Support for Those Affected by Hurricane Harvey

All of us at the sister associations of ABMP, ASCP, AHP, and ANP send our heartfelt support to those whose lives have been affected by Hurricane Harvey. We remain concerned and poised as the events in Texas, and now Louisiana, unfold. We understand that residents in these areas are still very much in danger and will remain so for quite some time as the storm passes and realities of the aftermath settle in.

We are membership associations dedicated to providing top-shelf liability coverage, practice-building resources, and continuing education. We will work with our members in affected areas to support their efforts to maintain their membership benefits and liability coverage as they begin to rebuild. We are already in contact with members in the affected areas and providing support where possible.

We are making a donation of $15,000—$5,000 each to these charities: Baker Ripley, the Houston Food Bank, and the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund—to help rebuild this area. Houstoniamag.com has a list of reputable charities in the Houston area; we hope one or more of these initiatives resonates with you.

It’s crucial during disasters such as this to maintain perspective and let experts sort out the best ways to provide assistance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is on the ground with trained professionals working to restore order and services. Visit www.fema.gov/hurricane-harvey to learn more about information surrounding assistance to these areas and how you can help. We want to underscore that residents and emergency service personnel are working at capacity to restore order. Please do not attempt to venture into these areas unless you’re doing so on behalf of a professional rescue effort.

—Les Sweeney, ABMP President

Category: 

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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