Washington State Bills Would Assist Out of State License Applicants

Two bills recently introduced in the Washington State Legislature would open a pathway for applicants who attended certain massage schools that are not approved by the Washington Massage Board, including out-of-state schools, to obtain a Washington state massage license. Under the bills, HB 2781 and SB 6399, the Board would be required to adopt rules to allow Board-approved massage education programs to establish transfer programs that accept a person’s credits or clock hours from schools that have not been approved by the Board. The non-approved school must be a school that is either accredited by a national or regional accreditation organization, approved by a state authority with responsibility for oversight of vocational programs; or approved by a state agency that regulates massage programs and is a member of the federation of state massage therapy boards. 

ABMP will keep you updated on the status of these bills.

News

Tennessee Increases Minimum Education Hours

On April 16, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law House Bill 1610 and Senate Bill 1588, increasing the minimum massage curriculum hours that an applicant for massage licensure must complete at an approved school for massage, bodywork, or somatic therapy to be eligible for licensure under the Massage Licensure Act. Find out the new state minimum requirement.

Alaska Massage Board Remains Independent and Autonomous

Executive Order No. 129 sought to dissolve the Alaska Board of Massage Therapists and transfer its functions to the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED). The executive order was successfully overturned.

Gainful Employment Rules Compliance Updates

Over the past two weeks, the US Department of Education issued updates to the new “Gainful Employment” (GE) regulations for vocational programs published last fall. This web post addresses the updates to prepare school owners and educators ahead of the July 1, 2024, new GE rule effective date.

Blog

Avoid Pulling Clients' Hair

Massage therapy students practicing in a classroom.

It’s the finer details that matter in a massage therapy session, and unintentional hair pulling is a detail that carries more weight than you might think.

Faces of Bodywork: Adriane Maxwell

Massage therapist Adriane Maxwell stands in front of a palm tree.

Adriane Maxwell is the owner of One Healing Touch Reiki & Massage for Women in Charleston, South Carolina. Maxwell was featured in the May/June 2024 issue of Massage & Bodywork magazine in “Faces of Bodywork.”

Benefits

Podcast: Cancer, Clots, and COVID—A Complicated Client

A client was recently treated for colon cancer—and it didn’t go well. She had surgical complications, a bout of sepsis, and more. Is massage therapy safe? We discuss on this episode of “I Have a Client Who . . .” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner.

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