From the Chair
Garnet Adair, NCTMB

NCBTMB strives to be far-sighted as an organization, anticipating trends and our stakeholders' needs. In our quest to meet these needs and develop new programs and services, NCBTMB recently conducted a survey of 800 Nationally Certified practitioners in partnership with FGI Research.
    While the results of the survey reveal attitudes and perceptions about National Certification, they also provide a "snapshot" of massage therapists and bodyworkers that can give your students a glimpse of their fellow practitioners currently in the workforce.

Attitudes about National Certification:
• more than 89 percent of practitioners surveyed believe that National Certification increases their credibility;
• 90 percent of practitioners surveyed indicated that National Certification reinforced the professional nature of their practices; and
• a majority of practitioners feel that certification helped them get a job in the massage field while enabling them to charge higher rates.

Snapshot of practitioners:
• 81 percent of certified practitioners were employed full-time in another field before entering the massage and bodywork field;
• the average therapist is female and works 16-24 hours per week;
• practitioners work in a variety of different environments including their home/client's home (42 percent), spa/gym (29 percent), private practice (24 percent) or within a medical practice (19 percent);
• the median household income for a practitioner is just under $50,000; and
• 89 percent of therapists surveyed have Internet access and 98 percent with access have e-mail.

    The survey is a great tool for getting to know practitioners better and the perceptions of National Certification. We look forward to using the results to developing future services and programs that will benefit all NCBTMB stakeholders.

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The Foundation of National Certification: Ethics and Standards of Practice

The question posed by many massage and bodywork students throughout the field is: "Why do I need to learn about ethics if I'm an ethical person?"
    The answer lies in the fact that ethics aren't always clear-cut. There is much room for interpretation and situational influences especially in the touch therapies profession.
    And that is one of the reasons why the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) believes that it is critical for students and schools to put such an emphasis on ethics in their initial massage and bodywork training and in their continuing education work.
    Even before applying for the NCE, practitioners must take two hours of ethics classes and 12 percent of the NCE is compromised of questions on topics such as:
• NCBTMB Code of Ethics
• confidentiality of client information
• effective interprofessional communication (e.g. with doctors, chiropractors, nutritionists and counselors)
• use of proper income reporting procedures
• basic business and accounting practices
• session record keeping practices
• scope of practice: legal and ethical parameters
     Starting in 2007 (or now for those who are currently recertifying under the new program), to qualify for recertification, certificants will need 6 hours of continuing education credits focused on ethics. This helps provide a continuous platform for massage therapists and bodyworkers to discuss and learn about ethical issues facing them as practitioners and ways to safeguard their clients as well as themselves.
    In addition to the education requirements, by requiring certificants to read and agree to uphold NCBTMB's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, NCBTMB seeks to establish and uphold the highest standards, traditions and principles of the practices that constitute the profession of massage therapy and bodywork. Not only do the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice help ensure safe and ethical services for consumers, but they also help educate the general public about the duties and responsibilities of NCBTMB certificants – thereby protecting and enhancing the integrity of the profession.
    The NCBTMB created the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice as guidelines to provide expectations for professional conduct and level of practice afforded the public. Schools have the responsibility to provide their students with the knowledge and information they need to uphold these standards and students have the responsibility to make ethics a part of their ongoing education. NCBTMB continues to support schools and students in the pursuit of ethics education and ethical practice as part of its commitment to "foster high standards of ethical and professional practice in the delivery of services."

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Keeping Pace With the Field – NCBTMB Completes Job Analysis
To ensure that its examinations continue to reflect the job-related tasks, knowledge areas and skill sets that are important for competent practice of Nationally Certified practitioners, NCBTMB conducts a job analysis every five years. In this vein, NCBTMB recently completed its third job analysis for the practice of massage and bodywork and its first specific to the practice of massage therapy.

New Job Analysis, New Credential
The job analysis for the entry-level Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage (NCTM) credentialing program represents the input of nationally certified practitioners, who provided responses to questions on the NCTM job analysis questionnaire. This questionnaire asked practitioners to rate how important they felt certain job-related skills and knowledge areas were for competent practice in therapeutic massage. NCBTMB is developing the content outline (i.e. blueprint for the test) for the entry-level massage exam based on these responses. NCBTMB anticipates the new NCTM credentialing examination to be launched in late 2004 or early 2005.

Keeping the NCE Current
In keeping with its goal for the Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCTMB) credentialing program to continue to reflect the current practice of massage therapy and bodywork, NCBTMB also recently completed a survey study for its current test.
    As was the case for the NCTM, NCBTMB asked respondents to provide their opinions regarding the importance of certain knowledge areas and job related tasks, at the entry level. Task and knowledge areas included information intake, assessment procedures, client relations and communications, massage and bodywork application and professional standards, ethics, business and legal practices. Respondents were asked to also consider knowledge and skill areas such as general body systems knowledge, anatomy physiology and kinesiology, massage and bodywork assessment and application of massage and bodywork theory, methods and techniques.
    NCBTMB is now determining whether the information that was collected necessitates an update to the current NCE content outline. Any updates to this outline will be will be released later this year, in order that schools will have time to prepare their students for the new forms of the NCE, based on the specifications derived from this job analysis. These new forms of the NCE are anticipated to be implemented late 2004 at the earliest.
    NCBTMB is currently reviewing and analyzing the results each of the job analysis and will announce any revisions to the content outline for the NCE and the new content outline of the entry-level massage only credential in early 2004. Along with the content outlines, NCBTMB will also announce eligibility criteria for the NCE and the new entry-level massage credential.

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Accreditation: Setting the Standard for Quality Certification Practices

In accordance with NCBTMB's mission and to assure that the NCTMB credential meets a high standard of excellence and is fair to all applicants, NCBTMB has maintained accreditation from the National Commission for Certified Agencies (NCCA) since 1993.
    As the accrediting branch of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA), NCCA uses a peer review process to establish accreditation standards, to evaluate compliance with these standards, to recognize organizations/programs that demonstrate compliance and to serve as a resource on quality certification. NCCA is one of only two national accreditation bodies for professional certification organizations and currently NCBTMB is one of only 54 organizations to meet their rigorous criteria.
    To earn NCCA accreditation, NCBTMB had to submit an extensive application outlining its strategic plan, policies and procedures, technical report and quality control procedures and detailed descriptions of several other aspects of the organization and its programs. In addition, NCBTMB must send an annual report outlining their activities and reapply for accreditation every five years. NCBTMB’s accreditation was just renewed and is now effective until December 2008.
    For NCBTMB, accreditation is a way of showing consumers, practitioners and employers within the therapeutic massage and bodywork field that NCBTMB places a high value on competency assurance and ensuring that the National Certification Exam (NCE) is valid and sound.
    "NCBTMB is dedicated to maintaining the public trust and integrity of our National Certification program," said Christine Niero, PhD, executive director, NCBTMB. "Our accreditation illustrates our belief in being held to a standard that assures a quality program that follows the best in certification practices."
    Currently NCBTMB is also applying for accreditation through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). ANSI is responsible for creating the benchmark of excellence in U.S. voluntary standardization and for using quality objectives to set the standard for certification programs.
    ANSI accreditation demonstrates that NCBTMB is continually being held to a standard of excellence by adhering to a voluntary standard. To earn ANSI accreditation, NCBTMB and all of its programs and services will be thoroughly reviewed by a panel of impartial experts who will determine that NCBTMB's credential meets a set of stringent standards. NCBTMB is currently in the application process, which has a projected completion date of early 2004.
    NCBTMB holds itself to a high standard of excellence just as we expect of our certificants. We will continue to do so in fulfilling our mission of fostering "high standards of ethical and professional practice in the delivery of services through a recognized credible credentialing program that assures the competency of practitioners of therapeutic massage and bodywork," and ensuring the safety of consumers.

NCBTMB Study Guide Now Available at New Prices
Massage schools can now purchase guide at reduced bulk prices

The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) is now offering new reduced prices for its study guide: The National Examination Study Guide. Massage and bodywork schools can purchase the study guides at the regular price of $39.95 each for 1-20 guides, and at the discounted price of $34.95 each for 21-100 guides or $27.95 each for 101+ guides.
    The study guide contains review materials addressing the content, structure and vocabulary on the National Certification Exam (NCE) and provides applicants with test taking strategies, content review, a reference list, a content outline and the NCBTMB Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Applicants can also use the study guide to practice test-taking skills using the practice questions that are designed and formatted similar to those within the NCE.
    Massage and bodywork schools interested in purchasing the study guide in bulk should call 1-800-899-3455 to order. Individual applicants preparing for the NCE or schools ordering 20 or less study guides should call 1-888-802-6600 or visit www.ncbtmb.com to purchase the study guide for $39.95 each.

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New Credentials Will Work for Certifiicants and for States Alike
With the end of the year approaching, NCBTMB is hard at work developing its two new credentials, the entry-level National Certification in Therapeutic Massage (NCTM) for massage only and the National Certification in Therapeutic Massage-Advanced (NCTM-A) for advanced practice in massage therapy.
    In addition to these new offerings, NCBTMB will continue to offer its current certification in massage therapy and bodywork through the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCE), for which it has conducted its third job analysis study.
    With the targeted launch date of these two new credentials coming late 2004/early 2005, some have begun to ask how these new credentials will be integrated into state requirements.
    NCBTMB's new certification, the NCTM, will offer more options to states that desire to separate regulations for massage and bodywork by providing more specific entry-level credentialing. NCBTMB will continue to offer the current massage and bodywork credential with a new job task analysis giving regulatory bodies the option to maintain their existing regulations without making any statutory/rule changes. "Currently several states regulate massage only and the new credentials will provide them with additional options when developing state regulations," said Sally Hacking, government relations consultant for NCBTMB.
    In developing the new credentials, NCBTMB recognizes its important role in maintaining public trust. As with the current NCE, the new credentials will require candidates to meet strict eligibility requirements, pass a rigorous exam and agree to uphold NCBTMB's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
   Currently, thirty-three states, the District of Columbia and hundreds of municipalities regulate the massage and bodywork profession. Twenty-eight of these states and the District of Columbia utilize or recognize the NCE, either in statute or in rule.
    "By offering these new credentials and maintaining and updating our existing NCE, the NCBTMB is meeting the needs of states, municipalities and practitioners by offering credentials that are reflective of what our industry professionals are practicing and what is being regulated," said Garnet Adair, chair, NCBTMB. "NCBTMB has always been recognized for its leadership within the industry and this latest step is just one more sign that the organization is delivering what is needed for this profession and our stakeholders."

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