A vote could come any day, so we must ACT NOW!

• An email can be sent to all Senators through this link – http://www.massagetoday.com/bill1822/stop_ab1822.php
• Here is the latest news story about what’s going on – http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=14280

 In writing to the Senators, please highlight the following points: 

• Vote NO on AB 1822!
• Legitimate massage therapists have a right to work without being looked upon as criminals.
• State certification protects the public better than the previous patchwork of local ordinances.

Everyone, please write in; tell a hundred of your closest friends to write in; and let’s keep state certification alive and strong!!

On September 1, 2009, California joined 42 other states in providing state-wide regulations for the massage therapy profession.  National Holistic Institute celebrated this tremendous achievement by hosting a series of Grad Nights at all of our campuses.  The purpose of these events was to help our graduates understand and apply for the new California State Certification.  Over 230 grads attended – and we’re only 1 month into State Certification!

Thanks to Placement Manager Allison McLeod Budlong and her amazing Placement Team, attendees were able to complete their applications, get their Livescan fingerprints taken, and obtain their school transcripts all on-site.  Some even got a complimentary chair massage!  A wide range of graduates turned out, spanning from the beginning of this month all the way back to 1990.  It thrilled the staff to re-connect with so many former students and, for newer staff, to put faces with all the names from emails and phone calls.

Seeing so many grads come together brought life to NHI’s motto of “Helping People Have Work They Love.”

For information on the new California State Massage Therapy Certification, please visit http://www.camtc.org/.

The California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) has released the much anticipated application for California state massage therapy certification.  The CAMTC will begin issuing the certifications in September.  As previously announced, the fee is $150 for 2-years (only $75 per year!).

You can download the instructions and application at www.camtc.org.

The application is designed to be filled out on the computer, then printed, signed and mailed in.  However you cannot save the filled out application to your computer – only print.  If you need it, there is a pdf version of the application that you can dowload, print, and fill in by hand.

NOTE: The Livescan form is not ready yet and will need to be submitted at a later date.

NHI Students & Graduates:  Your transcripts need to be mailed directly to the CAMTC by NHI.  The most efficient way to make this happen is to visit our website at http://nhi.edu/alumni/tools/document_request.html.

The California Massage Therapy Council has announced the application fee for the new state-wide massage therapist certification will be $150.

This comparably low fee is made even lower by the fact that it covers the first 2 years.  Subsequent 2-year renewals are expected to be $125.

By meeting the mandated training requirements, all NHI graduates will need to get state certified, in addition to the fee, is (1) a completed application (not yet available), (2) passport photo, (3) livescan background check ($50-$85), and (4) a sealed NHI transcript delivered directly to the CAMTC.

As CAMTC Treasurer, NHI co-owner Mason Myers worked diligently to keep the application fee as affordable as possible.  With his continued participation, we will update you on when applications become available and any other breaking news.

For massage therapists who do not have at least 500 verifiable hours of training, there are 7 other pathways to certification.  Please visit www.camtc.org for more information.

Neal Delaporta, NCTMB Chair (left) and Paul Lindamood, NCTMB CEO after the CAMTC meeting on April 27, 2009

Neal Delaporta, the Chair of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, graduated from National Holistic Institute Group 3 in 2001.  He moved from Connecticut to California to attend NHI.  “I didn’t undertake that move lightly because there were good massage schools nearby in Connecticut,” said Delaporta.  “I pretty much knew when I walked through the door that NHI was the place for me.  I saw the way the program was set-up – it was perfectly balanced – and it was a great decision for me.”

Neal was in California on Monday, April 27, 2009, to attend a meeting of the newly formed California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) implementing California statewide certification.  The CAMTC is considering the NCTMB’s national certification exam as one of the methods by which a massage therapist could receive a certification in California.

The NCTMB provides a national certification that is held by 91,000 therapists across the U.S., including 5,000 in California.  Overall, the national and California exam passing rates are in the high 60 percent range, but over 80% of NHI graduates pass the national exam on the first attempt.  Excellent work NHI graduates!

NHI Owners Mason Myers & Tim Veitzer

Mason Myers, co-owner of the National Holistic Institute, hopes his new role on the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) will help cut through the governmental red tape that has plagued professional massage therapists in California.

Appointed by the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools (CAPPS) to voice massage education issues, Mr. Myers was elected treasurer during the Council’s inaugural meeting on February 19, 2009.  He will work alongside appointees from the California chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association, (AMTA-CA); Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP); California counties, cities, colleges, and Department of Consumer Affairs; as well as other affiliated parties.

“State certification will provide California massage therapists a more practical and affordable solution than the current patchwork of local licensing.  Ensuring the same standards for all therapists across the state will further elevate the reputation of the massage profession and improve consumer confidence,” declares Mr. Myers.

The California Massage Therapy Council is a non-profit organization ordained by the State of California to oversee the issuance of state-wide massage therapist certifications.  State certifications will begin being issued sometime after September 1, 2009.  Stay tuned to this blog for more information as that time approaches.