Massage Therapists Object To Proposed Regs That Will Add Training And Costs

Massage therapists are balking at proposed changes to their continuing education requirements, which they say would increase the cost of licensing by adding additional training requirements.

The changes were approved last month by the Maryland Board of Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Examiners. The required 30-day public comment period ends Jan. 18.

“There is widespread opposition to the changes within the massage therapy community,” said Cher Hunter, a licensed massage therapist and member of the board of the Maryland Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association. The group is spearheading a letter-writing campaign to get the department to reject the changes.

Hunter contended that the proposed changes would limit the options for continuing education. “The Maryland changes are much stricter than most states’ requirements,” Hunter said. But regulators say the regulations are consistent with a 2008 law.

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