An Assembly of Delegates Update
By Sue Cormier, AMTA-MA Chapter Delegate

The 2024 AMTA Assembly of Delegates (AOD) Annual Meeting was held in Tampa, FL on Wednesday, September 11. It was attended by 78 Delegates representing all active AMTA Chapters.

The AMTA Proposed Idea for a Position Statement (PIPS) was submitted by Becca Torns-Barker from the Connecticut Chapter. It read “Massage therapists could benefit from a position statement on the effects of massage therapy on abdominopelvic pain.” (Torns-Barker, July 2024) The AOD unanimously voted to have the National Board of Directors do more research and ultimately find the best way to provide more awareness and education regarding abdominopelvic work.

This year’s Proposed Discussion Topic (DT) was from Rae McLaughlin of the Oklahoma Chapter. It read “How would having unified definitions on modalities such as Swedish massage, deep tissue, sports massage and clinical massage shape the massage therapy profession?” (McLaughlin, July 2024) This topic brought about many different views from the Assembly at the meeting. There was a good discussion from delegates in different states, especially the educators who wish they had more time to teach hands-on techniques rather than teaching students’ information mainly to pass the MBLEx test. Many at our table agreed that a 2-year massage therapy education with an associate’s degree and state-to-state continuity for education requirements would be needed first before definitions could be defined. Also, all affiliations besides AMTA would have to agree.

Click here to read the full 2024 Assembly of Delegates Report submitted by the Assembly of Delegates Advisory Committee (AODAC).

AMTA members interested in submitting a proposal of a Discussion Topic (DT) or Proposed Idea for a Position Statement (PIPS) may do so ANYTIME throughout the year. Submission forms are available through the national AMTA website here.