As a board-certified massage therapist, I am constantly faced with limitations in my practice. Despite the skills, knowledge, and care I bring to my work, my billable rate, legal protections, and scope of practice are restricted under the current California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) system of Certified Massage Therapist (CMT).

The proposed Licensed Clinical Massage Therapist (LCMT) qualification offers a promising pathway to elevate the massage therapy profession in California. By establishing higher standards, expanding the scope of practice, and improving patient care, the LCMT designation would benefit therapists and patients. This initiative aligns with the state's commitment to better healthcare for all residents. We urge you to support this important step towards recognizing the vital role of massage therapists in healthcare.

Please sign this petition and contact your state senators to advocate for the establishment of the LCMT designation. Your support can make a difference in shaping the future of massage therapy in California.

Creating a Licensed Clinical Massage Therapist (LCMT) qualification could address these issues and bring significant benefits, not only to professionals like myself, but also to patients across California.

• Elevating professional standards: An LCMT designation would establish a higher level of qualification for massage therapists. This could lead to increased recognition, respect for our profession, and potentially positive adjustments to our earning potential in the marketplace.
• Expanding scope of practice: LCMTs would be authorized to work in clinical settings and collaborate with other healthcare providers. This would open up new, fulfilling career opportunities for therapists and offer a wider range of services to our patients.
• Improving patient care: By empowering therapists with amplified expertise, we could serve our patients more holistically and offer them potentially better health outcomes.

By recognizing the important role we play in health provision, the State of California has the opportunity to make a significant step towards better healthcare for all its residents. In light of the above facts, we urge the relevant authorities to consider the establishment of the LCMT designation. Please sign this petition, your support matters.

The potential benefits of creating a Licensed Clinical Massage Therapist (LCMT) qualification include:

• Elevated Professional Standards:  Establishes a higher level of qualification for massage therapists, potentially leading to increased recognition and respect for the profession.
• Expanded Scope of Practice: LCMTs would be authorized to work in clinical settings and collaborate with other healthcare providers, opening up new career opportunities.
• Improved Patient Care:  Patients could benefit from massage therapy in a wider range of healthcare contexts, potentially leading to better treatment outcomes.
• Increased Access to Massage Therapy: Greater integration with the healthcare system could make massage therapy more accessible to patients.
• Professional Growth: Continuing education requirements ensure that LCMTs stay up-to-date with the latest research and techniques, fostering professional development.

Here are some specific examples of clinical settings where LCMTs could provide massage therapy services:

• Hospitals: LCMTs could work in various hospital departments, such as oncology, cardiology, orthopedics, and pediatrics, providing massage therapy to support patient care and recovery.
• Physical Therapy Clinics: LCMTs could collaborate with physical therapists to provide massage therapy as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program for patients with injuries or chronic conditions.
• Rehabilitation Centers: In inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings, LCMTs could help patients manage pain, improve mobility, and enhance overall function. This includes centers committed to combatting Opioid Use Disorder.
• Hospice Care: LCMTs could provide massage therapy to hospice patients for comfort care, pain management, and emotional support.
• Mental Health Facilities: LCMTs could work in mental health settings to provide massage therapy for anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
• Sports Medicine Clinics: LCMTs could work with athletes to prevent injuries, enhance performance, and aid in recovery from sports-related injuries.
• Chronic Pain Clinics: LCMTs could provide massage therapy to patients with chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, and back pain.

To ensure their skills and knowledge are up-to-date, LCMTs should be required to meet the following key requirements:

• Continuing Education: LCMTs should complete a specified number of hours of Board-approved continuing education courses relevant to clinical massage therapy. This could include courses on advanced massage techniques, anatomy and physiology, pathology, clinical reasoning, and ethics.
• Board Certification Based Renewal: LCMTs should maintain their National Board Certification, which requires completing continuing education for renewal. This ensures that LCMTs stay current with national standards and best practices in massage therapy.
• Ethics Training: LCMTs should participate in regular ethics training to maintain high ethical standards in their practice. This could include courses on professional boundaries, informed consent, and cultural competency.
• Background Checks: Periodic background checks could be required to ensure the safety and well-being of patients. This is particularly important given the close physical contact involved in massage therapy.
• Allied Health Status: Designates LCMTs as allied health professionals, affording them the same legal protections and responsibilities as other healthcare providers, thus ensuring safety and accountability for both therapists and patients.
• Low-cost, low-impact to the current CA system: By relying on the NCBTMB and current CAMTC exams, continuing education tracking, and background check systems, the LCMT will involve minimal costs to the state, create higher wages with quality benefits rarely offered to massage therapists, generate tax revenue though higher incomes, pay for itself through fees, and have minimal impact to the current CMT system managed through the CAMTC.