Welcome to the AMTA Ohio Chapter

This year is a great year to Reconnect, Touch!

AMTA OH is inviting YOU to join us for our Member Appreciation Class on October 22nd, 2022 for a 1 day/ 8 hour course including lunch for just $80. (AMTA Members only)

We have NCBTMB certified Heather Fisher LMT, BCTMB, MLD-C lined up to teach us Myofascial Release: Lower Body.

Come join the AMTA OH crew in Columbus, Oh at the Quest Conference Center 10AM – 8PM and Reconnect, Touch!

Register Now

On June 22, 2022, the AMTA sent out an email asking for your comments about the Interstate Compact.

Since the summer of 2021, AMTA has been working with the Council of State Governments (CSG) and FSMTB as part of the Technical Advisory Group to help guide the direction of drafting the language of the Interstate Compact. We are pleased to announce that on June 8th, the draft language was made available for review and public comments.

What is the Interstate Compact?

The Interstate Compact’s purpose is to support the mobility of licensed massage therapists across the country and to ease the existing burdens of license portability. AMTA fully supports the rights of massage therapists to freely move from state-to-state without excessive administrative and financial burdens.

AMTA’s Concerns with the Current Interstate Compact Draft

We want to make you aware that AMTA is concerned with some elements of the current Interstate Compact draft language. One key issue is the requirement of at least six hundred and twenty-five (625) clock hours of massage therapy education for therapists to participate, when nearly half of the licensed states in the country have a 500-hour requirement. While we support standards for the profession, this 625-hour requirement specific to the Interstate Compact could potentially exclude massage therapists practicing in the 500-hour states, or those that were grandfathered in years’ ago, from being eligible to participate.

We believe that if a massage therapist has met the requirements for licensing in their home state and is in good standing, these should be the only requirements to participate in the compact. AMTA will be requesting that this specific language be modified to make the compact more inclusive for our massage community.

Take Action and Make Your Voice Heard

We strongly encourage all massage therapists and stakeholders to review the draft language and submit your concerns, support or opposition of it. The compact draft and the survey for feedback can be found on CSG’s webpage.

To learn more, you are welcome to attend a virtual weekly compact review meeting.

We also encourage you to reach out to our Government Relations team with any questions regarding the Interstate Compact draft. As always, we continue to advocate for all massage therapists as we work with CSG and FSMTB on this important initiative.

Your AMTA Team

2021 Year Review

A Note from the AMTA Ohio Chapter President

Hello Fellow OH LMT’s:

I would like to take a moment to bring everyone up-to-date on my life as an LMT here in Ohio, as well as my role in AMTA-OH.

The past many months have been quite trying as well as gratifying all at the same time. Quality Health Massotherapy (QHM) has undergone many changes, some of which were not all that clearly for the better at the time, but have blossomed into a very promising and satisfying future. Just prior to the onset of the pandemic, QHM now proudly serves our Veterans through the US Department of Veterans Affairs. This has helped to solidify our role in our community as healthcare providers, which is exactly why I got into massage. Our office has garnered the acceptance of most of the medical community in our area and we are growing every day. I could not be more proud of the QHM staff.

AMTA-OH has continued to work on our legislative efforts to help better our standing as the trained professionals we all are. While these efforts continue to be moving slowly, they are still moving and we will not stop until we reach a resolution.

In addition, as most of you probably already are aware, LMT’s finally have representation at the State Medical Board of Ohio with the creation of a standing committee call the Massage Therapy Advisory Committee (MTAC). This is huge! For the first time in many years, we now have a voice to help promote our professionalism in Ohio. MTAC should be ramping up in the coming months and can only help us to maintain our professional standing.

While, I realize the recent months have been challenging, please know that we have continued to work to better massage here in Ohio and will not stop until we addressed the needs of our members.

Looking into the future, we are anxiously awaiting the AMTA National Convention 2022 to be held right here in Cleveland, Ohio!!! The board of AMTA-OH is thrilled to be hosts for this! We hope to see each and every one of you there. We would love to have a record contingency of members and show the country how passionate AMTA-OH is. We love what we do here in Ohio!

Again, I thank you all for your continued support and lets show the rest of the country how AMTA-OH can Rock it in Cleveland!!!

Warm Holiday Wishes & A Happy New Year!

Melissa Ryan

President

Massage Therapy Advisory Council Created at State Medical Board

The State Medical Board of Ohio has created the “Massage Therapy Advisory Council” (MTAC) to help advise board members on issues relating to the practice of massage therapy. The MTAC was created after AMTA partnered with the Ohio Legislature to introduce an amendment to the State Operating Budget, House Bill 110. The amendment received strong support from all stakeholders, including the State Medical Board and was passed in late June 2021. This became law on September 30, 2021.

The new law required the State Medical Board to create the council and appoint members. It also required seeking the input from AMTA-Ohio Chapter while appointing members. MTAC will give Ohio’s 12,000 licensed massage therapists formal representation before the decisions of the State Medical Board. In October the State Medical Board began a rigorous process to identify and interview candidates for the new advisory council.

AMTA is pleased to announce that the following people will serve on the initial Massage Therapy Advisory Committee:

Jack Beacon, LMT

Jennifer Cull, LMT

Kenneth Morrow, LMT

Heather Mello Roenker, LMT

Jacqueline Wolf, LMT

The council will meet at least four times per year and will likely work on other projects as directed by Medical Board staff. AMTA-Ohio Chapter will engage with the MTAC to help ensure our membership is heard in Columbus and we look forward to aiding the board in a fair and prosperous regulatory structure for Ohio’s licensed massage therapists.

Jennifer Cull

Secretary and Government Relations Chair

Board Member, Media Chair Update

Hello Everyone, Your friendly neighborhood board member here. It’s been a very trying time for many of us in the field, especially for us who’ve seen a thing or two over the years. While the events over the past couple of years have prompted several therapists to retire, there are some who have decided that the legacy they built was too great to see leave. I was one of those. I heard that a local therapist that was getting to retire after 40 years in the field. She had established herself in Lakewood, OH in the mid-1990’s and during that time created a loyal base of clients and therapists. This year I can proudly say that I am the new owner of Lakewood Massotherapy. I have a dedicated front desk crew and 14+ licensed therapists, each averaging 12 to 20 years of experience. I’m excited by what the future holds for us as we finish out 2021 with a sense of renewed hope.

CJ Bromfield

Board member and Media Chair

Board Member, Education Chair Update

Hi Everyone! Holly Wylie here. We are looking forward to this coming year and it is going to be AMAZING! To start with, WE get the privilege of hosting the AMTA National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio August 25 – 27, 2022! We are looking forward to seeing everyone there. We don’t know about you, but we have felt very disconnected from our massage family. We would love nothing more than seeing all of you this year to reconnect. In an effort to make that happen we would LOVE your input. Please, use the link below to help us out. Tell us what you would like to do by answering the four simple questions, before January 24, 2022, it should only take you about one minute to complete.

Holly Wylie

Board member and Education Chair

Survey Let Us Know What You Think!

Financial Administrator Update

Hey all you beautiful humans, this is Jess your newest addition to the AMTA- Ohio board. I get the pleasure of overseeing and our boards budgeting and spending. I joined the board very shortly before Covid washed over us so I have yet had the opportunity to meet very many of you in person yet. I’ve got all my fingers crossed for 2022 National convention here in Ohio, I’m ready to mingle with you wonderful folks.

2021 has been a rollercoaster of a year for me, I gave birth to twin boys April 30th and finalized our family as a full house of seven. I currently treat a handful of massage clients while I seek a new space to set up my clinic in my small town of Wilmington. As a busy mom of five, including a cerebral palsy warrior, I am most looking forward to enjoying quiet time with my clients again in my new space, wherever that may end up being.

The AMTA-Ohio board is looking forward to our 2022 budget meeting. I am excited to see what ways we are able to Reconnect Touch in the new year for all of our members. Keep washing those hands through this cold & flu season so 2022 can be our year to return to in person events!!

Jessica Kirk

Financial Administrator

Support HB (House Bill) 81 & SB (Senate Bill) 55 to stop unlicensed massage!

American Massage Therapy Association – Ohio Chapter

What do the bills do?

-A loophole currently exists in Ohio law that allows individuals to perform massage, as long as they do not call what they are doing “massage therapy” or advertise their practice as “medical” or “therapeutic massage”. HB 81 and SB 55 close this loophole.

Why does Ohio need this legislation?

-Ohio has a proud history of recognizing massage therapists as an integral part of the healthcare delivery system and has maintained a highly regarded license at the State Medical Board. Ohio’s loophole needs to be closed. Unlicensed massage puts patients at risk of harm and injury and puts LMTs in danger of bad actors. At best, unlicensed massage could hurt patients due to untrained techniques, and at worst, is used as a front for human trafficking and prostitution.

Do HB 81 and SB 55 allow townships to increase fees on LMTs?

-No. The $250 filling fee and $125 renewal fee mentioned in the bills are current law (and could be done today) and require a legislative action by the individual township trustees to be issued.

-Under current law, townships can regulate massage and can create and require their own township massage license. HB 81 and SB 55 delete their ability to “create a license” and amends their oversight ability. Also, under current law, a township could pass a law requiring LMTs to get periodic physical exams to confirm that the LMT “is free of communicable diseases.” HB 81 and SB 55 delete this ability.

What do HB 81 and SB 55 do for local governments?

-Both bills retain township and municipal (under home rule) authority to zone, set hours, and make laws considered necessary, but requires that any massage be done by an LMT.

Will these bills help the large massage franchises only?

-No. HB 81 and SB 55 will stop unlicensed massage. All LMTs in good standing with the State Medical Board, no matter their location of business, will continue to be able to practice with no new oversight from the State of Ohio

Why should LMTs support these bills?

-Licensed Massage Therapists ARE trained limited practitioners of medicine. These bills recognize LMTs as such and takes back our medical profession from bad actors such as human traffickers. This bill prioritizes the health and safety of LMTs, our patients, and the entire State of Ohio.

AMTA HB 81 SB 55 FAQ (click to view as a pdf)

With the support of the Medical Board of Ohio, the AMTA submitted testimony in support of an advisory committee for massage therapy.

Here is the link to the video:

http://ohiochannel.org/collections/ohio-house-finance-subcommittee-on-health-and-human-services

(Segment begins at 1 hour & 33 mins into the committee meeting)

Here is the Statement made by AMTA Ohio President, Melissa Ryan

Spoofing Scam Continues

Warning from the State Medical Board of Ohio

Licensees should remain aware that a scam continues to target and affect Ohio prescribers. Scammers are calling, faxing and emailing medical professionals claiming to be agents of the State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO), agents of the DEA or agents of the FBI. These scammers claim that the professionals’ medical and drug licenses have been compromised and are being used by other entities in a drug trafficking scheme. As a result of these allegations, the scammers direct the medical provider to wire money to foreign bank accounts. Please remember, SMBO investigators, DEA agents and FBI agents will not ask for fine payment or personal/sensitive information over the phone.

When the scammers communicate via phone call, they spoof the legitimate phone number for the SMBO (614-466-3934). Be aware that scammers have the ability to spoof phone numbers to appear as though they legitimately belong to the entity they are claiming to be. If the Medical Board is truly conducting an investigation, and that individual faces action against their license, they will receive an official notice of opportunity for a hearing either via certified mail or by personal service. Further, emails originating from actual Medical Board staff end in @med.ohio.gov.

There is additional information posted on our website. Learn how to identify a legitimate investigation, how to verify if the caller is from the Medical Board and how to file a complaint if you are contacted by a scammer.

If you are contacted by a scammer, please report the incident to your local law enforcement and Ohio’s Attorney General by filing a complaint online at ohioprotects.org or by calling 800-282-0515.

https://med.ohio.gov/Publications/Recent-News/spoofing-scam-continues