Meeting Minutes 3/19/2008

Minutes for Meeting of Southeast Alaska Bodyworkers

Wednesday, March 19^th, 2008

Mendenhall Valley Library

6:30pm – 9pm

Attendees:

1. Betty Jo Sheldon
2. Ingrid Judson
3. Evelyn Richards
4. Grant Rich
5. Scott Parker
6. Cherri Bell
7. Tori Dance
8. Leah LaBar
9. Joanie Waller
10. Rebecca Albert

Thanks to E.R. for bringing fresh fruit, to C.B. for bringing homemade Blueberry cake and to whomever brought the hot tea!

Agenda loosely set for meeting:

1. Choose name for our group

2. Develop and edit questions for survey

Discussion about reason for a name: Networking purposes only or to better represent southeast Alaska when working with legislators around state.

Some of the Names submitted for consideration:

SALMoN - Southeast Alaska League of Massage Network
JUMBA – Juneau Massage & Bodyworkers Association

JAMBO – Juneau Alaska Massage & Bodywork Organization
AMTO - Alaskan Massage Therapy Organization
ABS – Alaska Bodyworkers Society

*SEAMBA – Southeast Alaska Massage & Bodywork Association

*Most generally agreed that this was the most inclusive and professional but no formal vote taken at this time.

It was suggested that we put names on blog to be voted on by all.

J.W. proposed adopting a mission statement if we are to name our organization.

C.B. shared info on recent meetings of newly formed massage coalition in Anchorage – Alaska Coalition of Professional Massage Therapists, or ACPMT, currently consisting of Jill Smit (state representative for ABMP), Holly Stack and Wendy Hooker.

The stated goal of this Coalition is to bring together a group of professional massage therapists dedicated to help bring about ethical and fair state legislation to Alaska. We hope to do so by providing open and honest communication between all massage therapists so that everyone is informed, educated and up to date on the entire process of bringing a legislative bill proposal to the state legislation.

Wendy Hooker is creating Massage Bill access on her business web site:

www.healthquestalaska.com

On the Alaska Coalition website you can become an active member in the legislative process to bring the massage therapy profession to it highest level of professionalism! Your thoughts and questions about the process that we are embarking on are welcome. Visit this site often for the latest draft bill updates and information on upcoming meetings.

You are welcome to join conference call meetings which are held by using Skype, an online computer phone system.

The next scheduled Skype meeting is on March 30th at 2:30pm. If you would like to attend this meeting, please sign up for Skype and then contact the Webmaster with your username.

Questions and thoughts introduced randomly from assembled group:

Suggest satellite exam through University of Alaska Southeast at Juneau to save travel costs.

What does grandfathering mean? How many years? How many hours training? Certified only?

COMTA – outgrowth from AMTA Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation

British Columbia requires 3,000 hours of education for certification.

There are more than two national certification tests:

NCBTMB National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork

NCETM National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage

NCCAOM National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

MBLEX Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination

Additional info:

Thirty-eight states have passed laws to regulate the massage and bodywork profession. Until now, those states have utilized one of two regulatory exams: a state-specific exam or the National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. But there's a new exam on the block: on Oct. 31 The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) announced that Arkansas, Iowa, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Washington have accepted the FSMTB's Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) as an entry-level licensing and competence requirement. Arkansas is using the MBLEx exclusively, while Delaware, Maine, Washington and Tennessee are using both the MBLEx and the NCETMB. Kentucky joined the Federation’s membership ranks this month, bringing total membership to 26 state boards. – as per http://www.massagemag.com/News/2007/November/Eight-States-Adopt-Licensing-Exam.php

Content for NCETMB Examination includes:

1. Anatomy and Physiology and Pathology of Body Systems
2. Detailed knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology and Kinesiology
3. Pathology
4. Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Assessment
5. Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Application
6. Professional Standards, Ethics, Business, and Legal Practices

Content for NCETM Examination includes:

1. Anatomy and Physiology and Pathology
2. Detailed knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology and Kinesiology
3. Pathology
4. Therapeutic Massage Assessment
5. Therapeutic Massage Application
6. Professional Standards, Ethics, Business, and Legal Practices

Some survey questions were addressed and editing suggestions made but group decided to do the following before revisiting survey questions:

Question original crafters of bill re: what criteria was used

Question Jill Smit (ABMP) – has lobbyist been hired yet?

E.R. volunteered to ask these questions of the appropriate parties

Question ABMP & AMTA about helping us distribute surveys to all Alaskan MTs

Some that are strongly opposed to any licensing on the grounds of their own apprenticeship into the field agreed that they might reconsider if bill allows for including apprenticeships.

T.L. from Fairbanks suggested via email that Alaska use Hawaii’s massage legislation as a model in terms of opportunities for people to take training through a system of qualified teachers who could apprentice the hands on portion and then require the balance of academic portions online or through correspondence or be required to be provided through the existing Vocational Massage schools.

Discussion again of need and reason for name. Different views expressed preference for becoming Southeast chapter of ACPMT, Alaska Coalition, to remain united in our efforts rather than splintered.

J.W. voiced previous experience with legislation in Kodiak Fisheries: legislators dismissed altogether if disunity within group/groups. Unity agreed to be important to our mission.

However, others suggested that as a separate Southeast entity we would have a stronger stakeholder status.

C.B. volunteered to approach ACPMT to query chapter involvement.

The following volunteered to contact at least one massage therapist in outlying Southeast Alaska communities in our rural outreach efforts prior to our next meeting:

L.L. & J.W. – Haines, Yakutat, Gustavus, Kodiak

R.A. – Skagway, Petersburg, Sitka, Kake

I.J. – Wrangell

B.S. – Elfin Cove, Tenakee

E.R. – Prince of Wales Island

C.B. – Hoonah, Ketchikan

Prior to next month’s meeting:

J.W. – Add to blog:

Ask southeast therapists to weigh in on chapter discussion

Ask for feedback regarding meeting attendance as relates to meeting location

Agenda suggested for next meeting:

All volunteers - Report on outreach efforts

E.R. - Report on response from AMTA & ABMP re: survey help

E. R. - Report on AMTA’s criteria for bill

C.B. – Report on ACPMT’s response to chapter SE query

Discuss group name or chapter

Discuss whether to open blog or make exclusive

Revisit survey questions

Next meeting set for:

Downtown Library Conference Room

April 16^th

7pm – 9 pm