Your Communicator 2021 IN TOUCH AMTA-KY Summer Newsletter

Summer 2021 Volume 28, Issue 1

In Touch

The Newsletter of the

American Massage Therapy Association

Kentucky Chapter

A Message From Your

KY Chapter President

Caren McCarty

Hello -

I hope you all are enjoying the warmer weather as well as getting out to see family and friends. I am so happy Summer is here! Life seems to be starting to get back to a more normal pace. As the months go by, we are getting closer and closer to a life where we can once again get together to take CE's, network and see our fellow LMT's. Below you will find two opportunities for that to happen. The AMTA National Convention is planned for August, 2021 and the AMTA-KY Board is planning a Fall Education Event for October, 2021. We are so excited to see these events returning and hope you all will be able to join us.

On June 27, the AMTA-KY Board Members met face to face to plan our AMTA-KY Fall Education Event. Each time we meet, we get closer and closer to finalizing our plans. Please continue to watch your emails and the AMTA-KY Facebook page as the details develop. A survey for your input is below...we would love to hear from you.

Best Regards,

Caren

Caren G. McCarty

AMTA-KY President

2021 AMTA National Convention

Tampa, FL

August 26 - 28, 2021

Click here for

more information!

Important News!

SAVE THE DATE:

AMTA-KY

FACE TO FACE

2021 Fall Education Event

October 17, 2021

Ethics with

Nathan Nordstrom, LMT, BCTMB

Lexington, KY

Embassy Suites Newtown Pike

TIME:TBA

We hope you will join us!

Please give us your input by clicking this link for

a brief survey to help us

plan this event to

fit your needs.

Government Relations

Report Update 6/27/2021

Ann Boone,

Government Relations Chair

On March 18, 2021, AMTA-KY was able to move our massage bill (HB79) to passage. It took a team of hardworking and experienced bill writers, lobbyists and lawmakers to make this a reality. In 2020, as our bill was close to passage, it was tabled due to the COVID pandemic. We regrouped and, with the help of Caren McCarty, Denise Logsdon, Bob Babbage, Rebecca Hartsough and the rest of the Babbage Cofounder team, we were able to move the bill through to final passage. Jason Ritchie and James Specker of AMTA National were instrumental in supporting this effort. A special thanks to our Government Relations committee members as well for all your hard work.

What does passage of HB79 mean for LMTs in Kentucky? The most important aspect of HB79 concerns moving licensing and renewal fees from the legislature to regulation in order to fund our state massage board (KBLMT). The board hasn’t raised fees in 18 years since our licensure was originally instituted in 2003. To be clear, our board members are volunteers who work on a per diem basis. The KBLMT pays for administrative services, including a designated Board Administrator, pursuant to a set fee contract with the Department of Professional Licensing in the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet (PPC). The board does not directly pay the Board Administrator. In addition, as needed, the board hires investigators based on hourly wage contracts, and the board counsel for the Office of Legal Services in the PPC, also based on an hourly rate contract. This is important to understand as we are not directly “paying” the board. The process of fees being raised will take approximately 6 months from the time the KBLMT applies to set the fees.

Another important focus of HB79 concerns human trafficking. The Legislative Regulatory Committee (LRC) is working with the Attorney General’s (AG) office to formulate a way to be able to verify an active therapist’s license by matching their posted license information with a current photo in order to aid in stemming human trafficking in our profession. It also requires criminal background checks with initial applications only. Photo specifications will be decided by the KBLMT as they develop rules around this law. A task force will be formed in August with members from AMTA, the LRC, the AG’s office to begin to address how we can help to stem the tide of human trafficking in our profession.

Finally, the new law includes the ability to utilize PEMF and microcurrent devices with training approved by the KBLMT, revision of continuing education requirements from 24 hours to 12 hours every two years. Three hours of ethics is also required (9 CE/3 Ethics). There are also changes to the practice act. We don’t currently have information on when the new statues will take effect. The KBLMT met this month in separate committees to determine eligible training for approved devices and other aspects of the bill including reinstatement fees and schedule. There are necessary processes which need to take place before everything is finalized and written into the law. The board will be presenting their findings at the July 12th KBLMT meeting. You can listen in by going to the KBLMT website (see below). Click on “meetings and schedules”. There will be a link to the Zoom meeting. We ask that you be respectful with your chat questions and comments.

Please continue to check the KBLMT website for any updates (bmt.ky.gov). We will share updates as we receive them as well. If you have any further questions, please contact Ann E. Boone, LMT at grchair@amtaky.org or Caren McCarty at president@amtaky.org.

In health, Ann

Ann E. Boone, LMT

AMTA-KY Government Relations chair

Delegate

Report

Devin Klein,

Delegate

As many of our seasoned members know, every year the Assembly of Delegates (AODAC) asks for discussion topics that could affect all or most chapters. This allows the AMTA to get their members’ opinions on subjects that will impact a majority of practitioners and the future of massage therapy. This year’s topic was proposed by the AMTA National Board of Directors because of this past year’s pandemic. While all of us hope that nothing like this past year happens again, if it were to do so, we would like to be as prepared as possible. Please read through the discussion topic and let Terry Pollard and I, Devin Klein, know what you think.

Proposed Discussion Topic: As synchronous and asynchronous learning options become increasingly adopted in massage education, what changes can we expect as it relates to the massage professions’ considerations on the topics of appropriate content for distance learning, and how will that affect AMTA’s policies about what it means to be considered “in class”?

Definitions: Synchronous learning is learning that happens at the same time for the instructor and the learners, meaning that there's real-time interaction between them. It can happen on or offline.

Asynchronous learning is learning that doesn't necessarily happen at the same time for the instructor and the learners. There's no real-time interaction; the content is created and made available for consumption later on.

Summary Rationale: Massage schools have been greatly impacted by COVID-19.

During 2020, 54% of massage schools or programs had to cancel classes or close their school at some point.
As of October 2020, 91% of massage schools stated that they were open in some capacity.
One of the primary reasons why so many schools were able to open so quickly was a huge shift toward online education.
According to the 2020 AMTA School Survey, 47% of schools offer online courses for their entry-level program, up from 14% in 2019.
Because of COVID-19, many schools have shifted courses to online, especially courses such as business, ethics, and anatomy and physiology.
Of schools that offer online courses, the average number of credit hours that online courses represented was 40.
There was a large range, with some schools only offering 4 credit hours of online courses, and others offering up to 90 hours.
Also, of schools that offer online courses, 45% would like to increase the number of courses offered in this delivery method.
29% of schools offer online education as part of their continuing education offerings.
Current AMTA membership qualification requires graduation from a minimum 500 in-class hour, entry-level massage therapy school

Questions for Discussion

1. What possible changes do you see to AMTA policy as it relates to the specific considerations of what does it mean to be considered “in class” when synchronous and asynchronous learning options become increasingly available?

2. What do you see as possible changes to what the profession considers appropriate content for distance learning?

What do you want to accomplish with this discussion? The near term goal would be to provide immediate volunteer input for the AMTA National Board on the topic. The longer term goal would be to integrate the input of the Assembly into other sources of information as the AMTA board and profession considers this topic.

Please send all ideas, opinions, suggestions, and questions to Delegate@amtaky.org and Terry or I will get back with you as soon as possible. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Blessings and Best Wishes,

Devin

AMTA-KY Devin Klein, Delegate

AMTA-KY

2021 ELECTION RESULTS

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Jeff Butler, Board Member

JoAnn Klein, Board Member

Lori Barnes, Financial Administrator

Terry Pollard, Delegate

2021 AMTA-KY Standing Rules

Members of the AMTA Bylaws Standing Rules Committee reviewed our proposed revised standing rules to ensure compliance with AMTA Bylaws and policy. The Bylaws Standing Rules Committee have found our Standing Rules to be in compliance with the AMTA Bylaws.

Click here for the

2021 AMTA-KY Standing Rules

AMTA-KY 2021

Member Spotlight

Shawanna Turner

Louisville, KY

Shawanna is an LMT practicing at Bliss Therapeutic Massage and Spa in Louisville, Kentucky. She has 3 sons and 4 grandchildren. She chose massage at the age of 49. Shawanna loves old black and white movies with strong women characters.

Shawanna is a graduate of Sullivan University with an AA in Medical Massage. She has two business locations for Bliss - Shively and West End in Louisville. She became an AMTA member while in massage school and says she takes full advantage of the free CE's. We are glad to have you in the Kentucky chapter, Shawanna!

AMTA-KY 2021

Member Spotlight

Julie Garrison

London, KY

Julie is a LMT practicing at Aquamarine Massage Therapy in London, Kentucky. She has been married for 17 years, has 2 teenage children, and decided to become a massage therapist at the age of 34. She loves riding bikes in her free time.

Julie is a 2018 graduate of Lexington Healing Arts Academy, and practices therapeutic massage and Reiki. She became an AMTA member while in massage school. We are glad to have you with us, Julie!