CAMBS Newsletter August 2003

CAMBS
California Alliance of Massage and Bodywork Schools	July 2002

State Licensing

The May, 2002, CAMBS meeting was held in Rocklin, California. The host was Dr. James Mally of the Healing Arts Institute in Roseville, California.

The issue of state licensing for massage therapists drew 48 members and non-members to the meeting. Guest speakers included Beverly May, who will head the effort, initiated by the AMTA-CA, to seek state licensing for California massage therapists, Les Sweeney of the ABMP, and Ellie Zellmer of the BPPVE.

Beverly May discussed the background of the effort in California to obtain state licensing, and her concern to involve as many therapists in the discussion as possible. Les Sweeney pointed out that in all states with state licensing, except one, the impetus for state licensing originated with state chapters of AMTA. He also said that ABMP is neither for nor against state licensing; that is a decision that rests with the therapists themselves. However, if there is a move toward state licensing in California, ABMP will want to be involved to represent the interests of their members in California.

Ellie Zellmer, who is an education specialist with the Bureau for Postsecondary and Private Vocational Education, discussed how state licensing would affect the Bureau's oversight of massage schools. She also discussed STRF and answered questions from the audience. Ellie Zellmer encouraged the group to think of improving the profession from the inside, so to speak, rather than creating new laws. She encouraged CAMBS to continue with its research into basic educational standards for entry-level massage therapists.

Basic Massage Curriculum

At the November 10 and 11, 2000 CAMBS meeting in Huntington Beach, members discussed the effect of outside requirements, such as local and state licensing and the national certification exam, on creating curriculum. Requirements by such outside agencies force schools to create artificial course requirements. The goal of this meeting was to discuss what kind of curriculum schools would develop if all they had to be concerned about was student needs? What would it be like to create a content-based and outcome-based curriculum without regard to artificial requirements imposed by outside agencies? What kind of curriculum schools would develop if all they had to be concerned about was student needs?

Barbara Clark and Ramona Moody reported on the Massage School Task Force, initiated by Cindy Thompson when she was acting chief of the Bureau. The purpose of the task force was to establish the minimum training required to turn out successful massage school graduates. After discussion, the group agreed to try to identify what sort of curriculum is needed to produce a graduate who is competent in at least one modality, no danger to the public, and is marketable (could earn a living.) This graduate would work as an employee or independently, on basically healthy clients, and would refer out clients who need treatment of pathology.

The next step was to identify the subjects to be taught, the details of each subject, and how long it takes to teach each subject. Over the next several meetings, those present reviewed the Task Force curriculum outline, and developed a model outline for a basic massage curriculum. Bill Flocco, who owns a reflexology school, distilled all the information discussed at these meetings into a generic course outline for bodywork schools, containing what CAMBS members feel are the essential elements for an entry-level course in bodywork.

After that, the group tried to decide how much time it would take to teach these essential basics - how long should the entry-level course be? After some lengthy discussion, it was decided that it might be better to research the length and content of currently approved entry-level courses.

Eight schools, with entry level programs from 100 to 300 hours in length were surveyed. Among these schools, the average course length is 181.6 hours, with an average of 55.7% of the hours spent on theory and practice, 16% Anatomy and Physiology, 6% for Business and Ethics, 3.75% for Self Care, 2.75% contraindications, health, and safety, 2.7% of the hours used for testing, and an average of 13% of the hours for clinic.

Survey

In order to achieve a more accurate understanding of length and content of entry-level bodywork courses in California, the following survey questions have been developed. This newsletter will be sent to every bodywork school in California for input. Even if your school is not a member of CAMBS, we hope you will be participate in this survey. Results of the survey will be sent to all participating schools.

It will be very helpful if each school will designate someone to compare its curriculum to the categories below, and determine how much time is spent on each subject. When finished, please fax the survey to CAMBS at 916-791-0119 or mail to:
CAMBS
8331 Sierra College Blvd., Suite 210
Granite Bay, CA 95746

Name of School:

Name and Title of Respondent:

Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Phone Number:

Email:

Title of Course:

Length of Course

How Many Hours are Required for Licensing Locally?

How many hours total are spent on the following subjects? (These subjects may not be organized in the same way as your curriculum and you may or may not include all these subjects in your basic course. Sometimes subjects such as body mechanics and contraindications might be covered more than once, in different areas of the curriculum. Discussion of ethics, for instance, might come up during demonstration and practice time. Even if your course is not organized the same way as the questions in this survey, try to determine overall how much time is spent teaching each subject listed below. Remember, this applies to your entry-level course.

Theory and practice, including basic overview of technique taught, history and theory, contraindications, body mechanics, purpose, focus, and effect of each stroke, demonstration and practice.

Anatomy and physiology, including basic anatomical terminology, body systems, skeletal and muscular anatomy, or other model of the body, such as energetic systems, acupressure meridians and points, etc.

Business and ethics, including local licensing requirements, planning and professional development, marketing, communication skills, documentation, professionalism, code of ethics, disclosure and informed consent, personal and professional boundaries, scope of practice, legal restrictions, client's and technician's rights, handling difficult situations.

Self-care, Health and safety, including movement training such as tai chi or yoga, hand washing and sanitation, blood-borne pathogens, skin and nail diseases, preventing the transmission of disease, maintaining a healthy immune system.

Clinic, including clinic orientation, policies and procedures, record-keeping, practice.

Evaluation of outcomes, including quizzes, written exams, oral exams, practical exams, written or oral reports.

CAMBS Board of Directors

Director: Teresa Reynolds Nead — The Body Institute
(916) 791-1951, teresa@bodyinstitute.com

Treasurer: Birgit Ball-Eisner — Monterey Institute of Touch
(831) 624-1006, mit@redshift.com

Secretary: Ramona Moody French — Somatherapy, Inc.
(760) 323-5806, ramona@somatherapy.com

Send letters to the editor to Ramona Moody French at the email address above. Send other correspondence to Teresa Nead at the email address above.

Annual dues: $100.00
Meeting fees:

$50.00 per school for members
$50.00 per person for non-member schools

Send dues and meeting registration to the Treasurer, Birgit Ball Eisner at:

Monterey Institute of Touch
27820 Dorris Drive
Carmel, CA 93923

Name of School:
Name and Title of Respondent:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Phone Number:
Email:
Title of Course:
Length of Course
How Many Hours are Required for Licensing Locally?
How many hours total are spent on the following subjects? (These subjects may not be organized in the same way as your curriculum and you may or may not include all these subjects in your basic course. Sometimes subjects such as body mechanics and contraindications might be covered more than once, in different areas of the curriculum. Discussion of ethics, for instance, might come up during demonstration and practice time. Even if your course is not organized the same way as the questions in this survey, try to determine overall how much time is spent teaching each subject listed below. Remember, this applies to your entry-level course.
Theory and practice, including basic overview of technique taught, history and theory, contraindications, body mechanics, purpose, focus, and effect of each stroke, demonstration and practice.
Anatomy and physiology, including basic anatomical terminology, body systems, skeletal and muscular anatomy, or other model of the body, such as energetic systems, acupressure meridians and points, etc.
Business and ethics, including local licensing requirements, planning and professional development, marketing, communication skills, documentation, professionalism, code of ethics, disclosure and informed consent, personal and professional boundaries, scope of practice, legal restrictions, client's and technician's rights, handling difficult situations.
Self-care, Health and safety, including movement training such as tai chi or yoga, hand washing and sanitation, blood-borne pathogens, skin and nail diseases, preventing the transmission of disease, maintaining a healthy immune system.
Clinic, including clinic orientation, policies and procedures, record-keeping, practice.
Evaluation of outcomes, including quizzes, written exams, oral exams, practical exams, written or oral reports.