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To: The Coalition of National Massage Therapy Organizations (CNMTO)

1. Alliance for Massage Therapy Education (AFMTE)
2. American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)
3. Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP)
4. Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA)
5. Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)
6. Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF)
7. National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB)

RE: The Reckoning 
(Definition: a time or act of being accountable; the settlement of accounts between two companies; calculation of a ship's position; a summing up) 

The massage therapy profession has been growing and thriving for over 80 years in the US, yet the profession lacks education standards, consistent licensing requirements, license portability, CE standards and professional development standards.  The lack of standards and consistency has led to a confusing narrative about what massage therapy is or isn’t across the US.  Is it healthcare or a service profession? Is it a profession or industry? The number of illicit sex businesses disguised as massage businesses continues to grow and drive the narrative. The confusion puts massage therapists' lives at risk everyday.  

It is time for a reckoning. We ask that our associations start accounting for their actions and start working TOGETHER. We are at a crossroads with dwindling numbers of people joining the profession and many leaving it, yet a growing demand for massage therapy in every sector: Clinical, Spa, Hospitals, Healthcare and more.

 Historically, we have many things in place, yet they are not implemented: Entry Level Analysis Project, Model Practice Act and Human Trafficking Task Force. 

A "reckoning" of the seven main associations within the massage therapy profession would include:

• A thorough assessment to achieve greater unity and effectiveness. This would involve examining how these organizations function individually and together, and how they can better serve the profession's goals of standardization, recognition, and legitimacy.  
• It would ask that the seven associations be more transparent and increase their communication with the massage profession and each other and stop duplicating each other's efforts to work more efficiently in moving the profession forward. The lack of transparency and cooperation has led to a divided profession.
• Write your history and share it. Many do not know the history of how our profession and its seven main associations have come about, leaving gaps of understanding. Many do not know the many things our associations do for us because of lack of communication and transparency.

We want educational standards, consistency in licensing laws, license portability and a profession that is untangled from sex work.

We want quality Continuing Education that furthers our basic education.

When do we want it?  

Now.

Background

The history of the massage profession in the US shows that we are repeating our errors over and over.  For over 80 years we have been floundering to find our way when other professions like the Physical Therapy Profession with similar roots have flourished.  

Our historical timeline shows:
1943 - AAMM, now American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) created. First non-profit national membership association.
1987 -  Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) created. First for profit association.
1990 - National Certification Board Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) created.
1990 - Commission On Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) created.
1990 - Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) created. 
2005 - Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) 
2009 - Alliance for Massage Education (AFMTE) created.
2011 - Body of Knowledge taskforce created in 2009 and document finished in 2011
2012 - Entry Level Analysis Project (ELAP) created by the coalition.
2014 - Model Practice Act created by FSMTB 
2017 - Human Trafficking Task force report
2022  - Interstate Massage Compact Model Legislation

While most states now have licensing, the scope of practice, educational requirements, CE requirements vary greatly from state to state. CE is also different from professional development and CE has never been studied to determine what is needed to continue our education after basic massage school and licensing.

The definition of massage and massage therapy vary greatly and the laws often leave loopholes for the illicit businesses to get away with destroying our good name.  Some states have establishment licensing which we don’t know if it is working or not to curb this problem. Other words like medical massage, deep tissue massage, sports massage are confusing and the profession refuses to define them which means insurance carriers and legislators can and will define them for you.

The coalition of massage associations meet yearly but rarely share any information with their members or the profession as to what they are working on and achieving.  Things are being duplicated like AMTA and ABMP both have school forums, CE tracking is done through the NCBTMB and the FSMTB CE Registry program. We don’t know who is working on license portability or creating educational standards. The profession is often fighting fires more because of the lack of the basic essentials that is needed across a profession like:

• Standardized education requirements. We have the ELAP but it needs updating and implementing in each state.
• Consistent scope of practice and licensing requirements across the US. We have the Model Practice Act but it needs updating and implementing.
• An investigation into whether CE is working to educate therapists beyond entry level education requirements. CE is different from professional development. CE has not been studied to see what is needed like the way the ELAP created core competencies.
• Investigate what is needed for professional development.
• Consistent language in laws to make unlicensed practice a criminal offense to start untangling massage from sex work.  Most state laws include some language but law enforcement is at a loss on how to implement them. State Boards lack authority over unlicensed people hiding illicit businesses. 

This petition is NOT collecting money or receiving money from change.org or anyone or any organization.

The Coalition of Massage Associations is meeting in early June. Please sign and add your comments and contact your massage association and ask what are they doing to protect, preserve and move the profession forward.

This will be forwarded to all the association leaders.

Join me in my Facebook group to follow up on this and continue the work of asking our associations to work TOGETHER to move the profession forward.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/massageadvocates