Please Read: NJ Regulations Will Impact Your Practice

The New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy has been drafting rules and regulations to implement the law passed by the legislature in January 2008. When fully implemented, this law will change the regulation of massage therapists in New Jersey from voluntary certification (title protection) to mandatory licensing. All massage therapists (and certain bodyworkers) will be required to obtain a state license to practice. How the board interprets and implements the law passed in 2008 is a very important step in the process. ABMP’s goal is to positively influence and educate the board members so the policies adopted are consistent with the rest of the country and result in an efficient application process for our members and other practitioners. These proposed regulations will impact your practice so please take a few minutes to read both the New Jersey board’s proposed regulations and ABMP’s comments. Your individual written comments are encouraged and must be received by the board office by January 6, 2012. Action steps! Please note that the current version of the proposed rules would require applicants for licensure to submit “official transcripts.” This requirement may be difficult to meet if the school the applicant attended is closed. ABMP encourages members who may be negatively impacted by this to include this concern in their comments. ABMP also has concerns that the proposed regulations further define the education requirement for grandfathering into licensure in a way that will negatively impact applicants. If you have less than 500 hours of education, please take note of this section in ABMP’s comments and include this concern in your comments to the board. ABMP and others have already voiced these top concerns to the board and it is important they also hear from you. Please also send a copy of your submission to the board to Jean Robinson, ABMP’s government relations director. Send written comments to the address below by January 6, 2012: George Hebert, Executive Director New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy Post Office Box 45010 124 Halsey Street Newark, NJ 07101