“… 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 .”
— MATTHEW SHAFER , project manager at The Council of State Governments with your state association is probably the best route we ’ ve seen folks take from other professions .”
CSG can also assist those who live in states that may not show much interest in joining the compact .“ If one of your members is struggling — maybe their state is not on board with this idea and is not receptive — feel free to reach out to CSG ,” says Shafer . “ We do tons of education to different organizations , state associations and state boards . We ’ re happy to provide written materials or give an educational presentation to dispel some of the myths around compacts .” States may be hesitant , Shafer adds , because they may see other states ’ requirements for licensure as less rigorous than their own . And because a compact involving more than 10 states triggers the involvement of an interstate commission ( essentially , a body that oversees execution of the compact ), some legislators are hesitant to support their state ’ s addition to a compact out of concern that they are ceding regulatory authority of the industry to a large government body .
“ There ’ s a lot of stuff that people think compacts do that they actually don ’ t do ,” Shafer explains .“ They ’ re pretty narrow in scope , actually . All the interstate commission does is facilitate compact activities and ensure that the compact is working properly , facilitating multi-state practice . The only authority it has is over compact activities .”
WIDENING THE SCOPE The kinds of education and advocacy Shafer mentions are essential to creating a compact that benefits as many people as possible . An interstate compact is only as useful as the number of states that agree to participate in it , after all , so whatever can be done to bring more states into the fold is essential .
CSG ’ s goal for every interstate compact is for all 50 states to participate , but that can be a challenge .“ There are always going to be states that have a sense of independence , and they don ’ t want to accept licensees from other states . That ’ s their prerogative . We ’ re always doing education ; we ’ re always doing legislative testimony and outreach to states who are considering these in hope that they ’ ll join . That work doesn ’ t stop until every state has joined .” As of now , the largest number of states participating in a single compact developed in league with CSG is 35 , which may provide some sense of the work required to bring all 50 onboard under a single agreement .
Daunting though the task may seem to those of us whose work doesn ’ t involve legislative consensus building , there is little doubt that , once the massage therapy interstate compact is in place , it will be an enormous positive for the spa industry . In terms of the industry ’ s recruiting potential alone , the compact will make the profession of massage therapy that much more appealing to a generation that prizes flexibility and will benefit from the ability to move from state to state without facing the barriers to opportunity currently posed by geography .
For a spa industry eager to put a dent in the talent shortage that has made hiring massage therapists and other service providers such a challenge , the development of this compact cannot happen rapidly enough . ■
ISPA would like to acknowledge and thank the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards for their work successfully applying for assistance with establishing an interstate licensure compact for the massage therapy profession .
SEPTEMBER 2021 ■ PULSE 41