Community News
Phasing out of CMT’s Legislation Has Passed
Hello everyone,
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Delaware progresses with New Rules |
| We are pleased to report that after the strong advocacy efforts of the AMTA Government Relations Team, the AMTA-DE Chapter, and dedicated volunteers, Delaware has passed Senate Bill 277 (SB 277). The bill passed on June 20 and now awaits Governor Carney’s signature.
The passage of SB 277 will require future massage therapy practitioners to obtain 625 hours of education and pass a board-approved examination. Requiring hours of education for all new licensees helps ensure that massage therapy is practiced safely, ethically, and effectively, benefiting clients and practitioners alike. Current CMTs will still be able to practice. They will be allowed to maintain their certification and right to work under this title, provided they follow all renewal guidelines already in effect. Delaware bill drafters have worked with the massage school that provides the 300-hour CMT program to establish the final date for new CMTs to apply. This final group of CMTs will graduate at the end of August 2024 and will have until December 31, 2024, to obtain a certification from the Board. If you have any questions we encourage you to reach out to your AMTA Delaware Chapter at amtadelaware@gmail.com or your National AMTA Government Relations team with any questions regarding this new legislation at grinfo@amtamassage.org |
Previous Updates:
For quite a few years now a discussion that keeps coming up on the board is “Why we are still a two-tier system?”. In our research, we learned that Delaware is the last state with two classifications for massage and bodywork professionals. We also learned that Delaware has the LOWEST EDUCATION CREDENTIALS OF ALL 50 STATES FOR A MASSAGE PROFESSIONAL. This led the board to look into the surrounding states and discovered that most states already were or recently transitioned to a one-tier system.
Based on these findings, the AMTA-DE board has determined that a single-tier system is an essential benefit for the industry’s relevance and growth. On behalf of all Delaware massage professionals, we have been working with the Government Relations team from AMTA National, along with our Delaware Lobbyist, as well as school owners to work on change that would do the best for existing certified massage practitioners, students in the program, and the massage industry while raising the industry standard in Delaware. Our first attempt was to have all CMTs grandfathered in as LMTs. Unfortunately, the State of Delaware Massage and Bodywork Board wouldn’t agree to that. Our compromise is that all CMTs and graduates of the CMT program on or before Dec. 31st, 2024 can continue to be CMTs, provided they follow all renewal guidelines already in effect. After Dec.31st, 2024 then the only program offered will be a LMT program.
Our goal is to support CMTs and not negatively affect anyone’s livelihood. A transition to a single-tier system has many benefits for our industry and each professional. A few things to consider:
· An LMT creates an industry standard and ease with future portability.
· Credentials that get you a seat at the table with other health care
professionals.
· Increases your marketability and earning power.
· Increased education brings a greater ability to treat and help clients. One
of the biggest reasons we get into this profession is to help people.
Knowledge is the power to deliver that help!
There has been talk of a shortage of massage professionals, and that the lack of CMTs will dramatically affect this shortage. For clarification, the shortage of massage professionals is a nationwide problem. Stagnant wages have been a contributing factor. In Delaware, there have been many requests for LMTs from Chiropractor’s offices, PT offices, and by clients who can’t get in with LMTs due to being fully booked. As the massage profession becomes increasingly accepted as complementary and integrated healthcare and more widely known for its overall benefits to health and well-being by the public, we anticipate increased interest in becoming a massage professional.
Senate Bill 277 was introduced on April 23rd, 2024, and was reported favorably out of the Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee. If you have any questions please email amtadelaware@gmail.com