NCBTMB and CCTC Introduce Specialty Certificate in Massage Therapy for Integrative Healthcare

Burr Ridge, Ill. (March 29, 2016) – The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) announced today a partnership with Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC) to introduce the profession’s first Specialty Certificate in Massage Therapy for Integrative Healthcare, available April 11, 2016.

The Specialty Certificate in Massage Therapy for Integrative Healthcare will be available to current and future students enrolled in CCTC’s 960-hour Massage Therapy Program. Upon completion of CCTC’s program, students will be eligible to sit for the NCBTMB Specialty Exam.

Brent Jackson, CCTC program manager for massage therapy and NCBTMB approved provider said, “In accordance with Central Carolina Technical College’s mission to prepare students for the workplace, our college’s leadership has instilled in us a responsibility to leave any industry better than how we found it. For the department, the task is to transition massage therapy from an educational platform to a healthcare setting. I also see this as an opportunity for massage therapists to be recognized as collaborative members of the healthcare team in improving patient outcomes. We look forward to partnering with NCBTMB to offer past, present and future students the best possible opportunities in massage therapy.”

The Massage Therapy for Integrative Healthcare Specialty Exam will consist of 80 multiple-choice questions to assess a student’s knowledge of healthcare policies and procedures in relation to the Massage Therapy Scope of Practice. Questions will pertain to Delegation of Authority, Ethics, Fraud and Abuse Guidelines, HIPAA and Confidentiality, Hospital Law, Indications and Contraindications of Massage with Cancer Patients, Safety and Hygiene, and more.

The Specialty Exam will be available for registration on the NCBTMB website (www.ncbtmb.org) beginning April 11, 2016. At time of registration, CCTC students will be responsible for the $200 Specialty Exam fee. Upon confirmation of eligibility and payment, students will sign-up to take the Specialty Exam at the Central Carolina Main Campus Testing Center.

Upon passing the Specialty Exam, students will earn a NCBTMB Speciality Certificate in Massage Therapy for Integrative Healthcare. In addition, students will receive a detailed transcript listing all applicable education and training to present to employers.

“The creation of NCBTMB’s Specialty Certificate Program furthers our mission of defining and advancing standards by creating yet another career pathway for massage therapists,” explained Donna Sarvello, vice president of educational support, NCBTMB. “We are thrilled to partner with CCTC to empower current and future massage therapy students with the top-notch education and experience necessary to succeed in a healthcare environment. Our Specialty Certificate Program not only provides the credentials to prove such training, but it continues to tier our profession—an evolution we are proud to be a part of with Board Certification, and now with Specialty Certificates.”

In an effort to extend such an opportunity to previous graduates, CCTC will allow program graduates from 2012 onward to sit for the NCBTMB Specialty Exam.

Additionally, CCTC is currently surveying demand for a Continuing Education version of its program to make the Specialty Certificate in Massage Therapy for Integrative Healthcare available to practicing massage therapists—which may become available as early as the fall of 2017.

Later this year, NCBTMB plans to release additional partnerships and Specialty Certificate Programs for both students and practicing massage therapists to continue meeting the demands of the profession.

For more information on the NCBTMB/CCTC Specialty Certificate Program in Massage Therapy for Integrative Healthcare, please visit www.cctech.edu/program-of-study/massage-therapy-mthc/.

About NCBTMB

The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) is an independent, private, nonprofit organization founded in 1992. The mission of NCBTMB is to define and advance the highest standards in the massage therapy and bodywork profession. In support of this mission, NCBTMB serves the profession through Board Certification, Specialty Certificates, an Approved Provider Program, and an Assigned School Program. For more information, please visit www.ncbtmb.org.

About CCTC

Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC) is a comprehensive, public, two-year institution of higher education that is dedicated to fostering a positive environment of teaching and learning for faculty, staff and students. The college serves primarily the regions of Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee and Sumter counties in South Carolina and confers associate degrees, diplomas and certificates. Central Carolina Technical College students have a wide array of programs and services from which to choose. Our online programming and cooperative agreements with other colleges and universities provide students with exceptional opportunities coupled with our more traditional learning opportunities. Learn more at www.cctech.edu.

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