Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) announced that all RIDOH-licensed massage therapists as well as all employees, interns, and volunteers working in RIDOH-licensed health-care facilities must receive their final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by October 1, 2021.

RE: Information regarding your state's back-to-practice permission date and safety guidelines to minimize risk of exposure to, and spread of, COVID-19 in the workplace.

Permission to Practice June 1, 2020

Personal services, including barbershops, salons, and businesses providing braiding, nail care, waxing, and massage therapy, may reopen June 1, 2020, in Phase 2 of Reopening RI: Navigating Our Way. 

Earlier this year we wrote to you regarding Senate Bill 576 (SB576; identical to House Bill 6033), which Rhode Island legislators were considering.

Are you interested in improving the way that massage therapists are regulated in Rhode Island?  Would you like to get involved in the process of updating and advancing the massage therapy laws and rules in the state?  If so, please consider joining a coalition of professionals and interested parties which has formed to develop regulatory proposals to submit to the state legislature.  The coalition is looking for individuals who have a desire to contribute and participate in a positive way by working on proposed amendments to current legislation and rules. 

Several changes to Rhode Island's massage therapy licensing rules became effective on August 5, 2018. You can read the new rules here. The changes include a new requirement that all licensed massage therapists must now complete six hours of continuing education (CE) every year in order to renew their license. This new rule brings Rhode Island in line with most other states, which generally require CE for license renewal. The new rule states as follows:

Rhode Island is proposing a few relatively minor changes to it massage therapy regulations. Click here to read the proposed changes.