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FROMTHECHAIR

By Whitney Lowe, NCTMB

It is a new year and a time when we usually look back over the past year’s accomplishments to evaluate our performance while making plans for what we would like to accomplish in the 12 months ahead. The past year was busy for the NCBTMB and this current year seems as if it will be no less busy. During 2002 we passed the mark of having 60,000 Nationally Certified Practitioners. This is a great accomplishment, but also a great challenge.
    With more than 60,000 Nationally Certified Practitioners, a very large number of people may need to communicate with the NCB office and have staff help from time to time. Questions often come up about getting through the application or recertification processes, especially when NCBTMB programs have recently changed. That means the staff at the NCB office may be handling hundreds of phone calls, emails, and letters every day.
    Each person at the NCB office has different responsibilities, and is working to obtain information that they are trying to get from or give to the organization. This can certainly put a strain on our resources. I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the “unsung heroes” at the NCB office in McLean, Virginia, who put in long hours to help out all of our certificants and stakeholders. We have a talented pool of individuals working for us. Without them, we would not be able to keep the National Certification Program growing and expanding. While the Board of Directors holds the primary responsibility for policy decisions and may be the more visible arm of the NCBTMB, the staff in Virginia is an essential part of what makes the organization work.
    As with any organization, its effectiveness is not the result of a single individual, or even a small group of individuals. We are able to accomplish our many tasks because of the input of numerous people who have made contributions of time and effort to further the mission of the NCBTMB.
    Another group of “unsung heroes” are the many volunteers who work on committees, panels, task forces, and in other various capacities, and who do a large amount of the ongoing work that is necessary to maintain the high level of quality certification programs that the NCBTMB provides. It is our hope that this pool of volunteers will grow and that we can take advantage of the talents and abilities of more people as the NCBTMB continues to grow.
    So as we continue to grow this year we’d love to have the input from any of you who would like to make a contribution to the National Certification Program. It is a valuable cause that is certainly shaped by the ideas and contributions of many wonderful individuals.

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NCBTMB Names New Credentials
Board also to maintain current combined credential

As announced in previous editions of the NCB Infoline and the NCB Connection, the NCBTMB is developing two new credentials, one for massage therapy and one for advanced practice in massage therapy. The NCBTMB has named these two new credentials and they will be available to all Nationally Certified Practitioners and candidates later this year.
    Currently, the NCBTMB offers the National Certification in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCTMB), which is a combined bodywork and massage entry-level certification. The first new entry-level credential, the National Certification in Therapeutic Massage (NCTM), will certify a practitioner’s competence in massage alone. The new certification program provides more specific entry-level credentialing and will offer more options to states wishing to separate regulations for massage and bodywork.
    The second new credential that the NCBTMB will offer is an advanced practice certification in massage therapy, the National Certification in Therapeutic Massage-Advanced (NCTM-A). The NCTM-A credential will allow practitioners to further their education and core competencies in massage therapy. Once a practitioner has achieved entry level certification with the NCTM or the NCTMB, the NCTM-A examination will allow them to demonstrate advanced knowledge, skills and abilities to obtain the advanced credential establishing higher-level qualifications.
    Currently the NCBTMB is performing research for the two new credentials. The NCBTMB has surveyed practitioners and, prior to launching the two new examinations, is conducting studies for validity to create test specifications for each certification.
    As with the current NCBTMB credential, these two new NCBTMB credentials will require candidates to:

• meet strict eligibility requirements,
• pass a rigorous examination, and
• agree to uphold the NCBTMB’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.

    The NCBTMB encourages candidates to choose a credential, successfully complete the National Certification process for that credential, and keep their National Certification current.
The NCBTMB will continue to offer the current massage and bodywork credential, the NCTMB, attained through the successful completion of the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB). The new credentials will not change the current certification credential, or the current National Certification Process for the NCTMB.
    “The NCBTMB is striving to provide a variety of credentials to meet the individual needs of our practitioners,” said Christine D. Niero, PhD, executive director, NCBTMB. “The addition of an advanced credential illustrates progress within the profession and the interest in professional development and personal enrichment of our certified practitioners.”

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Approved Provider Program Enhances Recertification Options
Approved provider applications and recertification handbooks now available online

MCLEAN, Va.- January 14, 2003 —The NCBTMB has announced a partnership between its continuing education approved provider program and the recertification requirements for Nationally Certified Practitioners. This partnership will enable Nationally Certified Practitioners to select courses that are taught by approved providers so that they can fulfill the continuing professional education requirement for recertification. This is one option out of 10 available to choose from within the newly-revised NCBTMB Recertification Program, as featured in the last issue (Fall 2002) of the NCB Connection.
    The NCBTMB Approved Provider Application for Continuing Education establishes standards that are focused on quality continued education for Nationally Certified massage and bodywork practitioners to ensure an overall principle of continued competence. Course providers are required to build on the foundation of knowledge required for certification, offering organized, systematic and evaluative programs designed to increase knowledge, improve skills and develop approaches that enhance massage therapy and bodywork and the wellness of the public.
    “The approved provider program supports recertification to raise the bar for continued education,” said Christine D. Niero, PhD, executive director, NCBTMB. “Recertification candidates can be confident that they are receiving relevant, vital continued education with the seal of approval from NCBTMB when they choose an approved provider to meet their recertification requirements.”
    Among the 10 options detailed in the NCBTMB Requirements for Recertification, the handbook for all Nationally Certified Practitioners who are preparing to renew their National Certification credential, the continuing professional education option is one that works in conjunction with the approved provider program. The nine other options span from academic coursework to clinical internships to state or national presentations, with the choice of combining credit hours earned from different continued education activities.
    The NCBTMB requires that Nationally Certified Practitioners renew their National Certification credential every four years. The basic requirements for recertification include a minimum of 48 recertification credits, 200 hours of hands-on work experience and six hours of ethics, related to the NCB’s Standards of Practice.
    “The recertification program focuses on continued competence and is designed for flexibility so that the certificant can select from a menu of options to suit their personal and professional needs,” continued Niero. “The program is meant to raise the certificant’s core competencies beyond the level of initial certification and allow practitioners to expand their professional development.”
    A list of NCBTMB approved providers is available on the NCBTMB web site, www.ncbtmb.com. In addition, copies of the NCBTMB Approved Provider Application for Continuing Education and the Requirements for Recertification handbook are also available on the web site, or can be obtained by calling the NCB office at 1-800-296-0664.

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NCBTMB Study Guide Helps Prepare More Than 2,000 NCE Applicants

The NCBTMB has helped thousands of applicants for National Certification in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork prepare for the National Certification Examination (NCE) with the National Certification Examination Study Guide. Since the guide’s release in July, the NCBTMB has sold more than 2,000 copies of the comprehensive guide.
    The study guide contains review materials concerning the content, structure and vocabulary on the NCE. Applicants can also use the study guide to practice test-taking skills using the practice questions that are designed and formatted similar to those on the exam. The guide provides applicants with test taking strategies, content review, a reference list, a content outline and the NCBTMB Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.
    “The NCE study guide is one way that the NCBTMB has committed to providing applicants with the resources they need to achieve the industry national standard,” said Christine D. Niero, PhD, executive director, NCBTMB. “The success of the study guide illustrates the dedication of our applicants to their examination and professional preparedness.”
    Applicants who are preparing to take the NCE may purchase the study guide for $39.95 by calling 1-888-802-6600 or by ordering it on the NCBTMB’s web site, www.ncbtmb.com. Massage and bodywork schools interested in obtaining a free desk copy to review should contact the NCBTMB office. Schools purchasing 20 or more copies should call 1-800-899-3455 to receive a discounted price of $34.95.

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CERTIFICANTSCORNER

Editor’s Note: As featured in the last issue of the NCB Connection, the NCBTMB has introduced 10 new options to make recertification more flexible for Nationally Certified Practitioners in massage therapy and bodywork. This news generated favorable responses from Nationally Certified Practitioners and other stakeholders, and the NCBTMB thanks those who responded for their interest. These 10 new options are explained in detail in the NCBTMB’s Requirements for Recertification handbook, which is available to all Nationally Certified Practitioners via the web site, www.ncbtmb.com, under the option “How to Recertify,” or by contacting the NCB office at 1-800-296-0664.

Whom does the new Recertification Program affect?
    The program affects all Nationally Certified Practitioners. The NCBTMB requires that Nationally Certified Practitioners recertify every four years to maintain their National Certification credential. The newly-updated Recertification Program will be mandatory for Nationally Certified Practitioners who acquire National Certification status on or after January 1, 2003, as well as those who are eligible to recertify in 2007. Practitioners who obtained certification prior to January 1, 2003 may choose to complete the updated Recertification Program or continue to meet the requirements of the existing program until it is phased out in 2007. However, practitioners who elect to recertify under the former program will be required to switch to the new Recertification Program once their recertification expires. Practitioners who become certified after January 1, 2003 will be required to recertify under the new program. Certification is awarded for four years.

How will the program be implemented?
    The new Recertification Program is available as of January 1, 2003. The NCBTMB welcomes and encourages all Nationally Certified Practitioners who are due to recertify after January 1, 2003 to participate in the new program. Practitioners certified as of January 1, 2003 must recertify under the new program when their certification expires in 2007. Copies of the Requirements for Recertification handbook are available online at www.ncbtmb.com, under the link “How to Recertify,” or by contacting the NCB office at 1-800-296-0664.

Why were changes made to the Recertification Program?
     The Recertification Program was revised to stay current with national trends in certification focused on continued competence, not just continuing education. The program was redesigned to keep National Certification at the forefront of the therapeutic massage and bodywork field.
    The redesign of the Recertification Program is also a response to the needs of the NCBTMB certificants. In many cases, the former program wasn’t fitting in with the lifestyles or resources available to Nationally Certified Practitioners. In order to help practitioners recertify more easily, the NCBTMB re-designed the recertification program options to allow certificants to recertify on their own time, budget and schedule. In an effort to be more accommodating and flexible to Nationally Certified Practitioners, the NCBTMB designed 10 different options from which certificants can choose in order to recertify, such as academic course work, obtaining a college degree, presentations at state and national association conventions or meetings, clinical training, serving in a state or national leadership position, and self-assessment/self study.

Can the new Recertification Program be used now?
    Yes, if your recertification expires June 30, 2003, or beyond. The new Recertification Program is currently available for all practitioners who need to renew their National Certification credential. The new program offers greater flexibility and more options than the former program, thus making it more convenient for certificants. When reviewing the new Recertification Program, please note that the options for the clinical internship (Option #7) and the self-directed learning project (Option #10) require pre-approval with one year’s notice.

What is the cost of the new application?
    The application fee for the new Recertification Program is $125. However, as an incentive to participate in the new program, applicants certified prior to January 1, 2003, will be eligible to submit the new Recertification Program for $100, a one-time savings of $25.

How can applications be obtained?
    Copies of the Requirements for Recertification handbook are available online at www.ncbtmb.com, or by contacting the NCB office at 1-800-296-0664. Please leave a message, speaking slowly and spelling necessary information (such as street address), including your name, street address, city, state and zip code. If you have other questions, please e-mail the NCB office staff at info@ncbtmb.com.

Can I choose to recertify through the current recertification program?
    Yes, if your certification expires before 2007. You may choose to recertify under either program. It is your choice!

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Contact Hours or CEUs:
Which Do You Choose, and What Are They Worth?

When Nationally Certified Practitioners prepare to recertify their NCTMB designation under the new recertification program, a popular option in the Recertification Program is to obtain up to 48 credits of continuing professional education. When participating in this recertification option, applicants must remember that:

• They are required to take continuing professional education courses from an NCBTMB Approved Provider. A list of approved providers with course descriptions can be found online at www.ncbtmb.com.
• They are required to maintain their own record of completed recertification credits and required documents in order to submit a complete application for recertification. They must receive from the approved provider a Certificate of Completion or Certificate of Achievement, verifying that the applicant has completed the course, and defining the number of credits earned.
• The six hours of required ethics coursework may be integrated within this option, or may be achieved additionally.
• There is a difference between a credit hour and a continuing education unit (CEU). One credit, or contact hour, is equal to .1 CEU.

     The NCBTMB recognizes and requires actual course contact hours for recertification. When determining credit hours, applicants must remember that continuing professional education hours are based on actual clock hours of participation. The school or course provider must clearly identify the hours of the coursework as actual contact or credit hours, or as CEUs, on brochures or other promotional materials about their courses. If the course hours are promoted as CEUs, then one CEU is equal to 10 contact hours of organized continuing education experience. This is based on the International Association for Continuing Education and Training’s (IACET) definition of a CEU. For example, 21 hours of instruction could be listed as 21 contact hours, or 2.1 CEUs. In another example, 48 hours of instruction can be listed as 48 contact hours, or 4.8 CEUs. Time taken for breaks and lunch are not counted toward continuing professional education hours.
    NCBTMB Approved Providers must design their courses and determine contact credit hours according to the following requirements:

50 - 60 minutes = 1 contact hour
30 - 49 minutes = .5 contact hour
Less than 30 minutes = not counted

    More information about the difference between a contact hour and a CEU is found in the NCBTMB Requirements for Recertification, which is available online at www.ncbtmb.com.

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Newly Approved Providers

Stephanie R. Harrison-Gillespie
1821 Cypress Mesa Drive
Henderson, NV 89012
702-433-5979
Hawaiian Lomi Lomi and Stone Therapy Courses

Career Improvement & Advancement Opportunities (CIAO)
362 Gulf Breeze Parkway, PMB 193
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
850-916-8885
Lesley@ciaoseminars.com
Orthopedic Shoulder and Neuro Developmental Training Courses

Lisa Cinfio-Belvoir
Alternative Healing Center
259 Meridian Avenue, Suite 16
San Jose, CA 95126
408-977-1251, ext. 1
althealctr@earthlink.net
Reiki Training

Susan Jackson Grubb
3955 East Exposition, Suite 100
Denver, CO 80209
303-777-1151
Neuromuscular Therapy

Laura Allen
481 Mountain Creek Road
Rutherfordton, NC 28139
828-287-7364
irish@blueridge.net
Psyche-Soma Bodywork, Reiki Courses, Raindrop Therapy

Southwest Wellness Educators
Jerry Weinert
PO BOX 40251
Tucson, AZ 85717-0251
520-731-6001
Balncing the Pelvis, Managing the Mandible, Body Fluency, Opening the Core, Thai Massage Basics

Diana Dow
945 Riverside Drive, Suite 6-B
Methuen, MA 01844
617-624-6114
ddow613@aol.com
Therapeutic Stone Massage, Parafango Body Treatment,
Facial Massage

North Carolina School of Healing Arts
400 Oberlin Road, Suite 140
Raleigh, NC 27605
919-821-1444
Reiki First Degree, Applied Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Holistic Nutrition & Life Chemistry

Baltimore School of Massage, York Campus
170 Red Rock Road
York, PA 17402
717-268-1881
Stone Therapy, Seated Massage, Comparative Stretching, Pranic Healing

Byron Katie
PO Box 2110
Manhattan Beach, CA 90267
310-760-9000
The School for the Work

Pete Whitridge
1232 Bonefish Court
Ft. Pierce, FL 34949
772-460-0581
Myofascial Techniques and Therapies

Sky Valley Center
30A Oakdale Street
Brevard, NC 28712
8282-877-5747
Craniosacral Therapy,
Reiki Level 1

A.M.T.A. Wyoming State Chapter
1232 Bleistein Avenue
Cody, WY 82414
307-587-6617
Breathing with Yoga, Stones as Tools, Cancer as Massage, Professional Ethics

W.M. Louis Castleman
2916 Gilmer Road
Longview, TX 75604
903-295-4001
Clinical Massage Therapy: Upper & Lower Extremities

Jeff Small
3607 North Vine Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85719
520-326-4226
tucsunaz@aol.com
Earthstone Massage, Earthdance Massage

Randal S. Persad
208-6735 Station Hill Court
Burnaby, British Columbia
Canada V3N 4W5
604-526-3903
homespa@shaw.ca
Massage Therapy and Medications

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STRATEGICPLANUPDATE

Editor’s Note: Three years ago, the NCBTMB Board of Directors adopted the NCBTMB Strategic Plan, which requires NCB committee chairs and other leaders to work together toward a common set of goals and objectives. The purpose of the Strategic Plan is to “foster high standards for therapeutic massage and bodywork professionals and public acceptance of the value of these standards and the professionals who uphold them.” The goals and objectives of this Plan were designed to lay the foundation for all NCB action, and the board members revise and update them accordingly. This regularly-featured column of the NCB Connection is reserved for each committee chair to report to you on the status of their current activities and projects, as well as any pending business, as they specifically relate to the NCB Strategic Plan.

Ethics and Standards Committee
Marion B. Visel, NCTMB, Chair
Paul Levatino, NCTMB, Vice Chair
    Members of the NCBTMB Ethics and Standards Committee are focusing their activities on eliciting input from all stakeholders on the NCBTMB’s Standards of Practice. When all the feedback is gathered, the committee members will make recommendations to the Board of Directors for revisions to the Standards of Practice.
    Specifically, the committee members have been working to prepare a detailed survey on the sections of the NCBTMB Standards of Practice that address invasive techniques and voluntary consent. They are determining the appropriate scope of the survey on the Standards of Practice, as well as looking for ways to limit the length and cost of the survey while maintaining its validity.
    Thus far, the committee members have received results from a survey published in a recent issue of the NCB Connection, in addition to a survey that was sent to a sample of massage therapy and bodywork schools. The committee members are reviewing the results from those surveys, and use data that will also be used in the committee’s recommendations to the board for revisions to the Standards of Practice.

Examination Committee
Robert (Bob) Lehnberg, NCTMB, Chair
    Members of the NCBTMB Examination Committee met in October, 2002, to review items (test questions) that could potentially be included on forms of the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCE). They reviewed the test items for content relevancy, key validation, spelling, grammar, and to verify that the stem relates to the correct response in a question, and if an item cues a correct response to any other items in the pool from which the questions are drawn.
As has been reported in the NCB Connection, the NCBTMB is currently in the process of developing two new credentialing programs (see related story):

• The NCTM for entry-level massage therapy, and
• The NCTM-A for advance practice in massage therapy.

    The NCBTMB is also exploring the feasibility of creating an examination program for bodywork. Creating the examination forms for these programs is based on test blueprints, which are supported by Job Analysis Study surveys. The information from these survey studies represents a cross-section of Nationally Certified Practitioners. In essence, the survey results indicate the knowledge, skills and abilities that practitioners feel are important to deliver safe and effective therapeutic massage and bodywork sessions. Three different surveys are used to develop individual blueprints for the three certification tests: entry-level massage therapy and bodywork, entry-level massage therapy and advanced-level massage therapy.
    In November, 2002, the NCBTMB convened a task force to review the data from these surveys. Based on these data, the task force made recommendations regarding the creation of test specifications for the respective examination programs. Once the blueprints are created, test items (questions) will be written according to the areas required by the outline. These items are written by subject matter experts and follow a prescribed format for clarity, accuracy and applicability.
    If you are interested in being part of the item writing process, please contact the NCBTMB at:

NCBTMB-Examination Development
8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300
McLean, VA 22102

Leadership Development Committee
Margaret Avery Moon, NCTMB, Chair
    One of the goals of the NCBTMB’s Strategic Plan is Organizational Effectiveness; specifically, to “increase demonstration of professional behavior, accountability and effectiveness of the NCB leadership.”
    The responsibility of the newly-organized NCBTMB Leadership Development Committee is to select highly qualified people to serve on the NCBTMB and to create position descriptions and refine the qualifications for NCB volunteers. Since the committee’s formation in October, 2002, the committee members have selected the nominees for the 2003 elections and the public member appointment position. This was accomplished through a process that provided the NCBTMB with a pool of candidates who possess the leadership skills, professional behavior, and readiness to serve on the Board.
    In addition, the committee members have been reviewing position descriptions for volunteers in various NCB-related positions to assist in achieving the goal that all NCB volunteers demonstrate professional behavior and accountability.

Government Relations Update
Sally Hacking, Government Relations Consultant
    Three major meetings have taken place since the AMTA-California Chapter announced that it is taking the lead on the initiative for a state license that will regulate massage and bodywork in the State of California. Mark Dixon, NCTMB, has attended each meeting to represent the NCB, and will continue to be available at each meeting until the law is signed.
Dixon is working with Sally Hacking, NCBTMB Government Relations Consultant, and other Nationally Certified Practitioners to prepare informational messages to address various stakeholders: Law Enforcement, Education, Municipal Government, among other audiences. Dixon has participated in a panel discussion at DeAnza College in Cupertino, California, where he represented the NCB and was available to provide information about the National Certification Program.

Other NCBTMB Committees:

Bylaws Committee
Ray Moriyasu, NCTMB, Chair

Continuing Education/Recertification Panel
Bob Helfrich, NCTMB, Chair

Eligibility Panel
Elliot Greene, NCTMB, Chair

Strategic Planning Committee
Elliot Greene, NCTMB, Chair

CALENDAROFEVENTS
This list of events is provided for informational purposes only. For specific information about participation in the events listed below, please contact the host organization.

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NCBTMB
8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300
McLean, VA 22102
703-610-9015 … 703-610-9005
1-800-296-0664 (totally automated line)
e-mail: snicolais@ncbtmb.com