The following statement is reproduced from relevant sections of ACAOM's Articles of Incorporation: The specific purposes for which the corporation is organized include, but are not limited to: the advancement of the cause of education in acupuncture and Oriental medicine schools and colleges throughout the country as follows:

The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1982 by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and the American Association of Oriental Medicine. Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a "specialized and professional" accrediting agency, ACAOM's primary purposes are to establish comprehensive educational and institutional requirements for acupuncture and Oriental medicine programs, and to accredit programs and institutions that meet these requirements. As an independent agency, the Commission's decisions are not subject to review or change by any outside organization or regulatory body.

ACAOM, was first recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) in 1988 for the accreditation of Masters degree and Masters level acupuncture only programs. In 1992, ACAOM was granted an expansion of scope by the USDE to include the accreditation of programs in Oriental medicine. In 2006, the USDE renewed ACAOM’s recognition for the USDE’s maximum five-year period and granted the Commission’s request for an expansion of its scope of its USDE recognition to include its preaccreditation (Candidacy) reviews.

The Accreditation Commission is composed of nine commissioners who approve ACAOM's accreditation standards, policies and procedures, and oversee the accreditation process. Three Commissioners are chosen from among the general public, three from programs that are in candidate or accredited status with the Commission, and three from the professional community of practitioners. Commissioners are appointed by the Commission and not by any outside organizations. All Commissioners serve as unpaid volunteers. Regular meetings of the Commission are held twice a year-in the Spring and Fall -- and ACAOM's public hearings are open to the public. The work of the Commission is facilitated by an administrative staff that includes an executive director and director of professional services.

The mission of ACAOM is to foster excellence in acupuncture and Oriental medicine through the implementation of accreditation standards for educational institutions of acupuncture and Oriental medicine.

ACAOM is committed to enhancing the quality of education offered by acupuncture and Oriental medicine programs. In particular, ACAOM strives to:

•	Encourage institutional and programmatic self-improvement through continuous self-study and assessment;
•	Assure the higher education community, the general public, and other agencies or organizations that an institution or program has clearly defined and appropriate objectives, has the resources for reasonable attainment of the stated objectives, and is making continuous efforts to produce evidence of the attainment of its objectives;
•	Assure the higher education community, the general public, and other agencies or organizations that an institution or program has clearly defined and appropriate objectives, has the resources for reasonable attainment of the stated objectives, and is making continuous efforts to produce evidence of the attainment of its objectives;
•	Encourage diversity and innovation within the boundaries of generally accepted standards and guidelines of academic quality; and
	Encourage diversity and innovation within the boundaries of generally accepted standards and guidelines of academic quality; and