New Edition of the Candidate Handbook is Ready for Distribution
During the last three months the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork has revised the Candidate Handbook. Every aspect of the certification process was examined for clarity, and consistency. NCBTMB believes this new edition is much more user friendly and easier to understand. The Board of Directors has adopted some policies that will affect applicants immediately. Review the new Candidate Handbook carefully.

The following is a summary of changes in NCBTMB policy:

Effective August 1, 1998, you have 3 months to take the National Certification Examination (NCE). Your letter of eligibility will state the last day you are able to take the exam.

Effective immediately, the processing fee for incomplete, denied or cancelled applications has increased to $75.00.

NCBTMB restricts the number of times a candidate can take the NCE in order to become successful.

All of the policies and procedures for taking the NCE are contained in the Candidate Handbook for the National Certification Examination. Each school has been sent copies of the new Candidate Handbook and additional copies can be ordered. To order more copies please send an e-mail message to mdownes@ncbtmb.com or you can download the handbook from the web site at www.ncbtmb.com.
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New National Certification Examination Content Outline
Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Kinesiology (27 percent)
Western

Major systems: location and function

… Integumentary system
… Skeletal system
… Muscular system
… Nervous system
… Endocrine system
… Cardiovascular system
… Lymphatic and immune system
… Respiratory system
… Digestive system
… Urinary system
… Reproductive system
… Craniosacral system

Biomechanics and kinesiology

… Efficient and safe movement patterns
… Proprioception
… Basic principles of biomechanics and kinesiology

Basic medical terminology

Non-Western

Traditional Chinese medicine

… Primary meridians and organ physiology
… Extraordinary meridians – conception and governing   vessels
… Five element theory

Other energetic systems

Clinical Pathology and Recognition of Various Conditions (20 percent)
History and client intake process

… Emotional states and stress leading to disease
… History of abuse and trauma related to disease and recovery
… Impact of client medical history on disease and recovery
… Effects of life stages on basic health and well-being

Disease and injury-related conditions

Signs and symptoms of disease of the major systems of the body:

… indications and contradictions
… Physiological changes and
… healing mechanisms

Massage Therapy and Bodywork Theory, Assessment, and Application (41 percent)
Assessment

… Effects of gravity
… Integration of structure and function
… Use of palpation for assessment of craniosacral pulses, energy blockages, and bony landmarks
… Somatic holding patterns in clients
… Using visual cues in assessing clients
… Conventional Western medical approaches to client’s illness

Structural compensatory patterns
Interview techniques

Application

… Sites to avoid on client’s body
… Proper client draping and positional support
… Physiological and emotional effects of touch on client
… Effective and appropriate responses to client’s emotional  needs
… Universal precautions
… Use of appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills
… Physiological changes brought about by touch therapy
… Practitioner’s self-awareness during a session
… Using strategies to plan single and multiple client sessions
… Use of manual contact and manipulation to affect soft   tissue,  joints, and the energy system
… Use of joint mobilization techniques
… Use of terms related to quality of movement
… Using and teaching basic principles of posture and
kinesthetic awareness
… Hydrotherapy
… CPR and first aid

Touch therapy modalities

Holistic principles

… Energetic effects of nutrition
… Stress management/relaxation techniques
… Corrective exercises for clients
… Principles of nutrition and its impact on health
… Principles of holistic practice
… Practitioner kinesthetic awareness

Professional Standards, Ethics, and Business Practices
(12 percent)
… NCBTMB Code of Ethics
… Confidentiality of client information
… Effective inter-professional communication
… Use of proper income-reporting procedures
… Basic business and accounting practices
… Session record-keeping practices
… Scope of practice: legal and ethical parameters
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Contacting NCB
When you call the automated information line (800) 296-0664 and the staff headquarters line (703) 610-9015 you will hear a new voice and a new recording. We have tried to make accessing the information you need as quick and easy as possible. Instead of a list of specific options to listen to and select, general categories of information have been created. These general categories then branch into specific options for you to choose from.
For example, if you want to access information about becoming eligible to sit the for the National Certification Examination, you would choose the general category of initial certification, eligibility, certificates or score transfers. Then listen for more specific options and simply follow the directions.
Therefore, the time spent listening to the menu and getting to the information you need will be reduced. The following two telephone menus will help guide you when you call NCBTMB.

The following is what you will hear when calling the 800-296-0664 automated information line. Callers can not reach a staff member live from this number. Please use the 703 telephone line to reach staff directly.
Thank you for calling the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. This is a fully automated service designed to answer basic questions about certification. Please listen carefully to the following options and select the category that best meets your needs. For more immediate access to information please visit our web site @www.ncbtmb.com or press 3 now for Fax on Demand.
You may press zero (0) at any time to repeat this message.

OPTION 1
For information about initial certification, eligibility, certificates or score transfers press 1 now.

Specific Choices Under Option 1:
• If you have graduated from a 500 hr. program and need an application press 1 now
• If you have not graduated from a 500 hr. program and need an application press 2
• For information about test reservations and sites press 3
• For information on your certificate status or score transfers press 4

OPTION 2
For information about recertification requirements, continuing education and approved providers press 2 now

Specific Choices Under Option 2:
• To receive the recertification requirements handbook press 1
• To receive an approved provider listing for continuing education press 2
• To receive the approved provider application press 3

OPTION 3
• To reach Fax on Demand press 3 now

OPTION 4
For all other inquiries press 4 now

Specific Choices Under Option 4:
• For our mailing address, phone, fax, business hours and web site address press 1
• For a list of practitioners in your area, press 2
• For information about mailing labels, press 3
• If your needs have not been met by these options hang up and dial 703-610-9015 ext. 238 for a staff member

This is the end of the recording. To repeat this message press zero (0) now.

The following is what you will hear when calling the 703-610-9015 line. Callers can reach staff through this line or they can leave voice-mail if staff is not available.
Thank you for calling the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. If you know the extension of the person you are trying to reach, please dial it now.

• If you have graduated from a 500 hr program and need information about your eligibility press 1 OR if you have not graduated from a 500 hr program and need information about your eligibility press 2
• For information regarding recertification press 3
• For information about becoming an approved provider of continuing education, press 4
• For information about your certificate, or score transfer press 5
• For a list of practitioners in your area, or to order mailing labels, press 6
• If none of these options meet your needs press 7.

This is the end of the recording.
Please remember when leaving a message to state your name and mailing address clearly. If you are unsure you have left your message with the appropriate person, don't worry staff will redirect the message to the appropriate department. You do not have to leave multiple messages.

Remember . . .
If your school has multiple branches, please contact Paul Parker to ensure each branch is updated in our database. Please also remember, in order to comply with the following NCBTMB policy, each branch must have its own school code in order for graduates to sit for the National Certification Examination. You can update your address by calling 703-610-0226 or e-mail:pparker@ncbtmb.com

Returned Mail
The NCB makes every effort to keep the most current mailing addresses of its schools and training institutions. However, we need your help to do so. The number of returned copies of the last issue of Emerging Standards was unusually high. Each piece returned costs NCB an additional $.32 for address updates. And the institution misses out on valuable information about the National Certification Board and the changes that could affect them or their students.
If you have moved, or know of a school that has moved, please contact the National Certification Board at 703-610-0238. You may also e-mail changes to Mary Lou Swiscoski at mswiscoski@ncbtmb.com.
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Policy Change:
Effective August 1, 1998 the eligibility window for candidates to sit for the exam is 3 months from the date you are deemed eligible.

How this will Affect You:
You must take the exam within 3 months of receiving your letter of eligibility. If you do not test within 3 months, you will expire and you will need to reapply as a new candidate.
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Important Notice Regarding the School List which Accompanies the Candidate Handbook

Read This Notice in its Entirety
Effective May, 1,1997, the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) implemented a policy stating that your education must have been received from a state licensed or exempt from licensing training institute. This policy applies to candidates seeking eligibility for the national certification examination through the traditional formal education/training application process. This route requires you to have successfully completed a minimum 500 hour program of study.
In order to expedite your application review process, NCBTMB began compiling a list of state licensed or exempt from licensing education/training institutions. This information was gathered from the state education boards or massage therapy boards, and from the schools themselves. The schools on this list have been verified as meeting the criteria of being state licensed or exempt from licensing education/training institutes. States or institutions that did not submit the required information have not been included on this list. As institutions become approved, they are added to the list, therefore the list is subject to change on a daily basis.
In states where the profession of massage therapy and/or bodywork is not regulated, the appropriate state regulatory board insures that regulations, statutes, and rules pertaining to legal operations of schools within the state are met. Some states that do not regulate massage therapy and/or bodywork practices will assign an exempt status to schools indicating that the school is operating legally, but that there are no specific statutes for the profession.
NCBTMB has compiled this list of schools for your use when applying for certification through the traditional eligibility option. NCBTMB does not represent this list as being a complete list of all currently approved, registered, licensed or exempt education/training institutions offering a program of study in massage therapy and/or bodywork. In order for you to be considered eligible, applicants must meet all criteria as described in the Candidate Handbook and must submit the required supporting documentation with your application. Each candidate's qualifications are independently reviewed. Therefore completion of a program on this list does not guarantee that you will automatically be considered eligible to sit for the national certification exam.
The list is organized alphabetically by state. Within each state grouping, schools are listed alphabetically by name and include each city in which they are located. The six digit code number assigned to schools is used exclusively by NCBTMB for ease in identification. Please provide the appropriate six digit code on your application. If you cannot locate the school from which you graduated on this list, you write the name of the school, city, and state location on the application form.
Please consult the supplement of the new edition of the Candidate Handbook for the school list and the new eligibility policies that affect applicants.
Please note that NCBTMB does not endorse, adopt, approve, or recommend any offerings of massage therapy and/or bodywork study.
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Recertification

What Happens If I Let My Certification Lapse?
If you let your certification lapse, and then wish to recertify, you must pay the recertification fee and a reinstatement fee. You will also have to meet all current recertification requirements with proper documentation. In this situation, your original expiration date will remain valid. If you allow your recertification status to lapse for more than 3 years, your record will be purged from the NCBTMB database. In order to become certified, you will need to reapply as a new candidate.

What Is Recertification on a Case-By-Case Basis?
Because the National Certification Board realizes that not all applicants fulfill the recertification requirements as stated in the handbook, a case-by-case review procedure has been established. The applicant may have other meritorious experience that deserves special consideration. If you choose to apply through this process, you must submit a letter of request with explanation and supporting documentation along with the recertification application and the additional processing fee of $25.00. The letter should explain your special circumstances, what you are requesting, and how it embodies the purpose and philosophy of recertification.
The intent of offering special consideration in recertification of applicants with special circumstances is to consider extension, substitution, and/or replacement of requirements where appropriate. All applicants with case-by-case special requests must meet the continuing education requirement, including ethics, either through continuing education classes, substitution of classes or through an extension of time in which to meet the requirement. For more information about this procedure, please contact NCB at 703-610-0235.
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Approved Provider Corner
NCBTMB has revised its Category A Approved Provider for Continuing Education Application. After September 1, 1998, we will only accept this new application. Copies are now available from NCBTMB. Please call 703-610-0215 to order your copy.
The new Approved Provider Application can be found on our web site at www.ncbtmb.com or by calling Fax-on-Demand at 1-800-296-0664.
Approved Providers should remember when adding a new course they must submit a course description, length of course and a resume or qualifications of the instructor to NCBTMB.
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Eligibility Status Inquires
NCBTMB will no longer answer application status inquires by phone. By redirecting the telephone time previously given to candidates calling, NCB staff can focus its efforts on review of and processing applications. This will allow all applicants to receive notification of eligibility status sooner. If after six weeks you have not received a letter of eligibility notification, you may fax your inquiry to the eligibility coordinator at 703-610-9005. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation and hope to provide more efficient service.
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What Happens To My Application Once I Mail It?

First 2 Weeks
Application goes to the bank and NCB's accounting department.Then staff receives applications in batches of about 100 each day.

Weeks 3-4
Staff mails applicant the receipt of application verification form on the same day we receive application.

Staff reviews each application and verifies all documentation. Approximately 25-35 applications are reviewed each day.

Eligibility is determined and applicant information is entered in the database.

Weeks 4-6
Eligible Candidates:
Applicants will receive a letter of eligibility containing the testing window and testing reservation information.

Candidates will have 3 months to make test reservation and take the examination.

Denied Candidates:
Applicants will receive a letter of denial. The letter will state the items missing from the application or the reason the application was denied. If you receive a letter of denial, the process may be delayed beyond 4-6 weeks.

Tips To Follow To Minimizing Your Chance of Being Delayed
1. Send application, documentation and payment directly to the bank address.
2. Enclose official school transcript. (no photocopies)
3. Enclose notarized copy of your certificate or diploma.
4. Complete and sign the application form.
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Incomplete Applications
All incomplete applications will be denied eligibility. Official school transcripts MUST accompany your application for eligibility. Schools concerned with security problems may issue their transcript to students in a sealed envelope for security. Please also note: sending your application by express mail, federal express or other overnight carriers will not speed your application. All money must be processed at another site first. Therefore, sending applications to the office only slows down your application process. Ensure your application process goes smoothly, check for these commonly missed items:
Completed application form
Payment by credit card, money order, personal checks or certified check
Official transcript
Notarized copy of certificate or diploma

Please send completed applications to:   
NCBTMB, Attention: Eligibility Dept.
c/o First Union Bank
PO Box 85080
Richmond, VA 23285

Here is an example of a preferred type of official transcript and the pertinet information NCBTMB looks for a transcript:

1. School name, address and phone number
2. Official school seal or logo
3. Start and ending/graduation dates
4. Authorized and dated signature of administrator/director
5. Course title, hours and grade

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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: mdownes@ncbtmb.com