OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – March 17, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Defense has selected the massage therapy profession to receive technical assistance from The Council of State Governments to develop an interstate compact for occupational licensing portability.
The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards, with support from the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) and Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP), submitted an application for assistance with establishing an interstate licensure compact for the massage therapy profession.
The FSMTB has a long-held goal to simplify and standardize the licensure process in order to facilitate professional mobility. “We are very excited about this initiative that will benefit both the regulatory community and the profession as well as ultimately facilitate increased consumer access to massage therapy,” said David Cox, president of the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards.
The scope of the assistance includes the drafting of model interstate compact legislation, developing a legislative resource kit, and convening a national meeting of state policymakers to introduce the compact.
About FSMTB
Established in 2005, the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) is an autonomous, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization comprised of state regulatory boards and agencies that regulate the massage therapy profession. All revenue collected by the organization is used to enhance FSMTB programs, maintain and improve the quality of the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) and provide support to FSMTB Member Boards in fulfilling their responsibility of protecting the public. For more information, please visit www.fsmtb.org.
