About
Join the Alberta Innovative Disabilities Program (AIDP), a government-funded acupuncture program empowering individuals with disabilities to overcome pain and enhance their mental well-being.
We’re seeking individuals with disabilities who have been dealing with pain and/or mental health issues to participate in our program and assess the effectiveness of using Acupuncture in managing these health concerns and promoting optimal well-being. Individuals with disabilities are often at greater risk from secondary health conditions that can be prevented, including pain, mental health and addiction, fatigue, and chronic illnesses such as sleep disorders, overweight and obesity, bowel or bladder problems, etc. These secondary health conditions, often under-diagnosed and under-treated, can largely affect their quality of life, employability, and re-employment opportunities.
The Alberta Innovative Disabilities Program (AIDP), funded by the Alberta Government, provides evidence-based acupuncture and holistic care to individuals with diverse disabilities free of charge, to reduce the adverse effects of coexisting pain and mental health issues. By doing so, the AIDP aims to improve the overall wellness and function, self-esteem, resilience, and social inclusion of individuals with disabilities, thereby enhancing their employability and re-employment opportunities.
Eligibility
Who are Eligible for AIDP?
- Living with a disability
- Currently enrolled in the Alberta Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) or Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) program; or
- being able to submit the AIDP Eligibility Verification Form (download here) completed by the appropriate medical professional, that specifically identifies your disability.
- Coping with any of the following concerns or conditions:
- chronic pain or pain management issues (lower back/neck/shoulder/hip/knee pain, headache, etc.);
- any mental health concerns or conditions (sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, fatigue, burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.)
- chronic illnesses (digestive disorders, allergy, asthma, etc.)
This study has been approved by the University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB21-2050).
To check if you meet the eligibility requirements, please contact the study team at (587) 333-6600 or email us at info@abidp.ca.
Our Program and Services
Participants will be asked to take part in:
- Free acupuncture treatments over 1-3 months, minimum twice a week;
- 1 initial and 2~3 follow-up survey data collections over the course of treatment
We will use treatment protocols for pain management and mental health that have been developed and validated in an interventional research project led by the University of Calgary. Previous interventional studies have suggested that acupuncture may be beneficial for the management of various pain and mental health issues. Please visit https://www.abship.ca for more information.
Participants will not need to pay for the interventions they receive in AIDP.
About Acupuncture
The effectiveness of acupuncture, when integrated with conventional treatment, has been well-established in scientific research for addressing chronic conditions such as musculoskeletal conditions and pain, mental disorders (stress, anxiety, depression, etc.), and digestive disorders.
In the Clinical Guideline published in 2017, the American College of Physicians (ACP) officially listed acupuncture as one of the treatment modalities to be considered first when treating patients with acute, subacute, or chronic low back pain.
Many of the highly respected Universities and the World’s top-rated Hospitals have integrated acupuncture into their existing facility. Examples include Harvard Medical School’s Osher Centre for Integrative Medicine, the University of Maryland’s Health Centre for Students, Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre, Mayo Clinic, and Johns Hopkins Medical Centre.
Sign-Up
Contact
Phone: 587-333-6600
Email: info@abidp.ca
Huatuo Clinic Location
300, 628 – 12 Ave SW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2R 0H6
*2-hours free parking provided
Opening Hours
Mondays: 9AM – 5PM
Tuesdays: 9AM – 5PM
Wednesdays: 10AM – 6PM
Thursdays: 9AM – 5PM
Fridays: 10AM – 6PM
Saturdays: CLOSED
Sundays: 9AM – 5PM