Strategic Plan Sets the Path
As a follow-up from the article in the Winter issue, the Spring issue of NCB InfoLine is including excerpts from the Strategic Plan of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. To date, all NCBTMB committees have met face-to-face to discuss the Plan, and have developed goals, objectives, and timelines for implementing the Plan.
The Plan, which will direct the work and focus of the NCBTMB leaders and committees, contains five goals and 24 objectives that are listed below. These goals and objectives will lay the foundation for all future action of the NCB during the next three to five years.
The objectives of the Plan, presented in priority order, will direct the committees to focus on working together toward reaching the goals of the Plan, thus allowing greater cohesion, integration, and camaraderie among all NCBTMB committees. In total, 44 charges that support the objectives have been developed for implementation during the next 12-18 months. Dr. Neal Cross, who is the chair of the NCBTMB, said that the objectives of the Plan will allow committees to "identify areas of common responsibilities and will help to facilitate them working together to accomplish a common goal." The Committee Chairs attend each Board Meeting, which "gives them an opportunity to be together and discuss activities." Dr. Cross also stated that, "the Strategic Plan addresses several areas for development which will affect all stakeholders, from certificants to the general public."
The following excerpts are printed verbatim from the Plan.

Introduction
The NCBTMB Strategic Plan will facilitate:
• NCB's identification of the future needs of those it serves;
• NCB's options on satisfying those needs; and
• The determination of what role NCB should play in the evolution of the massage therapy and bodywork profession.

The outcomes of this effort will include:
• Definition of the key issues that affect the NCBTMB's various constituencies;
• Creation of a vision for the future that will describe how the "world" will be different as a result of what the NCBTMB does;
• Identification of the needs and expectations of NCB's stakeholders;
• Identification of a Core Purpose, Core Values;
• Identification of outcome-oriented goals, strategic objectives, and areas of strategic direction needed to address the vision of the NCBTMB (action plans); and
• Identification of a methodology for linking long-range strategic direction with annual planning, program prioritization, and evaluation.

Core Purpose of the NCBTMB
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.
Core Values of the NCBTMB:
1. Credentialing programs serve the public trust.
2. Belief in the importance of integrity and ethical behavior.
3. Commitment to professional excellence.
4. Therapeutic massage and bodywork enhances health and wellness.
5. Commitment to active participation in the evolution of the profession.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Goals and objectives are listed below in priority order. Objectives appearing in bold have been identified as priorities for the next 12-18 months.

Goal: Value of the Credential
Massage therapy and bodywork professionals and those who use and/or regulate their services will recognize and value the credential.

Objectives:
Increase and broaden NCB’s marketing effort.
                   
Establish, as a priority, the resources needed to ensure the success of the marketing efforts.
   
Create a comprehensive education program addressing the existence of certification, the definition of certification, the value of certification, the role of NCBTBM, the obligation of certificants and the relevance of external (NCCA) review to credibility.
   
Create actual opportunities (economic or other) that those who choose to recertify will be able to realize.

Goal: Scope of Certification Program
NCBTMB's certification program is dynamic, in sync with the practice of massage therapy and bodywork and reflective of the profession's evolution.

Objectives:
Support the profession in establishing standards.
       
Institute an ongoing dialogue on what we are currently certifying and what we plan to certify in the future: within NCBTMB and between NCBTMB and the greater massage and bodywork community.
   
Increase acceptance and recognition of NCBTMB by other organizations impacting our program.

Goal: Knowledge of the Environment
NCBTMB understands the issues affecting the practice of massage therapy and bodywork and uses this information to make knowledge-based decisions.

Objectives:
Increase our knowledge of how changes in the delivery of massage therapy and bodywork education may affect issues such as regulation and the ability to practice.
   
Increase the use of knowledge – based decision making throughout the organization.
   
Increase our knowledge of educational trends affecting massage therapy and bodywork training (i.e., community colleges, home education, degree granting programs, etc.).
   
Increase our understanding and awareness of the development, use and acceptance of massage therapy and bodywork modalities and specialty programs (little 'c' programs).
   
Increase our knowledge of related areas that may directly or indirectly impact the practice of massage therapy and bodywork, including medical research, physical therapy, occupational therapy, societal trends, economic issues, etc.
   
Continue our commitment to gathering and using data, both qualitative and quantitative, as a base for our decisions (examples include JAS, surveys, Ambassador program).
   
Continue to convene forums for industry leader dialogue and information exchange.
   
Goal: Organizational Effectiveness
NCB is a well-managed, effectively governed, fiscally sound organization responsive to stakeholder needs.

Objectives:
Commit the human resources (both voluntary and staff) necessary to accomplish the goals and objectives within this plan.
   
Increase the pool of qualified volunteers.
       
Increase demonstration of professional behavior, accountability and effectiveness of the Board (i.e., Code of Conduct and Guidelines).
   
Continue the development of policies and procedures to meet the needs of NCBTMB.
   
Target an increase in the amount of investment in reserves to a minimum of 35% of the audited annual budget.

Goal: NCB Positioning
The NCBTMB program is respected as a model of excellence within the certification community.

Objectives:
Continue leadership training, especially related to requirements of NCB program accreditation.
   
Continue to evaluate and improve the quality of all parts of the NCBTMB program, particularly certification and recertification.
   
Increase available resources to support NCBTMB program excellence.
       
Increase financial resources (including reserves) for unforeseen liabilities related to increased activities and to capitalize on future opportunities.
   
Identify a framework of best practices against which we can measure our progress as a leading certification body.

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Since My School Is in the NCBTMB Database, My Students Are Automatically Eligible to Take the NCE-Right?
Not so. NCBTMB frequently receives phone calls from applicants not understanding that even though their school is recorded in the NCBTMB database, they are not AUTOMATICALLY guaranteed eligibility for the National Certification Program.
NCBTMB neither examines nor monitors the individual training programs of massage and bodywork training institutions. A school demonstrates to NCBTMB, through paper documentation, that it has received the required approval, licensing, or exemption from licensing according to the established state guidelines. NCBTMB does not examine the requisite criteria, curriculum or program of study an institution has set in order for a student to graduate from the program. The owner or administrator of the school may choose to change the curriculum at any time based on the philosophy or objectives of the school. Therefore, NCBTMB has developed eligibility criteria that a candidate must meet in order to sit for the National Certification Examination (NCE). This criteria is the same for all candidates regardless of the training institution attended or state of residence.
NCBTMB staff members look at each transcript to verify that 1) all 100 hours of Anatomy & Physiology have been satisfactorily completed; 2) two hours of ethics are documented; 3) a minimum of 200 hours of massage theory and application are recorded; and 4) the remaining hours are from courses in adjunct or related massage or bodywork techniques. If any of these items are missing from the transcript, the candidate will be denied eligibility until such time as appropriate documentation is submitted.
NCBTMB's process of verifying the operational state of a training institution does not automatically guarantee that each graduate meets the eligibility criteria to take the NCE. When giving graduates the NCBTMB school code for the application, inform them that inclusion of this school code will help to facilitate the review process. Administrators should tell students that they still have to meet all eligibility criteria required to sit for the NCE.
Each candidate applying for National Certification must still show NCBTMB that they have met all of the eligibility requirements, as stated in the Candidate Handbook. Accepted documentation of these educational requirements includes an official school transcript and a notarized copy of the diploma or certificate of completion.

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Chair's Letter
By Neal Cross, Ph.D., NCTMB
As I enter my term as Chair of the NCBTMB, I do so with enthusiasm, hope, and excitement for the future of this profession and the NCBTMB. I hope that during the next year each of you has a growing awareness and understanding that the NCBTMB is working for you and that we’re always trying to increase the value of your certification. I hope that you will notice something significant that the NCBTMB has done that makes you proud to become Nationally Certified.
I am particularly excited about the prospect of being the first chair whose job will join forces with the new strategic plan that will guide the NCBTMB through the next decade and beyond. Elsewhere in this issue you can find information about the Strategic Plan and what NCBTMB will accomplish over the next three to five years.
Personally, I would like to see the NCBTMB help lead the profession by continuing to reach out to other related organizations. I would like to see the National Certification Examination used in at least five or six other states by this year’s end, and we have a great government relations committee working on this all the time. Being in an academic environment, I feel it is also a priority to strengthen NCBTMB’s link with schools. It is important to me that practitioners in the therapeutic massage and bodywork profession understand what the role and mission of the NCBTMB is and how they can both contribute to it as well as benefit from it.
I am very much impressed with the work of the NCBTMB, which is why I chose to contribute my personal time toward these efforts. We have a staff, a Board of Directors, and a committee system made up of people who are committed to making the NCBTMB the very best certification program possible. We will continue to maintain strong ties with other organizations within the massage therapy and bodywork realm so that we all benefit from the exchange of information and ideas.
I hope you, as a student in the therapeutic massage and bodywork field, will take time to review what NCBTMB plans to accomplish over the next few years and choose to become a part of it.

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Approved Provider Corner
Adding New Courses to Your Curriculum?
Approved Providers are required to submit new course information to the NCBTMB office within 30 days of offering the new course. The title of the course, the number of CEU's being offered, and a course description are required to update your file. If you have any questions about adding new courses, you may contact Kelly Koteen, Recertification and Continuing Education Manager at 703/610-0215 or via e-mail at kkoteen@ncbtmb.com.

Renewal Application Status
Category A Approved Providers will receive an application for renewal six months prior to their expiration date. Each provider is required to update the status of course offerings, including new courses and instructors. The Continuing Education Provider Review Panel reviews each application to ensure the provider is meeting stated continuing education guidelines. It takes 10-12 weeks to review an application, so please allow ample time to submit the renewal application for review.

Ethics Offerings
All Nationally Certified practitioners are required to take at least two (2) hours of ethics in order to recertify. The two hours of ethics can be a separate course or it may be offered within another course, provided the instructor provides acceptable documentation of this inclusion. Acceptable pieces of documentation include a) if the total number of ethics hours offered is included on the certificate of completion; b) if a break-down of ethics hours are stated on the transcript; or c) if the instructor issues a letter to the participants that ethics hours were included in the course and the total number of hours.

The following is the NCBTMB Ethics Definition:
In order to promote skills aimed at fostering honorable professional behavior, NCBTMB has included an ethics course requirement as part of the recertification criteria. Ethics is a system of principles of human conduct guided by positive, right or good intent. The Code of Ethics of the NCBTMB is a set of ethical principals governing the conduct of massage therapy and bodywork.
A sample list of course topics that deal with issues specifically geared toward ethics in the massage and bodywork profession include:
• Scope of Practice/Legal Guidelines
• Cultural Diversity
• Boundaries
• Client/Therapist Confidentiality
• Professionalism
• Financial Issues (such as fair billing practices)
• Conflict Resolution
• HIV/AIDS

Approval Recognition
Providers are reminded to only use the "authorized statement of approval" and the official logo they were provided when initially approved as a Category A Approved Provider. Providers may not alter the following statement in any way.

(Name of Provider) is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education provider under Category A.

If you need additional copies of the logo sheet for use in your printed educational and promotional materials, please contact Kelly Koteen at 703-610-0215 or via e-mail at kkoteen@ncbtmb.com.

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Certification
A national certification board works to provide national certification status to those who are ready to meet the specific requirements of the certification process and who wish to become nationally certified. The NCBTMB, for example, administers the National Certification Program to those who wish to become Nationally Certified in the massage and bodywork profession. Those who meet the eligibility requirements, successfully pass the NCE, and subscribe to the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice may use the NCTMB credential while their certification status is valid. Having the National Certification status allows practitioners to show clients, prospective clients, employers, and the general public that they have earned this credential, which is beyond their specific specialty education and training, and are accountable to an accredited, national certification board for professional standards, ethics, and continuing education.
What happens if these standards are not followed? A practitioner could lose certification or have another type of sanction imposed. Depending on the practitioner’s state of residence and work situation, the impact could range anywhere from the loss of status or recognition in the workplace to the inability to work in the case of a state that requires national certification for licensure. Each complaint of inappropriate behavior is investigated very carefully before any sanction or revocation is imposed. As you can see, the loss of the NCTMB credential is so much more detrimental than the loss of a membership in an organization.
The NCBTMB credential is granted for a four-year period at which time recertification is required in order to retain National Certification status. In addition, Nationally Certified practitioners must continuously adhere to the NCBTMB Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice and be accountable to the Ethics and Standards Committee for behavior not consistent with those established standards.
The NCBTMB’s mission is to serve its certificant population while also protecting the public’s interest. Recently, NCBTMB surveyed a cross sample of certificants about their intention to renew the credential. Survey recipients included individuals who were newly certified, those who completed the first half of the certification cycle, and those who were due to recertify soon. The result was an overwhelming number of respondents who said they are going to recertify because it is the right thing to do and because they were proud to hold the NCTMB credential. One respondent even added a comment that maintaining the credential was “as important as breathing everyday.”

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Can I Become Nationally Certified If I Am in a Profession Other than Massage Therapy or Bodywork?
The answer is yes, but you must meet the basic standards that all massage therapists and bodywork practitioners meet. Many allied health care professionals, such as nurses and physical therapists, want to add the massage therapy component to their practice. The Portfolio Review process also may be used by candidates whose massage and bodywork training was obtained from multiple institutions and through professional experience.
Because the NCBTMB recognizes the diversity that exists within the profession and within the individual's training, it created the Portfolio Review Process. This process is an alternative pathway to meet the eligibility criteria for the National Certification Program. By using the portfolio review process, a portfolio of training and experience is compiled and submitted for review by the Eligibility Committee. The committee, consisting of experienced massage therapy and bodywork practitioners, reviews each portfolio to determine if the training and experience submitted would equal that of a formal 500 in-class hour program.
All applicants for National Certification must meet the same eligibility requirements, as stated in the Portfolio Review Handbook. A transcript showing the breakdown of the hours and the successful completion of a course is acceptable documentation. Use the following chart to assist you in determining your eligibility.

Section I: General Knowledge– This section is not usually a problem for a health professional; university/college course work counts under this section. Since most of the health professions are grounded in anatomy and physiology, you may use the hours acquired during your health program training toward the eligibility requirements. Kinesiology coursework is also included in this section. Transcripts denoting the course, number of hours and satisfactory completion must be included in your portfolio.

Section II: Core Knowledge– This section is usually where the deficiencies occur. NCBTMB recognizes the need for a solid educational foundation. Therefore, all candidates must earn a minimum of 100 clock hours of formal instruction in two primary modalities of massage therapy/bodywork or 200 clock hours in one primary modality of massage therapy/bodywork. It is also possible to meet this requirement by taking a series of seminars totaling 100 or more hours in such modalities as Neuromuscular Massage Therapy, Craniosacral Massage Therapy, etc.
Formal instruction is defined as a learning situation which has a course outline, qualified instructor, uses appropriate methods of instruction, and evaluates comprehension of materials presented through either a written test, practical test, clinical evaluation, or evaluative demonstration. Massage therapy/bodywork in nursing or physical therapy may be embedded in other courses; therefore, it may be difficult to determine the number of clock hours. It is the duty of the candidate, however, to determine and document the hours in a primary modality. It is not enough to list the course when it includes elements other than massage therapy/bodywork.

Section III: Adjunctive Knowledge– Under this section, it is not usually difficult for a health practitioner to document 200 hours. These may include massage therapy/bodywork courses of less than 100 hours including courses such as Hydrotherapy, Pathology, etc. These courses should be directly related to or be supportive of massage therapy/bodywork. Qualified professional experience and/or supervised independent study programs may also be included in this section.

Documentation– Acceptable forms of documentation for the portfolio include official transcripts, notarized diplomas or certificates of completion.
Coursework taken from universities, colleges, massage schools and other training institutions should contain the name of the course, number of credit hours, mark of satisfactorily completion and an official seal and signature of the institution.
If massage therapy and/or bodywork instruction is included within another course, the method of documentation would include a transcript showing that the course was taken, a course description showing that massage therapy/bodywork was included and a signed statement from the instructor showing the number of massage therapy/bodywork hours included in the course.
If you need a copy of the Portfolio Review Handbook or have questions about completing a portfolio for submission, please contact the Eligibility Department at 703-610-9015. You may also download a copy of the handbook from the web site at www.ncbtmb.com.

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Why Contract Out Administration of the NCE?
Many people ask why would a large organization like the NCBTMB use an outside vendor to administer the National Certification Examination? NCBTMB contracts out the administrative services to a testing vendor for a number of reasons including candidate convenience, flexibility, technology advantages and cost.
NCBTMB has a staff of nine people to handle all of the operations of the National Certification Program. A testing vendor has many customer service agents devoted to handling NCBTMB candidate calls. Customer service agents assist candidates in selecting a testing location close to their home/office, choosing a convenient exam date, by reviewing what materials are needed the day of the exam and by giving directions to the test site.
By using an outside vendor with testing sites across the entire country, examinations are available more frequently and allow candidates the flexibility of arranging an exam date around their schedule, not NCB's. If NCBTMB administered the examination, staff would have to select a date and location where everyone eligible to take the exam in that area would test at the same time. Those candidates awaiting eligibility would have to travel to another location or wait until another test was scheduled in their area.
There are also several actual testing advantages NCB realizes by using a test vendor. Two of the most important reasons for using a test vendor are fairness and security. All testing sites are designed equally, helping to eliminate the possibility of external influences affecting a candidate's performance. This reduces the chance that candidates have different amounts of space, lighting, noise, etc. Security is also a very important factor in the administration of an examination. All test center proctors receive the same level of screening and training and each location has established procedures to ensure that the examination is not compromised.
Another reason is the use of user-friendly computer based testing, eliminating the need for paper and pencil exams. Using this format, candidates receive the pass or fail information almost instantaneously. The paper and pencil route takes much longer to score and disseminate results. Also, the results can be released to state licensing boards/agencies faster and at a greater volume than if the NCBTMB staff had to process a report each time a request was received.
Finally, by using an outside vendor to administer the National Certification Examination, staff is afforded the time to develop other components of the National Certification Program. This helps keep the administrative costs of the program down, and the savings are passed along to certificants.

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From the Source
New Board Members
As a result of the 2000 election, certificants of the NCBTMB elected three new board members. Leena S. Guptha, Ph.D., D.O., NCTMB and Whitney Lowe, NCTMB, will serve as directors, while William F. Stoehs will serve as one of the board's two public members. For more detailed information about each new director please visit the NCBTMB web site at www.ncbtmb.com.

New Executive Committee
Each May, during the Board of Directors meeting, the members of the NCBTMB Board elect a new executive committee. The executive committee consists of a chair, chair-elect, and a secretary/treasurer. Neal Cross, Ph.D., NCTMB transitioned from the chair-elect position into the chair position at the close of the meeting. Susan Scoboria, NCTMB, was chosen as the chair-elect and Michael Pizzuto, NCTMB, as the secretary/treasurer. Each position carries a one-year term. For additional information about the new executive committee, visit www.ncbtmb.com.

Candidates Corner on Web Site
The NCBTMB is in the process of posting a new section to the web site that will give candidates continuous information about the National Certification Program. This section will allow candidates to instantly access information that will facilitate their application and testing processes. Candidates can visit this section at anytime to get up-to-date tips on catching common application errors, answers to frequently asked questions, information about testing with NCB's vendor, important dates to be aware of, and where to find additional resources. This section is expected to be available by early August. Keep checking the NCBTMB web site at www.ncbtmb.com for new information and sections.

Application Screening
In order to continue to safeguard the public and serve its certificants, the NCBTMB will now be screening for convictions and felonies in both the initial certification and the recertification application processes. This is a very common practice among organizations, including certification boards, which play a role in public protection. This also shows consumers of massage and bodywork therapies that Nationally Certified practitioners have greater accountability. Applicants will be asked to answer a small series of questions pertaining to any convictions and/or felonies. Explanative information regarding the outcome of the incident must be included on the application and all information collected will be kept confidential. However, reporting by the applicant and proper follow-up by the NCBTMB must be conducted. A special task force had been formed to review this information.

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What Happens Once I Become Eligible For the NCE?

First 4-6 Weeks
Candidate receives eligibility letter from NCBTMB - typically 4-6 weeks after sending application.

Candidate calls ASI at 800-274-3703 to make the exam reservation. Candidate will need to provide ASI's Customer Care Representative with the following
information:
• Full Name;
• Social Security Number; and
• Registration Number - found in the eligibility letter.

The ASI Customer Care Representative will help the candidate locate the testing center closest to the candidate's home or preferred testing location.
The ASI Customer Care Representative will provide the candidate with the following information:
• Exam date;
• Exam location;
• Address of, and directions to, the selected test center; and
• Confirmation number of examination reservation.

Candidate receives confirmation letter from ASI containing examination reservation information - approximately 3-5 days after making reservation.
Candidate reviews ASI's exam reservation confirmation letter and reports any discrepancies directly to ASI.

When should candidates call ASI (800-274-3703)
• Test center directions;
• Materials needed on exam day; and
• Score report requests.

When should candidates call NCBTMB
• Address changes;
• Social Security Number corrections;
• Canceling, rescheduling or missed exams due to illness, death, etc. (see Candidate Handbook for acceptable reasons); and
• Candidate information not on file with ASI.

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Calendar of Events

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

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