How to Obtain a Government Proclamation
A proclamation is a formal announcement made by a state or local government on a topic important to members of that community. Asking your state or local government to issue a proclamation for National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) is a great way to raise public awareness of the benefits of chiropractic services and potentially interact with your elected officials.
When you are successful in getting a NCHM proclamation* signed by your governor, mayor or other local official, please let ACA know (send photos, if available) by emailing us. We will share your news with the rest of the chiropractic community via our social media channels, newsletter and website!
* Note: Sample proclamation text that you can cut and paste into
a document is available at the bottom of this page.
How do I get started?
1. Start early. It may take some time to go through the proclamation process, so begin at least 4-8 weeks in advance of National Chiropractic Health Month (October).
2. Identify who handles proclamations in your city, county or state government offices by looking on city, county and state websites, or by calling the offices. If there is no one who deals exclusively with proclamations, try contacting a public relations or public information officer. An office manager or an office administrator may be able to help, as well.
3. When contacting the proclamations office, be prepared to provide information about the importance of chiropractic care for people in your area. You can use statistics and information provided in ACA’s sample NCHM proclamation (pasted below) or from ACA’s advocacy, research, and website resources.
Be sure to ask the following questions:
- What is the process to obtain a proclamation?
- Do they want you to draft the proclamation or to do it themselves with information you provide?
- In what form would they like to receive the proclamation text?
- Once the proclamation is ready, can you arrange a signing ceremony and invite guests and/or the media?
4. When submitting the required documents to the proclamation office, remember to include the following:
- A cover letter or email with some facts about chiropractic and the significance of its non-drug approach to helping people relieve pain, restore function and stay active. Be sure to mention that your clinic/organization will be celebrating National Chiropractic Health Month with the American Chiropractic Association and doctors of chiropractic nationwide. Note that the goal of NCHM is to bring attention to chiropractic’s non-drug approach to pain management, which is especially relevant in the wake of the ongoing opioid crisis in the U.S. Include the date and theme of the proposed proclamation (October; “Get Started with Chiropractic”) and your contact information.
- A draft of the proposed proclamation (sample text below).
5. Mail, email and/or hand deliver your cover letter and draft proclamation to the office. If you have not heard back from the office after a week, follow up on the status of the proclamation by phone or e-mail.
6. Once the proclamation is signed, pick it up in person if possible, and personally thank the official or staff person who helped you. Or, send a thank you card or email to that person. This may help the process go quicker next year.
7. If you are able to arrange a signing ceremony, take pictures and send them to the ACA Communications Department. We will share your good news via our social media channels, newsletter and website!
8. Display the proclamation in your office the entire month of October. In addition to enhancing the credibility of the chiropractic profession and your clinic, the proclamation is another way for you to begin conversations with patients about the importance of chiropractic’s natural, evidence-based, and non-drug approach to pain management and how taking care of their musculoskeletal system can contribute to a longer and stronger healthspan.
9. Share it on social media! Above all, when you have your proclamation in hand, let the world know by sharing a photo of it on social media and using the hashtag #GetStartedwith Chiropractic or #NCHM2025 to make sure ACA can find and repost it on our social media channels and share it with the entire chiropractic community!
#GetStartedwithChiropractic
Sample Proclamation Text:
National Chiropractic Health Month 2025
WHEREAS, Chronic musculoskeletal pain is a widespread problem in the United States and around the world due to factors such as the aging population, an increase in obesity, and sedentary lifestyles;
WHEREAS, Worldwide, back pain is the single leading cause of disability and historically one of the most common reasons why people are prescribed opioid pain medications;
WHEREAS, The number of people worldwide living with back pain is projected to increase by 36% to more than 800 million over the next 30 years;
WHEREAS, Pain medications have for years been the go-to treatment for musculoskeletal conditions; however, research today shows that opioid pain medications are not a good strategy for managing chronic low back pain long term and many people prefer better, safer options to manage their pain;
WHEREAS, Clinical guidelines from leading healthcare organizations such as the CDC and the American College of Physicians now encourage patients with common musculoskeletal pain to try non-drug treatments first;
WHEREAS, Research studies demonstrate that patients who receive chiropractic services first may be able to significantly reduce or eliminate their reliance on prescription opioids;
WHEREAS, Doctors of chiropractic are experts in musculoskeletal health and offer a variety of non-drug approaches to treat musculoskeletal conditions such as back pain, neck pain, joint pain and tension headaches, along with advice on nutrition, injury prevention, ergonomics, and lifestyle modifications for optimal health and wellness;
WHEREAS, With the theme “Get Started with Chiropractic,” National Chiropractic Health Month 2025 reminds citizens of [insert name of state/city] that chiropractors can help them maintain and improve their musculoskeletal health throughout their lifetime and may also help them to reduce their need for prescription pain medications for common musculoskeletal conditions.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the [state/city] of [insert name of city or state] officially joins with the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) in proclaiming the month of October 2025 as National Chiropractic Health Month.
Signature: ______________________________________
Date Proclaimed: _______________
