Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1512873
A B M P m e m b e r s ea r n F R E E C E h o u r s by rea d i n g t h i s i s s u e ! 13 ABMP Government Relations Director Lance Hostetter The point here? States and localities across the country are grappling with serious issues of human trafficking and illicit sex businesses. There's no doubt about that. Pushing forward legislation that harms the massage profession, creates public confusion, and opens the door for unintended consequences does nothing to help solve those issues. That's why ABMP will continue to advocate against policies like Ohio's HB 255, and instead work to support policies that help solve these problems. Most importantly, we hope you will continue to elevate your voice when troubling policies like this one are brought forward. Lance Hostetter is the ABMP director of government relations. To contact ABMP government relations, email gr@abmp.com. Lawmakers need to work with the massage industry to help solve issues that reach far beyond the profession. If individuals engaging in illicit activity are not self- identifying now, a registry will not be a tool that encourages them to do so. As well-intentioned as some policy proposals may be, creating different classes or definitions of massage devalues the profession and confuses the public. HB 255 defines nontherapeutic massage as "massage techniques that do not constitute massage therapy because they are performed for other reasons than treatment of disorders of the human body," which is nonspecific. This places massage therapists and the public in a precarious situation that could lead to public safety issues. Furthermore, nontherapeutic massage registration may devalue a massage license. Under Ohio's potential policy, a nontherapeutic massage therapist requires no education, while licensed massage therapists, by contrast, require at least 600 hours of formal education in massage techniques, anatomy, physiology, ethics, safety, and sanitation. Would the public understand the difference between these two credentials? Probably not. This means the Ohio massage therapy license is in jeopardy of suffering depreciating value. This could also create market competition and threaten the bottom line of licensed massage therapists. Additionally, with a zero-educational pathway, this could put massage therapy schools in jeopardy of a potential decrease in student enrollment. COT TONBRO/PEXELS