following during their review: 1. Is the nature of the complaint under the Board’s jurisdiction? If the answer is “No”, the complaint will be dismissed because the Board has no jurisdiction to proceed. If the answer is “Yes”, the Board will go onto number two below 2. Is there a substantive basis on which to believe a law may have been violated? If the answer is “No”, the complaint will be dismissed. If the answer is “No”, but the Board had concerns, they could dismiss the complaint with a non-disciplinary letter of concern. If the answer is “Yes”, the complaint is voted to hearing. If the answer is “Not sure”, Then the Board can hold the complaint open for further investigation. Both the complainant and the acupuncturist will be notified of the time and location of the Board meeting so they can be present and address the Board.  An acupuncturist has the right to have an attorney represent them any time through out the complaint process.  Both parties will be notified in writing as to what happened to the complaint at the Board meeting.   If the complaint is voted to hearing, then a formal process takes over.  The acupuncturist will be served a “Complaint Notice of Hearing”.  This document identifies the date, time and place of the hearing.  It will also outline the factual allegations and charges made against the acupuncturist, by the State of Arizona.  An attorney can represent the acupuncturist at this hearing.  The complainant should be prepared to act as a witness at the hearing.   If at the hearing the Board finds a violation of law, they can impose any of the following sanctions. Letter of concern Decree of censure Probation Restrict or limit the practice of the licensee Civil Penalty of not more then $10,000.00 per violation Suspend a license Revoke a license If at the hearing the Board finds there was no violation of law, they can dismiss the complaint. How long does the process take? Depending on the complexity of the investigation or if there are related criminal issues, it can take anywhere from 30 days to months to resolve.  The Board makes every effort to make sure the complaint proceeds as fast as possible. Does the complaint process apply to auricular certificate holders? Yes.  The same complaint process holds true for certificate holders.