Even though it feels like a lot of things are at a stand still, there is a lot that is going on behind the scenes. We are still working on trying to bring virtual meet-ups to local therapists craving some more knowledge and social distanced bonds with other therapists. We are planning our in-person events so that we can be ready to go when we get the green light in 2021. We are even trying to recreate and possibly bring back the New England Regional Conference (NERC).
Our law and legislation team has been hard at work with our lobbyist keeping up with the changes that are coming down from the Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure (DPL) and the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Massage Therapy (Board). In response to the Boston Globe article at the beginning of the year, new DPL Commissioner Layla D’Emilia, along with the new Board Executive Director Danielle O’Neil, recently completed a months long review of the licensing process for massage therapists. Some of the suggested changes that the state wants to see made are:
- New license applicants taking and passing a national examination
- Requiring license applicants renewing their license to complete continuing education
- Adopting a policy to interview compliance officers so that they understand their duties
- A more thorough policy to govern out-call massage therapy
- Improving the DPL’s efficiency administering licenses and correspondence
- Working quickly to remove known fraudulent license holders from the profession.
To discuss these matters, the Law & Legislation team and I had a great Zoom call with the Commissioner, where she explained the DPL’s findings and the things that they want to do to move forward. We had a robust discussion and appreciated her commitment to working through a process that considers input from the profession. As we noted, the proposed changes fall in line with many other states regulations and helps keep our profession full of professionals.
Final thought, even though we are not meeting in person, we are still looking for volunteers. We are especially looking for people who want to be a part of membership experience and help organize meet ups in their area and anyone interested in helping to be a part of reuniting NERC.
A lot of things are happening in our profession, the AMTA-MA Chapter remains committed to staying on top of it all!
In Service,
Nichole Cross, AMTA - MA Chapter President