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NJ Legislature

Published by admin on October 16, 2007 in watercooler.
  • This law establishes the NJ Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy (which will be housed under the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Dept. of Law and Public Safety), which will replace the Massage, Bodywork and Somatic Therapies Examining committee, currently under the NJ Board of Nursing
  • This law requires employers of massage and bodywork therapists to register every 2 years with the NJ Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy
  • This act supersedes any municipal ordinance or regulation that provides for the licensing, certification or registration of massage and bodywork therapists
  • This law excludes somatic therapies and somatic therapists for the licensing act

    • Common Misunderstandings about Certifications:

    • The NJ state certification act is only voluntary and is a title act which prohibits therapists from calling themselves CMT’s or Certified Massage Therapists unless they apply for and received their NJ state certification
    • A massage therapist is not automatically considered certified just because they graduated from a massage school
    • When they graduate, they receive a diploma stating completion of a massage therapy program, which usually indicates the amount of education/training hours they received during school
    • In order to become “certified”, therapists have to apply to a certifying agency (i.e. National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, NJ Board of Nursing for state certification)
    • Both certifications require therapists to fill out an application, submit specific documents and pay a fee
    • For National Certification, they’d have to sit for an exam
    • For NJ State Certification, they can submit their transcripts or their NCE score

    Eligibility for Licensure:

    • Successful completion of a minimum of 500 hours in class study in the field of massage and bodywork therapies approved by the board
      OR
    • Successful completion of a written examination approved by the board, which considers relevant education, training and practical work experience, to determine the applicant’s competence to practice massage and bodywork therapies (the successful completion an examination may have been accomplished before the effective date of this act)
      OR
    • Licensure or certification from another state, which has equivalent education and experience requirements to NJ’s
    • No matter which option they choose, there will be an application process (including submission of documents) and a fee associated with licensure

    Grandfather Provision:

    • Valid for 360 days after this law is enacted
    • Allows therapists who do not meet the 500 hrs of education and who have not taken an exam to apply for licensure provided that.
    • They have been working in the field full time for at least 2 yrs or part time for at least 5 yrs
      AND
    • They have a minimum of 200 hrs of formal massage and bodywork education
    • The application and fee will also be required to apply using the grandfather provision

    If a Massage Therapist is currently State Certified:

    • They will automatically be considered licensed once this law is enacted
    • Continue to renew your certification so you don’t have to reapply

    Once MT’s are licensed:

    • They will be required to take continuing education, which will not exceed 24 hours for each biennial renewal period

    This act does not prohibit:

    • Massage therapy students to perform massage/bodywork necessary to their course of study
    • Anyone from engaging in the manipulation of soft tissue of the hands, feet or ears, provided that the client does not remove any clothing other than socks or shoes
    • Any person from using touch, words or directed movement as long as these services are not called massage and bodywork therapy and as long as the client is fully clothed

    What’s Next?

    • The governor has to appoint nine NJ residents to the NJ Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy- 2 public members, 1 Executive Branch member and 6 massage/bodywork therapists who have been actively working in the field for at least 5 yrs
    • Once the NJ Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy is established, they will adopt the rules that will regulate the practice of massage and bodywork therapies here in NJ
    • Then, they will implement the application process

    What we do not know right now

    • When the governor will appoint the new NJ Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy
    • How long it will take for the new board to create the rules that will govern the practice of massage in NJ
    • Where to obtain an application to register as an employer, what the fees will be or when you can apply
    • How long it will take for new graduates to obtain a license
    • If new graduates have to wait until they receive their license in order to practice

    To view the bill, you can go to: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/AL07/337_.PDF

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