Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/885423
A B M P m e m b e r s e a r n F R E E C E a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / c e b y r e a d i n g M a s s a g e & B o d y w o r k m a g a z i n e 19 NEWS NOTES compiled by Brandon Twyford ABMP Associate Editor | brandon@abmp.com Massage Therapy Foundation Honors ABMP's Leslie Young Massage & Bodywork Editor-in-Chief and ABMP Vice President Communication Leslie A. Young, PhD, received the 2017 Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) John Balletto Distinguished Service Award this autumn. MTF President and Massage & Bodywork columnist Jerrilyn Cambron, DC, announced the award at the MTF's annual donor reception in September. Young began volunteering for the foundation in 2006 and served on the Board of Trustees from 2008 to 2016, and chaired the Development Committee during that time. She's currently on the Governance Committee and the Advisory Council, but has also served on the Conference Planning and Community Service Granting Committees. "I'm deeply honored to accept this award, simply for supporting a foundation and a mission I love so much," Young says. "I'll do my best to continue to uphold the legacy of dedication exhibited by the foundation's past president John Balletto. The foundation's mission to support research, community service, and education projects that forward the massage and bodywork professions is crucial." For more information about the Massage Therapy Foundation, visit www.massagetherapyfoundation.org. Americans Prefer Drug-Free Pain Management Options Over Opioids Data collected for the Gallup-Palmer College of Chiropractic Annual Study of Americans reveal that "78 percent of Americans prefer to try other ways to address their physical pain before they take pain medication prescribed by a doctor." In addition, "44 percent of Americans see prescription painkillers as a 'crisis' or 'very serious problem' in their local area, and 55 percent of those who know about the problem place 'a lot' of blame on 'the pharmaceutical industry encouraging doctors to use opioids.' Fifty-three percent place 'a lot' of blame on 'doctors overprescribing painkillers to their patients.'" The report states "these data could be a sign of a future where patients and health- care professionals alike favor drug-free treatment options before relying on opioids." The findings are encouraging for massage therapists, who offer drug-free methods of pain relief. Download the full research brief at http://news.gallup.com/reports/218495/s.aspx. NCBTMB Announces New Spa Management Certificate The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) announced a partnership with the American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) to introduce the profession's first Spa Management Specialty Certificate Program. The program offers massage therapists who are looking to grow their careers an opportunity to obtain specialty training in spa management positions. "We are thrilled to partner with ACHS to create yet another career pathway for all massage therapists, bodyworkers, spa managers, and even spa owners with an interest in furthering their success," says Donna Sarvello, NCBTMB vice president of educational support. "By achieving this Specialty Certificate, therapists are empowered with an industry-recognized credential to separate themselves from the pack. NCBTMB is proud to continue fulfilling its mission of defining and advancing newer, higher standards for therapists involved in this rewarding sector." The program has two key components: 1. ACHS Certificate in Holistic Spa Management (five courses totaling nine semester credit hours of undergraduate credit through the Distance Education Accrediting Commission) 2. NCBTMB Specialty Exam (available online) For more information about the Specialty Certificate in Spa Management, visit www.ncbtmb.org/specialty-certificates/specialty-certificate-spa-management.