Board Meeting Minutes
Last Updated on Friday, 18 September 2009 05:58 Written by Administrator Friday, 18 September 2009 05:57
The News
AMTA Government Relations Overview
Last Updated on Friday, 18 September 2009 06:22 Written by Administrator Friday, 18 September 2009 06:18
Why license the massage therapy profession?
Under U.S. law authority rests with states to regulate professions that have an impact on the health, safety and welfare of the public. This isn’t something that is done through national legislation.
AMTA recognizes that state government regulation of the practice of massage therapy is the best way to meet the needs of the public and the massage therapy profession. Leaving massage therapy regulation decisions to local government results in inconsistent regulation or none at all. The association believes that state licensure is the most effective means for the states to regulate our profession.
State licensure requires that only a person who holds a valid license from the state can engage in the practice of massage therapy or advertise to the public that they are practicing massage therapy. It also applies criminal penalties for people who practice without a valid massage therapy license. Professional licensure laws establish a minimum level of competency necessary to safely and effectively practice.
What are the benefits of professional licensure?
AMTA believes that the following benefits come from professional licensure:- Protection of the public through the establishment of high standards for entry into the profession.
- Protection of the public through the regulation of practice and recourse to effective disciplinary action.
- Fair and consistent regulation applying to the whole state.
- The right of massage therapists to define their practice, through proposed legislation and through regulation under an authoritative or advisory board of massage therapy.
These are some reasons AMTA is proactively pursuing state licensure in all states. These regulations are designed to protect the general public by demanding accountability from the profession. They also seek to unify the profession by providing a common governing structure, minimum competency, culture and language.
How can we achieve fair, consistent massage therapy licensure laws?
The most significant problem associated with professional massage therapy licensure is the lack of consistency among the thirty-six (36) states and District of Columbia that have some form of regulation in place. This could be due, in part, to a lack of a centralized government relations strategy which has left us with a patchwork of state and city laws. The wide-ranging massage therapy regulations have presented many challenges for therapists who relocate from one city or state to another, for health care professionals trying to refer patients for massage therapy, for the patients themselves, and for third party reimbursement.
The American Massage Therapy Association supports consistent massage therapy licensure standards that encourage reciprocity between states and eventually achieve overall portability of massage therapy credentials. Portability, quite simply, means that the education and training credentials of a licensed massage practitioner could be more easily accepted when a practitioner moves to or opens a location in another state. AMTA is working to improve the current regulatory environment through the creation of a centralized government relations strategy designed to achieve fair and consistent licensing in all states. This is the top advocacy priority for AMTA and it will require a long-term commitment.
The first step in the effort to achieve consistent licensure standards is to guarantee the inclusion of “must have” and “should have” elements in any and all baseline massage therapy practice acts. The association feels these necessary elements will provide consistency and clarity to state licensure regulations. And, they form the basis of the AMTA Government Relations policy we begin working with on May 1, 2006.
Must Have Elements of a Baseline Massage Therapy Practice Act
In order for the association (national or chapter) to support massage therapy legislation, the following content and practice conditions are must have elements of a baseline practice act:
- At least the minimum scope of practice for massage based on a definition of those massage procedures which are observable by the common person (i.e. the physical action of the therapist touching the client is observable.)
- A licensure qualification requiring successful completion of a professional course of study consisting of at least five hundred hours of in-class, supervised education authenticated by a single education provider, with content well distributed in the subjects of anatomy, physiology, hygiene, ethics, massage theory and research, and massage practice.
- A licensure qualification that requires passing an examination that has met national accreditation standards and which is administered by a recognized body independent of the education provider, with content that covers the subjects in a professional course of study, as described above.
- Authority, which may be tacit, of licensees to practice within the scope of massage therapy practice, free from any requirement to obtain any other occupational license.
- Powers and duties of the massage therapy regulatory agency which are customary for the regulation of other healthcare professions in the state.
- Disciplinary and penalty provisions which are customary for the regulation of other healthcare professions in the state.
- An authoritative or advisory board of massage therapy, with a majority comprised of massage therapists, and special provisions for the initial appointment of qualified massage therapists as board members whose terms will begin before any licenses have been issued.
Should Have Elements of a Baseline Massage Therapy Practice Act
The association advises chapters that the following content and practice conditions are should have elements of a baseline practice act:
- A means of recognizing, for the purpose of licensure, a valid license held by a practitioner that has been granted by another state government.
- Exemption from licensure for any person whose practice is not conducted in a way to imply that it is the practice of massage therapy and who does not hold out to the public that their practice is massage therapy.
- Free from any requirement to obtain an establishment license not required of other state licensed healthcare practitioners.
- Permission for visiting massage therapists from other states, who may not be licensed by the subject state, to practice massage therapy in the context of time-limited events on a pro bono basis or in the course of instruction.
- Waiver of education and examination provisions for any practitioner seeking licensure who can establish that their occupational practice began by the date the legislation is passed.
- An effective date for the licensure requirement which is at least one year from the time the legislation is passed.
- Pre-emption of local regulation that would in any way treat massage therapy differently from local regulation of other healthcare professions.
- Inclusion of the following Suggested Movement Practices Exemption Language:
- Inclusion of the following Suggested Energy Practices Exemption Language:
Nothing in this Article shall be construed to prevent or restrict the practice of any person in this state who uses touch, words and directed movement to deepen awareness of existing patterns of movement in the body as well as to suggest new possibilities of movement while engaged within the scope of practice of a profession with established standards and ethics, provided that their services are not designated or implied to be massage or massage therapy. Such practices include, but are not limited to the Feldenkrais Method of somatic education, the Rolf Institute’s Rolf Movement Integration, the Trager Approach to movement education, and Body-Mind Centering. Practitioners must be recognized by or meet the established standards of either a professional organization or credentialing agency that represents or certifies the respective practice based on a minimal level of training, demonstration of competency, and adherence to ethical standards.
Nothing in this Article shall be construed to prevent or restrict the practice of any person in this state who uses touch to affect the energy systems, acupoints or Qi meridians (channels of energy) of the human body while engaged within the scope of practice of a profession with established standards and ethics, provided that their services are not designated or implied to be massage or massage therapy. Such practices include, but are not limited to Polarity, Polarity Therapy, Polarity Bodywork Therapy, Asian Bodywork Therapy, Acupressure, Jin Shin Do, Qi Gong, Reiki and Shiatsu. Practitioners must be recognized by or meet the established standards of either a professional organization or credentialing agency that represents or certifies the respective practice based on a minimal level of training, demonstration of competency, and adherence to ethical standards.
AMTA-LA Standing Rules
Last Updated on Friday, 18 September 2009 05:57 Written by Administrator Friday, 18 September 2009 05:40
Louisiana Chapter
of the
American Massage Therapy Association
(Licensed to operate in Louisiana, May 20, 1986)
Chapter Standing Rules
Rule 1. Name and Address
1.1 Official name of Chapter shall be American Massage Therapy Association-Louisiana Chapter and may be abbreviated to AMTA-Louisiana Chapter.
1.2 Board of Directors shall designate mailing address.
Rule 2. Membership
2.1 Membership chair, officers and/or appointees shall respond to all inquires timely, adequately, courteously and retain file copies and notes thereof.
Rule 3. Chapter Officers
3.1 Chapter shall divide the office of Secretary-Treasurer and make two separate elected positions for Secretary and Treasurer.
3.2 Officers and appointees and their successors shall maintain assigned Chapter records until Chapter authorizes disposition.
3.3 Candidates for elections to offices of President and First Vice-President shall hold an elected or appointed position within this chapter within three (3) preceding years.
Rule 4 Chapter Board of Directors
4.1 Board of Directors shall serve as Chapter Finance Committee.
Rule 5. Meetings
5.1 The annual Chapter meeting shall be followed immediately by a brief organization meeting of the new Board and appointees.
Rule 6. Chapter Newsletter
6.1 Chapter newsletter will be provided at no cost to members and advertisers. And may be provided at no charge to prospects.
6.2 Advertising rates shall be set by Editor with Board approval
6.3 Officers and appointees shall contribute input for each edition.
6.4 Editor may place her or his own business advertisements up to one page per edition free of charge.
Rule 7. Chapter Units
7.1 Unit Purpose
7.1.1 Units shall provide services and networking opportunities at the local level to AMTA members and allied professionals.
7.1.2 Units shall maintain open communications with the Chapter Board of Directors.
7.1.3 Units shall promote membership and professionally represent the AMTA.
7.1.4 Units shall enhance the public's understanding and appreciation of therapeutic massage and bodywork.
7.2 Name and Boundaries
7.2.1 Unit boundaries shall be defined by the Chapter Board by using city, parish or other geographical boundaries.
7.2.2 Units may request a change in Unit boundaries to add or delete specific areas, and to combine or divide existing Units. No geographical area may be included in more than one Unit.
7.2.3 The Chapter Office shall keep unit names and boundaries on record.
7.2.4 The full name of each Unit shall be: American Massage Therapy Association-Louisiana Chapter, ______Unit, and may be abbreviated to AMTA-LA,____Unit.
7.3 Formation and Termination
7.3.1 Units are governed by National Bylaws and Chapter Standing Rules.
7.3.2 To establish a new Unit a letter of application signed by at least five (5) Professional AMTA members must be submitted to the Chapter Board. The application must include the proposed Unit name and boundaries. The mailing addresses of all five
— Professional members must be within the proposed Unit boundaries.
7.3.3 To establish a new Unit will require 2/3 majority of the voting Board.
7.3.4 Upon formation of a new Unit, the Unit members shall elect their Unit Liaison by a majority vote, for a one-year term.
7.3.5 Unit Liaison position shall be voted on by Professional Classification Unit members annually.
7.3.6 A Unit shall be considered terminated if any of these events occur:
(a) No meetings have been held for one year.
(b) The Unit has no Unit Liaison for six months.
(c) The Unit requests termination in writing after a Unit meeting vote.
7.3.7 When terminated, Unit funds, property and records shall be handed in to the Chapter Board.
7.4 Membership
7.4.1 Members shall be assigned a Unit according to their mailing address.
7.4.2 Members may only belong to one Unit.
7.4.3 Chapter members do not have to be affiliated with a Unit.
7.5 Unit Liaison(s); Responsibilities and Duties
7.5.1 The Unit Liaison(s) shall have the authority to act on behalf of the membership of that Unit as provided by the direction of the Chapter Board.
7.5.2 The Unit Liaison(s) shall be accountable to the Chapter Board and the Unit Membership. They shall make reports and recommendations to the appropriate Chapter Representative and the Unit Membership.
7.5.3 The responsibilities of the Unit Liaison:
(a) Uphold Association Bylaws and Louisiana Chapter Standing Rules.
(b) Determine and notify the members of the time and place and content of Unit meetings.
(c) A Unit Liaison must be present to conduct the Unit meetings, which must be held once every six months.
(d) Unit finances shall be handled on an individual unit basis and coordinated by the Chapter Board.
(e) Establish committees as necessary and define the purpose and activities of such committees.
7.5.4 Unit Liaison(s) shall ensure that all concerns and requests to National AMTA be made through the Chapter Board.
Rule 8. Financial Rules
8.1 Custody and Control of Money
8.1.1 Officers and appointees shall remit money collected, along with complete details, to the Treasurer promptly for deposit.
8.1.2 There is to be no cash out of revenues for expenses except as permitted by the Board.
8.1.3 Income must be recorded in Treasurers receipt book.
8.1.4 Expenses will be paid by check except where amount or circumstances warrant immediate payment in cash.
8.1.5 Board must authorize obligations not covered in the budget
8.1.6 President and/or Treasurer or their designee must sign contracts and credit applications.
8.1.7 Payments must be supported by detailed receipts or bills signed by the officer receiving service or product
8.1.8 Petty cash funds shall be entrusted to officers and appointees at the discretion of President & Treasurer.
8.1.9 Responsibility for money, accounting, financial reports and drafting budgets is vested in the Treasurer.
8.1.10 Authorized check signers shall be President, Treasurer, and one Vice-President designated by the President
8.1.11 Checks over $200 require 2 signatures.
8.1.12 Treasurer may approve claims under $50 except for self.
8.1.13 Treasurer shall "copy" to President all claims over $50.
8.1.14 Bonding shall be obtained for all persons having access to Chapter funds.
8.2 Bank accounts and Investments
8.2.1 No bank account may be opened/closed without Board approval.
8.2.2 Decisions to invest surplus funds must be approved by Board.
8.3 Annual Budget
8.3.1 The Board shall finalize a preliminary budget at February meeting.
8.3.2 Budget comparison will be provided to Board for review quarterly. An abbreviated version will appear in newsletter.
8.3.3 Budget may be adjusted up or down by the Board during the year for income or expense changes based on quarterly review.
8.4 Dues and fees
8.4.1 A Chapter fee of $15, approved by Board and chapter, shall be assessed each member, regardless of classification, by National on behalf of the Louisiana Chapter.
8.5 Reimbursement Policy
8.5.1 Chapter officers and appointees may be reimbursed, within reason or limits set here, for paying valid Chapter expenses with Budget/Board approval.
8.5.2 Reimbursement of claims must be supported with itemized receipts, within 90 days of the expense incurred. Telephone bills must identify non-officers called by name and subject matter. Callers should keep daily logs.
8.5.3 Where authorized elsewhere in these rules, personal automobile expense will be reimbursed at the La. Dept. of Revenue's accepted mileage per Diem. Mileage will be paid to those officers and appointees required by the President to be at meeting.
8.5.4 At President's discretion, a group meal may be furnished to persons attending meetings that coincide with meal time.
8.6 National Convention
8.6.1 National Convention
8.6.2 Reimbursement to delegates going to the National Convention shall be paid amount voted on by the Board of Directors and approved by the Chapter.
8.6.3 First time delegates must attend the House of Delegates Orientation.
8.6.4 Delegates must attend leadership training and forward information and materials to the Chapter Board.
8.6.5 Each delegate is required to write an article for the chapter newsletter on what they have learned and experienced.
About AMTA
Last Updated on Saturday, 19 September 2009 18:55 Written by Administrator Friday, 18 September 2009 05:31
The American Massage Therapy Association represents more than 42,000 massage therapists in 27 countries. AMTA works to establish massage therapy as integral to the maintenance of good health and complementary to other therapeutic processes; to advance the profession through ethics and standards, certification, school accreditation, continuing education, professional publications, legislative efforts, public education, and fostering the development of members.
The mission of the American Massage Therapy Association is to develop and advance the art, science and practice of massage therapy in a caring, professional and ethical manner in order to promote the health and welfare of humanity.
To serve its members, the public and the profession, the AMTA pursues the following goals:
- To establish massage therapy as integral to the maintenance of good health.
- To increase public awareness of the massage therapy profession.
- To promote high standards in providing massage therapy to the public.
- To increase access to quality massage therapy for all persons.
- To be an influential member of the health care community.
- To be a leader and a resource for issues in the field of massage therapy including: definition of practice and education standards: legislation and regulation.
- To enhance the professional development and personal growth of members.
- To continue AMTA’s growth, development, organizational effectiveness and visibility.
In pursuit of the above goals, AMTA and the AMTA-Louisiana Chapter will be guided by the values of care and competency.
- Goals, processes, programs
- Envisioned Future
- Strategic Plan
- Fast Facts
- Get the Support You Need
- Industry-leading Professional and General Liability Insurance
- Building a Brighter Future for Massage Therapy
- Research Grants
- Community Service Grants
The AMTA Purposes
Last Updated on Friday, 18 September 2009 06:28 Written by Administrator Thursday, 17 September 2009 03:44
The purposes of the AMTA shall be:
- To advance the science and art of massage and related techniques;
- To raise and maintain the standards of the massage profession;
- To foster a spirit of cooperation and the exchange of ideas and techniques among its members and others who are part of the massage profession;
- To promote legislation that supports and upholds, and oppose legislation that harms and damages, the massage profession;
- To protect and preserve the rights of its members;
- To enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation of massage;
- To further the broad objective of improving conditions of life, or individual well being, in our society through utilization of the professional knowledge and skills of massage therapy;
- To advocate the rights and interests of persons seeking massage therapy as health care;
- To conduct any other activity in connection with the purposes stated in this Article and to undertake such other desirable activities as the Board of Directors may determine.
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