Cheers and Jeers

I confess to being too lazy to be in depth with my blog this week. It’s Easter Sunday, and quite frankly I need a day of rest, so I’m just handing out a few cheers and jeers. There is usually a swirling sewer of legislation going on somewhere, and I’m sure today is no exception. AMTA keeps their finger on the pulse; you can read the latest here. ABMP also reports legislative updates; you can read them here under News and Information.

Cheers to Idaho for becoming the 44th state in the nation to license massage therapists. Beginning July 1 2013, all therapists will be required to have a license. There will be a two-year grandfathering period for therapists who meet certain qualifications. You can read the entire practice act here.

Cheers to COMTA (Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation) for their improved website and their new online learning resources. Schools who are seeking accreditation, or thinking about doing so, can access a number of informational courses about the process. I started as a site reviewer for COMTA last year, and will be doing several site visits for them in the next few months. Seeking COMTA accreditation is a voluntary process that is rigorous–and sends a clear message for any school that you are doing more than you have to do.  I would encourage any school owner who wants to uphold standards of excellence to consider seeking COMTA accreditation. Part of the process is a very thorough self-study….it forces the question of “What could we be doing better?” The organization will bend over backwards in order to help you meet your goals.

Jeers to Lifetime television for The Client List, which debuts tonight. Cheers to ABMP and AMTA for contacting the producers of the show, for all the good that did, which was exactly none. Lifetime’s response is that they do not intend to show massage therapists in a bad light. If portraying a massage therapist as a prostitute isn’t casting a bad light on massage therapy, then I don’t know what is.

Jeers to the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards for their recent proposal on Maintenance of Core Competencies.

Cheers to AMTA for shooting more than 20 holes in it.

Cheers to the Massage Therapy Foundation for their new and improved website.

Cheers to the NCBTMB for their new plan of action. It isn’t perfect but it’s a big step in the right direction.

That’s it from me this week. Even Laura Allen falls down on the job, and today’s the day. If you’d like to add a cheer or a jeer, feel free to do so in the comments. Everyone have a blessed Easter and a peaceful and prosperous week.

4 Replies to “Cheers and Jeers”

  1. As a massage therapy instructor at Northwest Health Careers College here in Las Vegas, I am very disappointed that any news that might affect our curriculum is rarely delivered to us directly from any of the various groups. The instructors have to tell the Director of what is going on most of the time. That’s a jeer!

    Cheers to ABHES, our accrediting body….they are not easy to please, but very thorough. We use them now since we also have programs in dental assisting, medical assisting, phlebotomy, medical billing and coding, etc.

    The state of Nevada is coming to visit us this week regarding the new regulations put forth by the NCBTMB and how best we can serve our students and alumni. We have an ongoing ceu program at the school and it definitely can always use some guidance. Our curriculum is under control and can certainly be altered; it actually will affect financial aid for the students more if the curriculum hours are changed.

    Thanks, Laura, for all your info….I will keep you updated as to what the state has to say, as well as NCBTMB.

    Cheers also to Trail Guide to the Body literature, workbook, DVD and flashcards. I don’t teach kinesiology, but am finding these resources invaluable during bodywork to active continue the students thinking of the muscles, origins, insertions, actions, antagonists and synergists. I was recently introduced to their flash cards and am now going to want to use all their tools on a regular basis….especially in muscle/clay lab.

    Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all!

    Best regards,

    Carol Schaefer

  2. My number one Wish for the massage therapy profession is portability of licenses…at least within the United States. I have had to deal with this issue a couple of times (Nevada, Florida, New York and New Jersey.) Florida sent me back to school for an additional 112 credits before they would let me sit for the national exam in 2000. At the time, New Jersey would let just about anyone call themselves a certified or registered Massage Therapist (2004). New York is a very unique state with its own exam and 1000 hours….I was there for a short time caring for a very ill parent, and I decided returning to school yet again was just not worth the cost.

    A student here in Las Vegas who just graduated is from New York. I gave him reading material, phone numbers, and told him whatever I knew….but he should definitely expect to have him go back to school if he wants to practice in New York. My advice was to work in NJ….it is a short hop over one of the bridges for him and the requirements are totally different.

    So, why or when will there ever be totally standardized regulations so we can transfer licenses as we do our driver’s license?

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