National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
CONSUMERS
APPLICANTS
CERTIFICANTS
VOLUNTEERS
SCHOOLS/EDUCATORS
CE PROVIDERS
STATE BOARDS & LEGISLATORS


Breaking News
NCBTMB Names Interim CEO
   
NCBTMB Reduces Price of NESL
   
NCBTMB Donates $50,000 to Massage Foundation
   
NCBTMB Launches Online Career Center
   
NCBTMB Seeks Volunteers
   
NCBTMB Names Pearson VUE as New Exam Administrator
Home     Certification     Recertification     Newsletters & Reports     Handbooks & Forms     About NCBTMB     Media     Links
CE Providers

CE Providers FAQ


  1. Who does the Approved Provider program affect?
  2. Why was the old Approved Provider Application withdrawn and a revised one piloted?
  3. When did NCBTMB release the revised Approved Provider Application?
  4. How can I get an NCBTMB Approved Provider Application?
  5. How long is the revised application? What I’ve downloaded is very long.
  6. What does it take to become an NCBTMB Approved Provider?
  7. Will the length of the approval status change with the revised application?
  8. Will the price change?
  9. What will be required if I am submitting a renewal application with no changes?
  10. What about state regulations relating to NCBTMB continuing education requirements?
  11. What about “Category B” courses?
  12. What will "Category" mean now in the new application?
  13. I have heard that the ethics requirement has changed to six (6) hours. Can you explain the ethics requirement and how it impacts providers?
  14. What about home study courses?
  15. Explain the difference between home study and distance learning.
  16. Converting a live seminar course into a home study course – is a pilot necessary?
  17. What about schools that offer core curriculum and continuing education courses?
  18. What should I do if my Approved Provider status has already expired?
  19. What will happen to my completed revised Approved Provider Application?
  20. Approved Provider Application process – decision turnaround time.
  21. What should I do if I did not receive my NCBTMB Approved Provider certificate?
  22. Does NCBTMB approve courses?
  23. Is there a fee when an NCBTMB Approved Provider adds a new course?
  24. Where is the new NCBTMB located?
  25. Whom do I contact if I have a question about the continuing education program not addressed in this list of frequently asked questions?
a) Who does the Approved Provider Program affect?
The Approved Provider program affects both massage and bodywork education providers and nationally certified practitioners. Under the new recertification program, certificants who select the continuing professional education option (Option #1) are required to obtain their credits from an NCBTMB Approved Provider.

The new NCBTMB recertification program allows nationally certified practitioners to select from ten (10) learning options that fit their professional goals, lifestyle and schedule. To learn more about the recertification process, click here.

Massage and bodywork schools and education providers that wish to offer continuing professional education to NCBTMB certified practitioners – or plan to renew their approval status – are required to submit the revised NCBTMB Approved Provider Application. The revised application was released December of 2006. The application establishes standards that focus on quality continued education that is based on continued competence and enables certificants to build on their knowledge, skills and abilities. (back)

b) Why was the old Approved Provider withdrawn and a revised application piloted?
The previous application was created without input from you – the provider – or committee volunteers who review the applications. Feedback from real providers was vital in order to address key issues: ease-of-use, verbal redundancies and processing time. The pilot took place in the summer of 2006. (back)

c) When did NCBTMB release the revised Approved Provider Application?
The application was released on NCBTMB’s website, December 7 of 2006. (back)

d) How can I get an NCBTMB Approved Provider Application?
There are two versions of the Approved Provider Application. The most current and streamlined version is Approved Provider Application V 1.5: CD Option (doc). The earlier version, Approved Provider Application V 1.4 (doc), is also available.

If you prefer a hard copy version, send an email request to: cecoordinator@ncbtmb.org. Include your complete mailing information – full name, address and Approved Provider number (if applicable). You may also call (630) 627-8000 and ask a CE/AP coordinator to mail a copy to you. (back)

e) How long is the revised application? What I’ve downloaded is very long.
The entire Word document is not the application. The document you’ve downloaded contains four key components:
The Approved Provider Application, approximately 35 pages, contains eleven (11) distinct sections. Some sections, however, may not be applicable to your submission, e.g., distance learning or home study.

The Reference Guide is approximately 29 pages. It is designed for you to consult before completing each question of the application. The reference guide page number is given in parentheses after each question of the application. You are encouraged to keep answers simple, to the point, without over-explaining.

Sample Forms, approximately 12 pages, are found near the end of the document. These sample templates are available for you to use/edit to fit your needs.

Appendices contain the Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice and a Glossary of Terms
Although this application document is long, each question you answer gives us important information. The renewal process cannot automatically approve previously Approved Providers, as this would not allow the NCBTMB Continuing Education Review Committee to update standards, which must be done as the field of massage evolves. The information you provide assures NCBTMB certificants that approved individuals and organizations offer quality continuing education courses.
To access the most current and streamlined version of the Approved Provider Application V 1.5: CD Option (doc), click here. For the earlier version, Approved Provider Application V 1.4 (doc), click here. (back)

f) What does it take to become an NCBTMB Approved Provider?
The revised application will include an acknowledgment statement comprised of four (4) prerequisites that detail exactly what is required before you begin the application process.

If these four prerequisites have not been met, you are not eligible to become an Approved Provider at this time and should not continue to fill out the application. The acknowledgment statement has been included in the revised application so that you do not unnecessarily spend time filling out an application that cannot be processed. To view the acknowledgment statement, click here.

To view the explanation of the acknowledgment statement, click here. (back)

g) Will the length of the approval status change with the revised application?
Yes. With the revised application and process, the status changes to three (3) years versus the previous two (2) year renewal. (back)

h) Will the price change?
Yes. The fee for an individual is now $150 and $350 for an organization. Even though the price to renew has increased, the per-year cost has decreased due to the longer cycle. (back)

i) What will be required if I am submitting a renewal application with no changes?
Renewal applicants can no longer submit an application that simply says "No changes." NCBTMB has raised its standards. The purpose of asking renewal applicants to submit more information than in the past is to ensure all applicants (initial applicants and renewal applicants) are in compliance with these higher standards.

As a renewal applicant with no changes, you will be asked to list all the previously submitted and accepted course titles and continuing education hours. From this list, you will be asked to choose one course for which you will provide detailed documentation similar to Appendix 4.5 of the old application. However, if there are new courses listed in your application, you must choose and provide detailed documentation for only one of these courses.

Lastly, NCBTMB will now post updated information from each provider, including every single course submitted for peer committee review that is accepted per our guidelines for continuing education. This is a new feature and one we hope supports stakeholders and helps certificants find appropriate CE courses that meet NCBTMB requirements. (back)

j) What about state regulations relating to NCBTMB continuing education requirements?
Because each state requires their own continuing education standards, NCBTMB’s continuing education standards may or may not reflect the same standards as the state. It is important to check with your state agency regarding their requirements. While your state’s standards may match ours, you must receive that information from the state. (back)

k) What about “Category B” courses?
It is important to understand that NCBTMB is under no obligation to honor courses that are not offered by an NCBTMB Approved Provider (formerly designated as Category B). For more information on how certificants can submit courses not offered by an NCBTMB Approved Provider, reference the Recertification Handbook, Method #2 on page 20. (back)

l) What will "Category" mean now in the new application?
Courses that are accepted for continuing education credit through NCBTMB must be categorized. The purpose of these categories is to assist certificants when searching for continuing education courses they wish to take.
All accepted courses from NCBTMB Approved Providers will be listed under the name of the Approved Provider in the online Find Approved Providers resource. You will be able to place each course title within one of the following categories. (If a course contains components of more than one category, choose the category you feel best applies. At this time, you may only choose one category.) Note: If you select "Other" as your category, you will be requested to write the name of your designated category.

NCBTMB list of categories:
1) Animal massage [ANM]
2) Aquatic massage [AQM]
3) Aromatherapy [ART]
4) Body psychology [BP]
5) Bodywork – Asian studies [BW/AS]
6) Business/marketing [B/M]
7) Non-NCBTMB proprietary certification programs (e.g. craniosacral, myofascial release) [NN]
8) Chair massage [CM]
9) Deep tissue techniques [DTT]
10) Energy work [EW]
11) Ethics [E]
12) Ethics (includes Standard V: Roles and Boundaries) [ESV]
13) Health care massage (e.g., oncology, geriatric, pediatric, pregnancy) [HCM]
14) Movement and exercise therapies (e.g., Alexander, Feldenkrais, stretching, Pilates, yoga) [MET]
15) Reflexology [R]
16) Science (e.g., advanced courses in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, pathology, above and beyond what is taught in a core curriculum program) [S]
17) Self care (e.g., body mechanics, meditation) [SC]
18) Spa treatments [ST]
19) Sports massage [SM]
20) Therapeutic massage (e.g., medical massage, clinical massage, orthopedic massage) [TM]
21) Home study/Cognitive [HSC]
22) Home study/Kinesthetic [HSK]
23) Distance learning [DL]
24) Other [O] (back)

m) I have heard that the ethics requirement has changed to six (6) hours. Can you explain the ethics requirement and how it impacts providers?
Certificants must complete six (6) ethics hours every four (4) years. Two (2) of these hours must be in Standard V: Roles and Boundaries. This impacts our providers in the following ways:

1) All ethics courses must be stand-alone courses. If the learning outcomes of an ethics course do not address two hours of instruction on Standard V: Roles and Boundaries, you must choose the category called “Ethics”, which refers to all other learning outcomes that may be taught in a general ethics continuing education course. If the ethics course does cover two hours of Standard V: Roles and Boundaries, choose the category called “Ethics (includes Standard V: Roles and Boundaries)”.

2) Our guidelines state that an ethics course cannot be part of another course. Every continuing education course incorporates some elements of ethical issues; but in order for a course to qualify as an ethics course per our requirements, the time allocated for CE hours must focus entirely on ethics. To read the complete list of NCBTMB’s Standards of Practice, click here.
                                
Example 1 demonstrates what will not be an acceptable ethics course submission for review. Example 2 is an example of what will be an acceptable ethics course submission for review.
                                
Example 1: Deep Tissue Sports Massage. This is a live seminar with lecture. Students will actually perform deep tissue sports massage.

Example 2: The Ethics of Sports Massage. This course is strictly lecture and is separate from the hands-on Deep Tissue Sports Massage course. The course will only focus on ethical scenarios, issues that relate specifically to sports massage. If this course is offered as a package with the Deep Tissue Sports Massage or marked together, two separate certificates must be issued to the certificant: (1) a Certificate of Completion for the Deep Tissue Sports Massage course and (2) a Certificate of Completion for The Ethics of Sports Massage course. (back)

n) What about home study courses?
For all Approved Providers who previously submitted home study courses that teach hands-on content – and which were accepted for continuing education credit (even though these courses have not and do not currently provide for an examination that includes the physical presence of an instructor/tester) – there will be a grace period that allows these courses to continue to award CE credit.

Once you submit the revised Approved Provider Application, this grace period will be a period of one complete cycle (three years). At the end of that grace period, all home study courses that teach hands-on content will require an exam that includes the physical presence of an instructor/tester to award CE credit.

Home study courses that teach hands-on content will be identified as “Home study/Kinesthetic”. Click here for more information about home study courses. (back)

o) Explain the difference between home study courses and distance learning?
Confusion often arises as to the difference between a home study course and a distance learning course. The key difference between them is that there is little or no interaction between the participants and an instructor with a home study course, whereas distance learning courses involve interaction with an instructor (the interaction does not involve physical presence; the interaction is at a distance, hence the name).

If, however, the home study course is teaching hands-on content, then NCBTMB policy requires an exam in the physical presence of an instructor/tester for the awarding of NCBTMB continuing education hours. (back)

p) Converting a live seminar course into a home study course – Is a Pilot necessary?
Renewal applicants only: If you are converting a live seminar course into a home study course and this same live seminar course was already submitted with your previous submission and accepted as meeting our criteria for continuing education, you will not be required to include a pilot with this renewal submission.

The objectives of a pilot are (a) to help determine the number of hours being awarded and (b) to provide feedback via evaluations on the success of the course being offered. A live seminar would have accomplished both objectives.

If you are submitting a home study course for the first time and the course was not a previously submitted or accepted live seminar course, a pilot is required. (back)

q) What about schools that offer core curriculum and continuing education courses?
If you are a school that offers a 500+ hour core curriculum program, we encourage you to keep the following items in mind when filling out an Approved Provider Application as either an initial or renewal applicant.

1) Your continuing education program must be separate from your core program. Therefore, all answers within the Approved Provider Application must relate only to continuing education and make no reference to core curriculum, core instructors or policies related to dismissal, attendance, etc.

2) Your organizational chart must be separate from your core staff chart.

3) All record keeping must be stored separately from core records.

4) All transcripts must say “Continuing Education Transcript” to differentiate this transcript from a core program transcript.

5) Your CE contact person must be a different person and can not be the same contact NCBTMB has for your school, i.e., when dealing with issues pertaining to school code, pass/fail rates for massage students that have taken the NCE (National Certification Exam), etc.

6) Your literature, catalogs and marketing/promotional materials must clearly state which courses are continuing education and which courses are strictly core courses.

7) Continuing education courses must be attended 100% and not 80%, as is the case with many core curriculum. (back)

r) What should I do if my Approved Provider status has already expired?
If your NCBTMB Approved Providership expired in 2004, 2005 or 2006, you have been granted amnesty with the stipulation that you fill out the revised application as a renewal applicant. Furthermore, expired renewal applicants were given an extension until the end of May 31, 2007 to submit their renewal application. If you were unable to meet the May deadline, you have until December 31, 2007 to submit your application. After this date providers will be considered expired.

Special Note: If your NCBTMB Approved Provider status expired prior to January 1, 2004, you need to fill out the new revised application as an initial applicant.

Approved Providers whose status is scheduled to expire in 2007 are requested to submit their application per the schedule outlined below. If you do not know your expiration date, click on Find Approved Providers. Type in your Approved Provider number and hit enter. You will then see the information we currently have available for you as an NCBTMB Approved Provider.

If your NCBTMB Approved Provider status is scheduled to expire in 2007, the chart below details when your application is due and the tentative peer review date. Applications received after the 21st of each month will not be mailed to the peer reviewers until the following month. Further questions should be directed to ce@ncbtmb.org.

Expiration Application Due Date Tentative Peer Review Date
October of 2007 October 21, 2007 November 27, 2007
November of 2007 November 21, 2007 January 29, 2008
December of 2007 December 21, 2007 January 29, 2008

(back)

s) What will happen to my completed revised Approved Provider Application?
Once your application is received by our office, you will be sent a letter, postcard or email alerting you when your application will be reviewed by the committee. Reviews occur at the end of the month.

We recommend that applicants submit their initial or renewal provider application prior to the 21st of the month. All applications received by the 21st of the month are screened by our staff before they are mailed to our reviewers. Reviewers require a minimum of two (2) weeks to review submitted applications. Applications are discussed at the end of every month during a conference call, at which time final decisions are made. Click here for a status update posted every last Friday of each month. Be sure to reload/refresh your URL to download the most recent updates. (back)

t) Approved Provider Application process – decision turnaround time.
From the actual review date, the date an applicant receives a written decision letter is approximately 10-12 weeks. (back)

u) What should I do if I did not receive my NCBTMB Approved Provider certificate?
If you did not receive your certificate, please contact Sheila Reynolds directly at sreynolds@ncbtmb.org. Be sure to include the Approved Provider number in your correspondence. (back)

v) Does NCBTMB approve courses?
NCBTMB approves individuals or organizations based on the submitted application, which includes information about the continuing education course(s) the provider intends to offer certificants but not courses. These courses must be above and beyond the minimum 500 hours taken in a core program. The content must also be appropriate and follow our guidelines for continuing education. (back)

w) Is there a fee when an NCBTMB Approved Provider adds a new course?
No. Once you are an Approved Provider, you will be able to submit additional courses at no additional cost during your 3-year renewal cycle. (back)

x) Where is the NCBTMB located?
Our national office is located 30 minutes west of downtown Chicago in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. The address is:
NCBTMB
1901 S. Meyers Road, Ste. 240
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
(back)           

y) Whom do I contact if I have a question about the continuing education program not addressed in this list of frequently asked questions?
To contact NCBTMB about any continuing education issue, email ce@ncbtmb.org. Or call our main office at 630-627-8000 and ask to speak to an AP/CE coordinator. (back)

 
Opportunities at NCBTMB   Contact Us   Site Map
Inquiries or general information, call customer care at 1-800-296-0664 (M-F, 8am-5pm CT).
© 2007 National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork All rights reserved.
1901 S. Meyers Rd., Ste. 240, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181-5243