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President's LetterPresident's Letter

Contact AMTA Texas Chapter online at www.amtatexaschapter.org or on the phone 1-512-302-1250 Within Reach • July, 2005 • page 2

Within Reach• Within Reach is published four times per year. Texas Chapter AMTA members receive all issues. Deadlines are the dates by which articles and ads are due. Publication dates are the dates of mailing. Allow one additional week for arrival in the home of the reader.

The newsletter is provided as an AMTA membership benefit.  Additional copies are circulated to All AMTA Chapter Presidents and newsletter editors, Texas members of NCTMB, Texas massage schools &  instructors.

• Articles: Articles, commentaries, letters to the editor, etc., should be provided in Word format and e-mailed to: Newsletter@amtaTexasChapter.org. • Advertisement: For advertisement rates, ad sizes and submission information, please consult the newly improved AMTA Texas Chapter web site:www.AMTATexasChapter.org.

DeadlineArticles:

June 1, 2005Aug 15, 2005Dec 1, 2005

March 1, 2006

DeadlineCamera-Ready

Ads:June 1, 2005Aug 15, 2005Dec 1, 2005

March 1, 2006

PublicationDates:

July 1, 2005Sept 15, 2005Jan 1, 2006April 1, 2006

Mark Your Calendar:AMTA-National 2005 Convention: September 21-24 at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Contact: Heather Stearns 847.905.1643

AMTA-TX 2005 Fall Conference: Oct. 29-30 in El Paso at the Camino Real Hotel. Elaine Calenda, Boulder School of Massage, teaching 3 hours CE’s of “frozen” shoulder and 3 hours CE’s of “tmj” work.

AMTA-TX 2006 Spring Convention May 26-28, 2006 in D/FW, presenting Erik Dalton, teaching 12 hours CE’s on “Myoskeletal Techniques”.

Keep Informed!Register to receive the latest news from AMTA - Texas Chapter by joining our email list. It’s just a click away at www.AMTATexaschapter.org

Thank You for South Padre!

This message is to let you know what a wonderful time we had at the South Padre Convention. The climate was absolutely outstanding and the facilities were exceptional. I believe everyone there was satisfied. Our educational presenters were great, and I would like to extend a special thanks to Savitri-Frizzell, Bob Leal, and David Lauterstein for their time and informative education. One of the things that I liked most was listening to people get excited about the massage industry and the future of massage education in Texas. Therapists were e-mailing members of the Texas State Senate with pleas for better training and stronger regulations pertaining to massage therapy in Texas. The attendance at this convention was larger than any convention in the last 10 years—and we met 100% of our budget for expenses! We also elected new officers and delegates who are all excited and ready to get to work. I want to encourage you to attend our next membership meeting in El Paso in October. We have another great educational opportunity planned with an excellent presenter. Also, you will have the opportunity to network with other massage therapists and friends from all over our great state. If you would like a convention or membership meeting in your area of the state, please let us know so that we can try to plan for it. Your participation is always appreciated.

Yours in service, Lou CastlemanPresident, Texas Chapter

In my daily interactions with clients, health professionals and friends, I am constantly amazed at the difference attitude can make. Given the same set of circumstances, there is a world of difference when one person responds to a situation with gratefulness and the other reacts with defensiveness or irritability. Everyday we form, change, or reinforce our attitude. This attitude determines our approach to life and defines our relationship with others.

During the past year as a board member I have been impressed with the commitment of several dedicated AMTA Professional Members and Chapter Board Members who devoted their time to serve massage therapists throughout Texas. From legislative issues that dramatically impact our professional status, to print and web media that keep us informed of what is happening in the state, along with outstanding annual conferences and local meetings that provide continuing educa-tion, networking and reinvigorating strategies for all RMTs.

I am appreciative of the many benefits received as an AMTA Profes-sional Member. In the year ahead I hope more massage therapists will join in serving each other and becoming an integral part of this great Association.

To join AMTA with Professional Member status, one must have a minimum of 500 hours from a state approved school or have passed the National Certification Exam (which also requires 500 hours). In order to encourage Texas membership, AMTA has installed a special rate for students who have completed the 300 hours required by Texas who wish to become Professional Members.

To receive the student rate ($109/year—includes the liability insurance!), one must be enrolled in the 500 hour program at a state approved school and complete the advanced course within a 2 year period. There is also the “Portfolio” Method which is similar to that which the NCB uses. However, there is no AMTA student membership available while one completes that method.

Look for more details in the next newsletter and posted on the website, www.amtatexaschapter.org. While all applications for membership are made through the National Office, www.amtamassage.org, please feel free to contact me for help and information.

Join us. We can learn so much from each other. Let’s see how changing attitudes can rejuvenate lives and careers.

“T”1stVP@amtatexaschapter.org

As the newly-elected 3rd VP, I would like to say “hello” to all of you therapists in the great state of Texas! WOW! What an awesome group of people you are! Our confer-ence in South Padre was very successful and we had the opportunity to learn some very good techniques. We are gathering ideas about the kinds of training YOU want in the future.

I have been a massage therapist since 1998, when I studied at the Winters School of Massage in Houston. I joined AMTA as a student because it was the oldest and best professional organization around. I also enrolled in more training and became certified in Manual Lymph Drainage, Vodder Method. I have taken other modalities which have enhanced my knowledge and kept my business steady. By taking the National Certification exam, LANA exam, and many hours of CEU’s, I have steadily improved my ability to provide my clients with the best therapy possible.

I have surrounded myself with other AMTA therapists in order to continue the professionalism my clients deserve. Now that the Houston unit has been re-energized, I have taken on the added responsibilities of communications for the Texas Chapter. The shoes I will attempt to fill have been worn by someone with a tremendous ability to get the job done. In order for things to continue to run smoothly, I need your help.

There are several places where YOU can help! For example, would you like to help with the newsletter? Would you be willing to help out with public relations? Do you love your computer and understand how it works? Would you like to work more closely with the website? If you are interested in these or other areas of communica-tions, please contact me as soon as you can so we can finish the plans for our upcoming conferences. Remem-ber, we will be in El Paso on October 29- 30, and in Dallas on May 26- 28, 2006.

Sometimes, people assume that things will continue even if they cannot volunteer, but it is the sum total of ALL our ideas that will allow AMTA to serve YOU and all of our Texas therapists. On top of the water, a duck may move gracefully; however there’s a lot going on under the surface as we “ducks” paddle like crazy to get things rolling for our next two conferences. If you would like to help, please let me know—it’s time to get our ducks in a row!

Thanks in advance for volunteering! In Service, Sylvia.3rdVP@amtatexaschapter.org

Contact AMTA Texas Chapter online at www.amtatexaschapter.org or on the phone 1-512-302-1250 Within Reach • July, 2005 • page 3

OFFICERS’ REPORTS

Terrie Irvin: First Vice President’s Report

Learning from Each Other...

Allow me to introduce myself...Sylvia DeClue: 3rd Vice President’s Report

Contact AMTA Texas Chapter online at www.amtatexaschapter.org or on the phone 1-512-302-1250 Within Reach • July, 2005 • page 4

This latest whirl-wind legislative session has come to a bittersweet conclusion. There were many players and the energy was quite intense at times, but when the dust cleared, many of the same old issues remained to face us.

We’ll start with the two relevant House Bills:

HB1842 was originally filed (by Rep. Diane Delisi) as a two-tier bill, which required a Registration level of 300 hours and a Licensure level of 500 hours of training. During the session, the House Government Relations Committee substituted a Bill that eliminated the Registration and kept only the Licensure which required 500 hours.

This 500-hour substitute bill was mainly supported by the Commu-

nity Colleges and Career Schools throughout the state, causing a split in the Texas Coalition of Massage Instructors and Schools (TCMSI). The stance taken by the Board of the AMTA-TX Chapter was to support the two-tier system. We attempted to convince the committee (and the two “warring factions” in the massage commu-nity) on the merits of reinstating it. Despite some opposition, particularly mounted by half of the Coalition of Schools (TCMSI), Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), and The American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA), the 500-hour bill passed through the House and into the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. And there it remained for the duration of the session. As the intensity of the squabble increased, several members of the Senate Committee refused to vote on the Bill, stating there was too much confusion and conten-tion in the massage community, and thereby causing it to die in Committee. Once again we have met the enemy and it is us! Deja vu five years ago, ten years ago, etc, etc., etc.

HB2696, originally filed by Rep. Rafael Anchia, and backed by law enforcement officials throughout the state, was pushed through both the House and the Senate, in spite of the opposition we tried to mount. It is the opinion of this office that some of the wording in this new application to our law is unacceptable (see item #6 of the following list). Unfortunately, we were out-lobbied. However, due to a working agreement with the Coalition of Schools and the hard work of their president in accessing Rep. Anchia’s office, we were able to effect some amendments to make the Bill into something we can probably live with.

This Bill, which is now law and will take effect on September 1,

2005, will be attached to or blended with our existing law. The basic points of HB2696 are as follows:

1. As of September 1, 2005, everyone with a current regis-tration will be issued a license upon renewal. Likewise, after September 1, a person with a registration will not be penalized for not having a license until their renewal date.

2. The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will compile lists of legal massage therapists and massage establish-ments and make those lists available to the public, including law enforcement officials. (The DSHS already does this, but now it is officially required by law).

3. Background checks will be made on all new applicants for licensure; and each time someone applies for renewal of his/her license, another background check will be made.

4. Any law enforcement official may enter the premises of a massage establishment at any time to discern whether or not the establishment is in compliance with the law.

5. The temporary license has been eliminated. It was the intention of most of the massage therapists and school owners involved in the legislative process to eliminate both the practical and the temporary license, and to ask DSHS to set up testing centers around the state. The reason for this was that, as soon as an application was approved by the department, the applicant could go directly to a local center, take the written exam, and find out the results immediately. Due to an oversight in the amendment process, the temporary license was eliminated but not the practi-cal. When I called Rep. Anchia’s office about this, I was told that they were working with the legal interpretation and the thinking was that it could be handled administratively. In other words, the Massage Therapy Program Director, Heather Muehr, would be able to agree with each of the schools that they be responsible for the administration of the practical exam. Then each student would apply to the state to take only the written exam. However, no one will be allowed to work until the license is issued.

6. The following items were inserted into the law:(b) A massage establishment may not: (1) employ an individual who is not a United States citizen or a legal permanent resident with a valid work permit; (2) employ a minor unless the minor's parent or legal guardian authorizes in writing the minor's employment by the establishment; (3) allow a nude or partially nude employee to provide massage therapy or other massage services to a customer; (4) allow any individual, including a client, student, license holder, or employee, to engage in sexual contact in the massage establishment; or (5) allow any individual, including a student, license holder, or employee, to practice massage therapy in the nude or in clothing designed to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any individual.(c) A massage establishment shall: (1) properly maintain and secure for each client the initial consultation documents, all session notes, and related billing records; and (2) make available to the department on request the information kept as provided by Subdivision (1).(d) For purposes of this section: (1) "Nude" means a person who is: (A) entirely unclothed; or (B) clothed in a manner that leaves uncovered or visible through less than fully opaque clothing any portion of the breasts below the top of the areola of the breasts or any portion of the genitals or buttocks. (2) "Sexual contact" includes: (A) any touching of any part of the genitalia or anus; (B) any touching of the breasts of a female without the written consent of the female; (C) any offer or agreement to engage in any activity described in Paragraph (A) or (B);

LouEllen B. McMillian:2nd Vice President’s Report

Legislative Update

Continued on page 9