In an ongoing effort to maintain the integrity of the licensing examination and address fraud in the licensing process, the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) is developing an incremental process to support member boards in detecting and addressing fraud. This work is a combined effort from state board members and executive staff who serve on the Examination Committee, the Federation Authentic Information Review (FAIR) Task Force, the Human Trafficking Task Force, and the MBLEx Eligibility Panel. The following Massage Education Policy is a result of their research and recommendations and adoption by the FSMTB Board of Directors.
Effective July 1, 2017, candidates seeking access to the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) will be required to substantiate enrollment in or having received their education from a massage therapy educational program that is approved or recognized by the state board or agency authorized to regulate massage therapy in the state in which the school is located. In the event the massage therapy board/agency does not approve or recognize education programs, approval or recognition from the relevant state department of education or like agency, in the state which the school is located, shall apply. In the event of a conflict between the state board/agency and department of education, the approval or recognition of the massage therapy board/agency shall prevail.
For more information, please contact Director of Professional Standards Kevin Snedden at ksnedden@fsmtb.org.
FSMTB is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, membership organization comprised of massage and bodywork licensing boards and agencies from 41 states, the District of Columbia, and the territory of Puerto Rico. FSMTB's mission is to support its member boards in their work to ensure that the practice of massage therapy is provided to the public in a safe and effective manner. For more information, please visit www.fsmtb.org.
