technical assistance group ,” will work with CSG to analyze the massage therapy profession , looking for uniformity in licensing requirements related to training hours , required examinations , supervision , education and experience . This analysis will serve as the foundation upon which the compact will be built .
As for the timeline of the compact ’ s development from research and analysis to final legislation , Shafer explains that the industry should expect the legislation to be written by the end of 2022 and implemented in early 2023 .“ We usually say it takes about 12 to 18 months from that first meeting until the model legislation is finalized ,” he says .
HOW TO GET INVOLVED Although the compact technical assistance group is limited to around a couple dozen stakeholder members , that doesn ’ t mean that others with a vested interest are unable to get involved .“ If any ISPA members are particularly interested in the model legislation , we would invite them to participate in the stakeholder review process ,” Shafer says .“ We do not want to run a closed process ; we want this to be open and transparent , so we run a robust stakeholder review process where we publish the draft document , let everyone read it who wants to read it , collect all the feedback and go line by line and talk about every comment that was brought up and make changes accordingly . Then we get the document finalized .”
Aside from participating in the stakeholder review process , there are other ways that interested parties ( such as ISPA members ) can influence the compact . CSG , Shafer notes , encourages interested parties to participate in advocacy efforts .“ From our perspective , we ’ ve seen the most benefit from efforts that are aligned with a state association or a state board , rather than just an individual practitioner writing to their state legislator . That ’ s obviously great , and it can make an impact , but working
MASSAGE THERAPY IS NOT THE ONLY profession in line for a portability
ANOTHER BOOST boost through the Department of Defense ’ s March directive . The Council of State Governments is also working on an interstate compact for Cosmetology and Barbering , which could bring the same portability to a number of other professions within the spa industry , including estheticians and nail technicians . The process is exactly the same as that being undertaken to create the massage therapy interstate compact , although the initial kickoff meeting for that project occurred earlier , in May 2021 . Rather than partnering with state boards , however , CSG is working with a federation of eight boards who applied on behalf of the profession to develop this impactful agreement .
40 PULSE ■ SEPTEMBER 2021