Delaware Governor Jack Markell is considering House Bill 463, a bill passed by the General Assembly and based on recommendations made by a committee of legislators, Joint Sunset Committee, and on the advice of the Board of Massage and Bodywork. HB 463 would phase out the two-tier licensure structure in Delaware. Sunset is the periodic legislative review of agencies, commissions or boards. The purpose of the review is to determine whether or not there is a genuine public need for the agency and, if so, determine if the agency is effectively performing to meet that need.
The Board of Massage and Bodywork currently issues licenses to massage and bodywork therapists and certificates to massage technicians. Licensed therapists are required to complete at least 500 hours of education and pass a certification examination. Massage technicians are required to complete 300 hours of education and are not required to take an examination. Delaware is the only state to have this two-tier system.
The intent of HB 463 is to ultimately eliminate the 300-hour massage technician category and require all practitioners to become licensed therapists. The Joint Sunset Committee determined that the higher educational requirements and examination requirement would serve to improve practitioner training and competence and thus benefit the recipients of massage services.
If signed by the governor, the Board would no longer accept applications for or issue massage technician certificates. However, technicians who maintain current, active certificates will have a three-year window of opportunity to upgrade to licensure as therapists. To achieve licensure, massage technicians will be required to successfully complete an examination offered by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB). No further education would be required. ABMP to see the bill amended to include passage of the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx) to achieve licensure. Acceptance of the MBLEx would lead to higher efficiency in converting licensees under the technician tier to the licensure tier.
The Board of Massage and Bodywork is supposed to consist of 2 massage technicians (CMT), 2 massage therapists (LMT), and 3 members of the public. Currently both CMT board positions are vacant and no effort was made to contact actively licensed Certified Massage Technicians prior to the bill being drafted or introduced.
According to a review of the draft report by the Joint Sunset Committee dated 1/27/2010 there are 614 active licensed Certified Massage Technicians (CMT), 4 Massage Technicians with Temporary certification, and 444 active licensed Massage Therapists (LMT) in Delaware.
ABMP is very disappointed in how this was handled. We believe at the very least, Certified Massage Technicians should have been contacted that this change was being considered. There was also no outreach to schools, ABMP or (we have to assume) any other membership association to gain helpful insight as to trends within the profession.