02/12/2010
Senate bill 786, sponsored by Senator Sanborn, was approved by Governor Granholm on January 4, 2010. The law amends how proprietary schools are licensed and regulated in Michigan as previously defined by law. ABMP became involved with this effort a few years ago when we were contacted by several proprietary schools concerned that the Proprietary School Unit (the division authorized to enforce the Proprietary School Act) were enforcing a provision in the law that did not allow massage therapy schools to sell goods or services provided by its students. Because of this enforcement, schools could not charge consumers for massage therapy received in student clinics, leaving the schools without a way to offset the cost of keeping a student clinic open to the public. SB 786 has brought positive changes, as detailed below.
SB 786 amends the law to allow schools to charge a reasonable fee to consumers utilizing a student massage therapy clinic as long as the program meets six criteria:
- The program includes classroom study and practical training.
- The practical training is supervised by a member of the faculty.
- The practical training is an integral part of the program of study.
- The consumer is given written notification that the service is being performed by a student.
- Money from the service is used solely to support the school.
- The school does not charge a student a penalty or increase his or her program hours beyond the number approved by the department or otherwise penalize the student.
State: