Navigating AMTA Continuing Education Requirements for Massage Therapists

Continuing education is a cornerstone of professional development, ensuring that practitioners remain competent, ethical, and up-to-date with the latest advancements in their field. For massage therapists, organizations like the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) play a crucial role in setting standards and providing resources for continuing education. This article delves into the AMTA's continuing education requirements, exploring their significance, scope, and implications for massage therapists.

AMTA as an Approved Provider

The AMTA is recognized by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as an Approved Provider. This recognition signifies that the AMTA exhibits quality instruction of the highest standards throughout the profession. Every course offered by AMTA, in-person or online, is also submitted for CE approval to each state, as required.

Continuing Education Requirements for AMTA Members

Members of AMTA are required to complete 48 hours of continuing education every 4 years. This requirement ensures that members stay informed about new techniques, research findings, and ethical considerations relevant to their practice.

State-Specific Requirements

It's important to note that while AMTA sets a standard for its members, the number of CE hours required for maintaining a license varies by state. Therefore, massage therapists must be aware of the specific regulations in their state of practice.

To ensure compliance, it's crucial to consult with the relevant licensing agency in your state. They will have the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding continuing education requirements.

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Course Content and Restrictions

Not all courses qualify for continuing education credit. Any course that is designed to maximize profits or does not fall within the scope of practice of massage therapy in New York State will not be accepted towards meeting CE requirements. The Pennsylvania Department of Massage Therapy will not issue CE credit for courses in office management or practice building. This ensures that continuing education focuses on enhancing skills and knowledge directly related to massage therapy practice.

Ethics Education

Maintaining and upholding an ethical practice is important for any profession, but especially for massage therapy. In addition, many state licenses require ethics CE hours. Complaints against massage therapists are rarely about poor hands-on technique or inadequate positioning. They more often involve situations where personal beliefs, feelings or attitudes are in conflict with professional ethics and boundaries. Understanding boundaries is crucial for massage therapists to create an ethical practice and build professional relationships.

NCBTMB Requirements

NCBTMB requires that you complete 24 hours of Continuing Education classes every two years. Three hours of the 24 hours must be in ethics. (Three hours of research is no longer required as of February 2019.) No more than 4 hours of the 24 hours may be in selfcare. All NCBTMB CEs can be taken through home study or online courses through the Institute of Somatic Therapy, provider #28067200.

Florida Requirements

Florida requires a total of 24 hours of continuing education (CE) for each biennial license renewal cycle (renewal due by August 31 of every oddnumbered year). All continuing education courses taken to meet Florida CE requirements must be approved by the Florida Board of Massage Therapy and reported through CE Broker before renewal. Note: Only 12 of the 24 hours may be completed online; the remaining hours must be in a classroom or otherwise approved format as defined by the Board. All continuing education courses must be approved by the Florida Board of Massage Therapy and reported through CE Broker in order to count toward renewal. Our Massage Therapy online courses may be used for your Florida continuing education requirements to the extent permitted by the Board’s subject area and format rules, including up to 12 hours of general online continuing education. Licensees are responsible for ensuring that hours completed with us are accepted toward their Florida renewal.

Approved Providers

The Institute of Somatic Therapy is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider. Their NCBTMB continuing education Approved Provider Number is 28067200. Their Florida provider number is MCE326. Their New York provider number is 0019.

Disclaimer

It is important to remember that laws are continually subject to change. If you have questions about the information we have provided below, please contact your licensing agency directly. Your state board will hold you ultimately responsible for knowing the laws that apply to you. We do not deviate from our posted return and exchange policy if you later determine that a course you enrolled in is not valid for CEs in your jurisdiction.

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