|
ABMP Legislative Report
Montana 1/31/03 2/20/02 1/31/03: The Montana Somatic Practice Legislative Coalition is currently drafting a bill which would define and recognize massage therapy and bodywork, and upon completion will be presented to Montana's legislative body. ABMP sent a survey to our Montana members and 41% of the members have responded!! The results are in and 64% of the respondents would like the state to implement statewide regulation of massage therapists and bodyworkers. Seventy percent of those that responded would support educational requirements of 500 hours or less (46% indicated that 300 hours of education was sufficient as a minimum entry level amount) with 37% supporting licensure and 42% supporting certification. A tiered regulatory system, which would recognize relaxation/spa/chair massage requiring less training than those in clinical work, received support from 44% of the respondents. Demographic information revealed that ABMP members in Montana have and average of 645 hours of initial education (median is 640 hours) and have been practicing an average of 5.8 years (median is 5 years) and 74% of the respondents have not sought national certification from the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. To determine if a bill has been introduced in the 2003 legislative session, visit laws.leg.state.mt.us/pls/laws01/LAW0200W$.startup. ABMP continues to track for any massage regulations that may be introduced in the 2003 legislative session. 2/20/02: To participate actively in the development of regulation in Montana, please contact Virginia Rutherford; phone: (406)549-4725 or 406)543-8133 or e-mail shiatsu@bigsky.net. |