New Board Members Elected!

Elizabeth McIntyre, RN, MAS, NCTMB	Judy Dean, R.N., M.Ed., NCTMB
Garnet Adair	Whitney Lowe

Last month, NCBTMB certificants elected two individuals to serve on the NCBTMB Board of Directors for three-year terms. They are Judy Dean, R.N., M.Ed., NCTMB, and Elizabeth McIntyre, RN, MAS, NCTMB.
     Dean and McIntyre were elected by Nationally Certified Practitioners in good standing with the NCBTMB by way of a mail-in ballot.
     Dean received her diploma in massage therapy from the Milwaukee School of Massage in WI, a masterís degree in education and a bachelorís degree in nursing from Marycrest College in Davenport, IA, and a diploma in nursing from St. Francis Hospital in Peoria, IL. She has served as Chair and member of the NCBTMBís Continuing Education/Recertification Task Force, a book reviewer for Professional Nursing Journals, and an instructor in community and professional continuing education.
     ìAs a board member, I will share my knowledge in management and education in health care and nursing to represent and mentor massage therapists and bodyworkers in their journey toward increased competency and accountability within the profession. I believe we can all share the responsibility to give our best to the profession, our clients and ourselves.î
     McIntyre received her diploma in massage therapy from the Lancaster School of Massage in PA, masterís degree in administrative science from Johns Hopkins University, and baschelorís degree in nursing at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
     She has served on the Board of Directors for the Lancaster Community Health Plan, the Millersville University Nursing Advisory Board, and the Mended Hearts Organization in Baltimore. For the American Association of Critical Care, she served as board member for the Chesapeake Bay Chapter, and a member of its Health Policy and Legislative Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, and Nurses in Washington Roundtable.
     McIntyreís vision for the NCBTMB ìhas a threefold focus ñ certificants, prospective certificants, and stakeholders.î For certificants, she would ìsupport the boardís initiatives to develop programs that meet the diverse needs of certificants.î For prospective certificants, she will ìcontinue to promote the NCTMB credential to students and current practitioners.î For NCBTMB stakeholders, she will ìsupport the NCBTMBís role in providing leadership and building coalitions to emphasize the significance of NCBís standards and its value.î
     They will join Whitney Lowe, who now serves as Chair of the NCBTMB, Garnet Adair, who was elected Chair-Elect, Tree Bright, Leena Guptha, elected Treasurer William Stoehs, and the directors of the NCBTMB.

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FROMTHECHAIR

By Sue Scoboria, NCTMB

Editorís Note: The following are excerpts from Sue Scoboriaís speech at the Gala Event honoring the 10-Year Anniversary of the Administration of the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB). The event was held May 18, 2002 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. It was attended by over 170 Nationally Certified Practitioners and special guests of the NCBTMB.

Serving as Chair of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) has been an honor. It is a position that requires not only commitment, but stamina and endurance. Early in my term as Chair, Whitney Lowe took to calling me the ìexalted one,î to which I would always quickly correct him and say, ìyou mean the EXHAUSTED one.î Everyone in this audience certainly understands the rigors of volunteer leadership and hard work!
     As immediate past chair of the NCBTMB, it is my pleasure to acknowledge my colleagues who have also chaired the NCBTMB since its inception 10 years ago.
     The first Chair of the NCBTMB in 1992 was Joanne Mclees. Unfortunately, Joanne was unable to join us this evening, yet our gratitude for her contributions remains strong. She was assisted in completing her term by our dear friend, Mr. Ray Moriyasu.
     Iíd like to give very special thanks and acknowledgement to my first mentor in the profession of massage therapy, who was the second Chair of our organization, Margaret Avery Moon.
     Margaret was succeeded by Emily Cowall Farrell in 1996. Martha Brown Menard willingly took over as Chair in 1997 and led the first board meeting I ever attended. From 1997 to 1998, our Board was proudly and strongly carried forward by former Chair Marlene Cohen. Cliff Korn carried the torch for a two-year period, from 1998 to 2000. Our immediate Past Chair is with us this evening. I would like to thank Neal Cross for his guidance and commitment to the board.
     Tonight we offer our former Chairs, and all the Directors of their respective Boards, gratitude and special thanks for their individual strength and leadership skills, as well as their collective energy in supporting the growth of the organization.
     All of this hard work and effort has been done for one real reason. What this all comes down to is the credible practice of massage therapy and bodywork. Thatís what itís really all about. Thatís why weíre all here today. Each of you here tonight believes so strongly in the healing power of touch that you have been willing to give your skills and abilities, time, energy, and for many, heart and soul, to make a part of your lifeís work about supporting the peace and comfort of others. The delivery of ethical, professional, and compassionate hands-on techniques to individualsóthe kind that helps us heal our bodies and even changes our livesóis at the heart of our celebration tonight. This is the gem we surround. We do this by demanding that Nationally Certified Practitioners respect and honor their fellow beings with the highest standards of practice and care. The National Certification Program believes that credentialing our professionals is the best way to achieve this goal, and that now more that ever, certification is the right thing to do!!
     As we work with the wellness of others, so we must look at our own. The National Certification Board is healthy, dynamic, balanced, strong, and a successful leadership organization. This is because this Board works as a team, and has spent many hours on development and organizational improvement. Our leadership structure, as well as our strategic plan, ensure that the goals of the organization are consistently held and fairly administered. And so it is with complete confidence that I hand the gavel over to Whitney Lowe, your new Chair. Whitney has been a massage therapist for 15 years and a member of the Board of Directors for the last two years. He is an author, teacher, and the director of the Orthopedic Massage Education and Research Institute in Bend, Oregon. We are lucky to have him lead us to a new direction.
     Thank you Everyone!

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The NCBTMB Signs On The Chauncey Group International

MCLEAN, Va. ñ May 7, 2002 - The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) announced today that it has signed on The Chauncey Group International, a leading provider of certification and licensing examinations for professionals, business and government.
     The Chauncey Group has been chosen to deliver and develop the NCBTMBís National Certification Examination (NCE), which is taken by 1,500 candidates each month. Beginning in August 2002, the NCE will be delivered through The Chauncey Groupís partner, Prometric, a part of The Thomson Corporation (TSE: TOC) and the global leader in technology-enabled testing and assessment services. Potential test-takers will benefit from Prometricís extensive test delivery network, which is the largest in the world. In addition, the NCE will be available six days per week at one of Prometricís North American testing centers. Scheduling for the NCE can be done at www.2test.com, Prometricís online scheduling service.
     The Chauncey Group will also conduct a job analysis study to assure that the NCE remains at the leading-edge of professional practice. Additionally, The Chauncey Group will conduct a job analysis study for the development of an advanced credential.
     ìWe partnered with The Chauncey Group to further our commitment to providing excellent customer service in the development and administration of the National Certification Examination,î said Christine D. Niero, Ph.D., executive director of the NCBTMB. ìThrough Chaunceyís assistance in continuing to develop computer-based certification through innovative technology, we hope to offer certification services of the highest quality.î
      The NCBTMB is a member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Coalition for Processional Certification (CPC). The NCBTMB has been accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) since 1993.
     The Chauncey Group InternationalÆ, a subsidiary of Educational Testing ServiceÆ (ETSÆ), provides certification and licensing examinations for professionals, business and government. With 30 years of experience in designing, developing and administering occupational, licensure, certification and professional assessments, The Chauncey Group has helped customers define competencies and measure those competencies effectively and fairly. The Chauncey Group administered certification and licensure examinations to over two million candidates via paper-and-pencil, computer-based, and Internet-based testing programs in 60 countries over the past year. The Chauncey Group is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, with offices in Washington, D.C, Paris, France, and Kingston, Canada. The Chauncey Group also owns Experior Assessments, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based testing and licensing company that provides test development, test administration, licensing management, continuing education administration and other related services to regulatory authorities across the United States. For more information, visit their web site at www.chauncey.com.

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CERTIFICANTSCORNER

Renewing Your National Certification
If your certification expires, and you decide at a later time to renew your certification status (or ìrecertifyî), remember that you must pay not only the recertification fee, but also a reinstatement fee. Also, you are required to meet all recertification requirements and submit supporting documentation. In this case, your original expiration date would remain valid. If your certification expired more than three years from the original recertification date, your certificant record would be purged. In that case, to become certified, you must begin the entire certification process from the beginning.
     To apply for an extension of the expiration date of your National Certification for extenuating circumstances, submit before the expiration date:

• a statement of the extenuating circumstances,
• the number of completed continuing education hours, whether or not the ethics requirement has been fulfilled,
• the number of work hours completed, and a
• detailed plan stating how all requirements will be fulfilled by the requested extended deadline.

    If an extension is granted, the original expiration date will remain constant. An extension may be granted for up to six months beyond the expiration dates.
     When completing your application to recertify, you must submit documentation of work experience by way of a computerized log, a log book, an appointment book, or by a letter from an employer on official letterhead. The documentation must include the dates and lengths of appointments. Pay stubs, tax forms and W-2 forms are not acceptable documentation for work experience hours for recertification. The policy is important for all certificants, but the documentation needs to be submitted only if you are randomly audited for recertification and have been sent notification by mail from the NCBTMB office.

STAY CURRENT!
Please help the NCBTMB to maintain the most current mailing address of those who are Nationally Certified. Keep the NCBTMB up-to-date on your most current address and contact information. This ensures that you will continue to receive important information regarding your certification and news about the organization. We continue to need your help!
     When contacting us regarding your mailing address please remember that your phone number, fax number, email and web site addresses are equally important to keep up-to-date. To ensure that NCB staff is changing the correct personís address, a social security number is required for verification. The information you give is used only for internal verification purposes and is kept confidential. For prompt service, please include your social security number when submitting the address change. Changes can be made by contacting the NCBTMB by phone, 703-610-9015, by fax, 703-610-9005, or by visiting www.ncbtmb.com.

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Newly Approved Category A Providers

Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation
820 Davis Street, Suite 100
Evanston, IL 60201-4444
On-site Evaluator Training
On-site Accreditation Visit Participation
Provider #: 308314-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Robin L. Viteri
650 South Town Center, Suite 1051
Las Vegas, NV 89144
Pre-natal Massage course
Provider #: 305441-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Robbin Michelle Reid
105 Wildwood Drive
Daphne, AL 36526
The Belavi Facelift Massage
Provider #: 308895-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Dahan Institute of Massage Studies
3320 East Flamingo Road, Suite 32
Las Vegas, NV 89121
Various Courses
Provider #: 295908-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Eugene Dobkin
P.O. Box 1317
Perris, CA 92572-1317
NMT Courses
Provider #: 311464-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Shalandra Abbey
P.O. Box 1195
Kapaa, HI 96746
Reiki Courses
Provider #: 307803-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Bastyr University
Attention: Pamela Vaughn
14500 Juanita Drive NE
Kenmore, WA 98028
CranioSacral Therapy I, II & III
Provider #: 311109-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Pfrimmer Institute for Corrective Muscle Therapy, Ltd.
P.O. Box 150918
San Rafael, CA 94915-0918
Pfrimmer Deep Muscle Therapy Courses
Provider #: 308893-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Renate K. Egeness
1330 Kemper Road
Delafield, WI 53018-1435
Various Courses
Provider #: 308029-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Carrie W. Bodane
4109 Wake Forest Road, Suite 303
Raleigh, NC 27609
Reiki Courses
Provider #: 308897-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Louisville School of Massage
7410 LaGrange Road, Suite 320
Louisville, KY 40222
502-429-5765
bcwilliams@kih.net
Various Courses
Provider #: 022016-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

School of Shiatsu & Massage
PO Box 570
Middletown, CA 95461
707-987-3801
Various Courses
Provider #: 22356-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Sister Rosalind Gefre School and Clinics of Massage
149 East Thompson Avenue, Suite #150
West St. Paul, MN 55118
Ethics and Various Courses
Provider #: 305258-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Canadian Touch Research Centre
760 Saint Zotique Street East
Montreal, H2S 1M5 Quebec, Canada
514-272-2254
514-272-5141 fax
Various Courses
Provider #: 324617-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Integrated Bodywork: Wellness & Learning Center, Inc.
Connie S. Timko
5209 Hoagland Blackstub Road
Cortland, OH 44410
330-637-0612
shockra999@aol.com
Reiki Courses
Provider#: 309896-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/04

Joyce Hasija
24 Chemar Drive
Hurricane, WV 25526
304-757-0775
jhasija@att.net
Reiki Courses
Provider #: 303361
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Solihin Thom DO Dac
216 Southwest Tualatin Loop
West Linn, OR 97068
800-304-4464
Cranial Fluid Dynamics
Provider #: 310257-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Ross Tourtchaninov
15402 North 28th Street, #233
Phoenix, AZ 85032
602-404-1583
aesculapr@hotmail.com
Segment-Reflex Massage
Provider #: 312994-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Dr. Robert L. Wertz
PO Box 540473
Lake Worth, FL 33454
561-433-4184
advancedspinecenter@hotmail.com
Myofascial Trigger Point
Provider #: 307994-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Creative Thouth Center
Steven Rogat
2517 Laine Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919-967-1306
rogat@usa.net
The Thought Body Course
Provider #: 303442-00
AP Exp. Date: 03/2004

Natural Therapies
1009 Cedardale Drive
Las Cruces, NM 88005-1247
505-541-9530
Childrenís Natural Therapies
Provider #: 313133-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Diane K. Ripperda
4020 Kemp Boulevard, Suite D
Wichita Falls, TX 76308
940-692-9925
tmcbd@aol.com
Homestudy, Ethics, Insurance Course
Provider # 323502-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Tennessee Massage Therapy Association
112 2nd Avenue NW
Winchester, TN 37398
931-967-6006
psmith@cafes.net
Myofascial Release Therapy
Provider #: 305459-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Kam Thye Chow
Lotus Palm School
5870 Waverly Street
Montreal, QC H2T 2Y3 Canada
lotuspalm@hotmal.com
www.thaiyogamassage.net
Yoga Training
Provider #: 310467-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Carla A. Ennes
4904 Bassett Avenue
Richmond, VA 23225
804-233-9377
wtw2214@aol.com
Massage Therapy Courses
Provider #: 309902-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Dineen E. Cuneo
8439 McClellan
Mechanicsville, VA 23111
804-779-3557
Cuneod@aol.com
Reflexology Courses
Provider #: 310534-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Suzanne M. Korner
2557 Nottingham Road
Columbus OH 43221
614-562-4051
suzmadi@aol.com
Body Mechanics for Massage
Provider #: 312461-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Massage Therapy Training Institute of New Mexico
205 West Boutz, Building 4
Las Cruces, NM 88005
505-523-6811
Various courses
Provider #: 289781-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Jeff McConnell
1920 9th Street North, Suite C
St. Petersburg, FL 33704
727-822-7763
jmcconnell55@hotmail.com
Flexibility Training Courses
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Judy Dean Agua Dulce Center
136 Grove Avenue
Prescott, AZ 86301-2910
928-776-7870
jdean4@mindspring.com
Spa Therapy Training
Provider #: 312124-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Scott K. Jordan
6306 Midwood Avenue
Monona, WI 53716
608-575-6302
sjordan14@juno.com
Reiki Courses
Provider #: 312996-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Patricia L. Shelton
705 North Lincoln Avenue
OíFallon, IL 62269
618-624-6002
mskt@apci.net
Aromatherapy Courses
Provider #: 312671-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

The Massage Therapy Program
10050 Roosevelt Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19116
Reflexology Courses
215-969-1170
Provider #: 322124-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Linda Tingle Subtle Energy Institute
2304 Kenstock Drive, Suite 101
Virginia Beach, VA 23454
757-431-0711
athealth@Erols.com
Various Courses
Provider #: 312323-00
AP Exp. Date: 04/2004

Ursula M. Popp
12252 2nd NW
Seattle WA 98177
206-783-3922
wrsulampopp@aol.com
Craniosacral Work: Supervision
Provider #: 322123-00
AP Exp. Date: 05/2004

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The NCBTMB Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the National Certification Examination

Gala Event and Board Meeting Held to Celebrate the Organizationís Accomplishments
MCLEAN, Va. ó Last month, the NCBTMB celebrated the 10-year anniversary of administering the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB). To mark its 10-year commitment to quality service in the field of massage therapy and bodywork, the Board of Directors hosted a Gala event during its annual meeting on May 18th in Washington, D.C. In conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the NCE, the NCBTMB kicked off Massage Safety Week on May 16th. The purpose of the week is to educate consumers about the many benefits of massage.
     Since 1992, the NCBTMB has raised awareness about National Certification in massage therapy and bodywork among consumers, health care professionals and practitioners. With that effort, the organization has certified over 55,000 massage therapists and bodyworkersóa number that is up 25% in the last year alone. In addition, there has been a 70% increase in the use of the National Certification Examination (NCE) in state and local massage laws across the country compared to just five years ago.
     ìTen years ago, before the benefits of massage were widely known, the topic of certification in massage was not a priority for consumers or practitioners,î said Christine D. Niero, Ph.D., executive director of the NCBTMB. ìToday, however, we are pleased that massage therapy is an integral part of health and wellness, and more and more people seek out qualified therapists and our National credential. In another 10 years, we hope that the NCBTMB can look upon its past with the sense of accomplishment as we do now.î

     In its 10 years, the NCBTMB has promoted the worth of National Certification to health care professionals, therapeutic massage and bodywork professionals, public policy makers and the general public. The NCBTMB has also worked to assure and maintain the integrity, stability and quality of the National Certification Program, and has periodically updated the program to reflect state-of-the-art practices in therapeutic massage and bodywork.
     The NCBTMB was founded in order to foster high standards of ethical and professional practice in the delivery of services through a credible, recognized credentialing program that assures the competency of practitioners of therapeutic massage and bodywork. In the mid-1980s, Elliot Greene, NCTMB, began discussing with others what it would take for massage therapy and bodywork to become a profession that had a greater recognition as a profession. When discussions began to create the National Certification Program, those involved in its implementation and development believed that National Certification would be a critical part of raising awareness to consumers and others about the importance of massage therapy and bodywork. ìBack in 1992, if anyone had said there would be over 50,000 Nationally Certified Massage and Bodywork Practitioners in 10 years, I think people would have said we were crazy,î Greene said, who was the first project manager involved in implementing the National Certification Program. He researched, conducted interviews, met and talked with numerous people, and with the help of others, developed a plan to create the National Certification Program. ìWhat made it a challenge at that time in 1988,î Greene explained, ìwas that there was no book or seminar about how to start a certification program. But a lot of very generous people gave me a lot of information and contacts, and were really helpful.î

     Then in Spring 1992, the first NCE was administered. Original expectations were exceeded, and 888 individuals took the exam. The largest group was at the Washington, D.C. area test site where 75 individuals took the exam. ìIt was very exciting,î said Greene, who was part of the first group of NCE exam-takers. ìI took the exam at the University of Maryland, and it was exciting that a major university was giving our exam. We even had professors as proctors.î
     Immediate Past Chair Susan Scoboria said at the gala event last month that she is ìproud of where NCB has come since that first exam was administered.î Current NCB Chair Whitney Lowe said that all of the ìhard work and effort of those present here today has been done for one real reasonóthe credible practice of massage therapy and bodywork. Believing so strongly in the healing power of touch is what brought us all together to do this great work, and I am very excited about what lies ahead for the NCBTMB.î

Click here to see photos from NCBTMB's 10th Anniversary Gala.

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STRATEGICPLANUPDATE

Editorís Note: Board members provided committee chairs with specific charges from the NCB Strategic Plan. In this issue of the NCB Connection, those specific charges are listed with the corresponding committee. The numbers in parentheses correspond to the specific objectives of the NCB Strategic Plan, which can be found on the web site, www.ncbtmb.com. Chairs are asked to report to the board on the on how their committee members are working toward achieving these specific goals of the NCB Strategic Plan. The Strategic Planning Committee members are currently writing section plans for the 2002-2003 committee charges.

Continuing Education/Recertification Panel
(2.1) Increase our knowledge of why practitioners enter and leave the massage therapy bodywork profession and how certificants practice (e.g., part-time, full-time, and setting).
     Committee Charge: Construct a sample population of individuals who have left the profession (i.e., state licenses that have expired). Send a survey to those individuals to inquire about why they have left the profession. Construct a similar survey (perhaps an online survey) of current certificants to gather information about the settings in which they practice and why they entered the profession.
     (3.1) Strengthen and promote the value of recertification.
     Committee Charge: Gather information from certificants who are recertifying as to their primary reason. Ask them to focus their answer on what they see as the primary value of recertification. Consolidate this information and then feed it into the marketing strategies that are being used to promote recertification.

Ethics and Standards Committee
Marion B. Visel, NCTMB, Chair
     The Ethics Committee continues to seek input on issues affecting massage therapy and bodywork. The committee has created two new surveys to increase our knowledge of the impact on certificants of specific provisions of the Standards of Practice (Standard VI e, f, and g). They want to learn from Nationally Certified Practitioners whose scope of practice includes invasive techniques. The survey about these techniques is enclosed with this issue of the NCB Connection.
     With the survey, the committee members hope to learn how many certificants these provisions affect and what types of consent (written, verbal or none) certificants obtain when using these techniques. They also hope to learn from NCBTMB stakeholders what they believe are the best practices for these invasive techniques and whether they perform these modalities themselves or not. This information will help the committee members to draft a position statement on invasive therapies.
    This fall, the Ethics Committee members will create a survey to increase our knowledge of how the Standards of Practice in general affect the practice of massage and bodywork.

Examination Committee
Robert Lehnberg, NCTMB, Chair
     (1.2) Continue research and development of additional certifications.
     Committee Charge: Gather information from the 2002 Job Analysis Studies and the advanced credential in massage therapy.

Government Relations
Sally Hacking, Legislative Consultant
    (1.3) Expand educational outreach to regulatory bodies at state and local levels.
     Responsibility: Continue to monitor legislative activities and determine what level of contact or communication NCB should maintain with these regulatory bodies.
     (2.3) Increase our knowledge of the current regulatory environment.
     Responsibility: Gather information about upcoming legislative efforts and report findings to the board on a regular basis.

Other NCBTMB Committees:

Bylaws Committee
Ray Moriyasu, NCTMB, Chair

Eligibility Panel
Elliot Greene, NCTMB, Chair

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CALENDAROFEVENTS

This list of events is provided for informational purposes only. For specific information about participation in the events listed above, please contact the host organization.

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NCBTMB
8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300
McLean, VA 22102
703-610-9015 … 703-610-9005
1-800-296-0664 (totally automated line)
e-mail: snicolais@ncbtmb.com