City of Edmonton Changes "Massage Parlour" Bylaw

Over the past year, NHPC has been in discussions with the City of Edmonton on the revision of their "Massage Parlour Regulation" and had proposed that the City of Edmonton adopt NHPC's "collaborative model". In the past, NHPC members have been lumped in the same category as exotic dancers and escorts when applying for business licenses.

The Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC) works with municipal administrators and elected officials to ensure the advancement of professions represented by the NHPC.

NHPC has been proposing that municipalities across Canada adopt a "Collaborative Model for Business Licensing of Natural Health Care". This municipal "collaborative model" provides the best possible public protection by capturing the recognition of all professionals working as natural health practitioners—including those who are members of a regulatory college and those who are members of a municipally recognized professional association.

Additionally, as it should be, the "collaborative model" removes municipalities from the responsibility of "credentialing" professionals and places that responsibility with regulatory bodies or associations.

To date (October 2011), the City of Toronto and City of Brantford have adopted this "collaborative model" and we are pleased to add the City of Edmonton to this growing list.

The NHPC's "collaborative model" has now been passed by Edmonton City Council , meaning that NHPC members in Edmonton, AB, will no longer be licensed in the same way as exotic dancers and escorts, as of January 1, 2012.

The new bylaw has separate business license categories and regulations for authentic health enhancement practitioners and adult-oriented services, to reflect the reality that these require different legislation. Authentic health enhancement services include all 65 modalities recognized by NHPC.

Health enhancement practitioners and centres would have to demonstrate good standing in either our NHPC or the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta.

Body-rub (or non-health related) practitioners and centers would include everyone that does not have good standing in either of the two recognized associations, including those providing adult-oriented service.

This is very exciting news for NHPC and its members, because it means that the City of Edmonton has trusted NHPC to validate authenticity of its members as qualified health care professionals. Because NHPC has requirements to become a member, including a detailed application, criminal record check, graduation from a recognized school or program, and mandatory compliance with the Continued Competency Program (CCP), it is in the position to qualify members as healthcare professionals.

When applying for business licenses in the City of Edmonton under "Health Enhancement Practitioner", there will not be a significant change in fees. NHPC members are no longer required to submit criminal record checks as the city recognizes these are required for NHPC membership.

The road to legitimacy for natural healthcare practitioners is a long one, and overcoming this major hurdle is a big step in the right direction. Finally, in the eyes of the City of Edmonton, NHPC members are legitimate healthcare workers. As of January 1st, 2012, members will no longer be subject to being classified along with "massage parlour" businesses.

For more information, contact Bobbi Palynchuck at rpalynchuck@nhpcanada.org  or by phone at 780-484-2010 or (toll-free) 1-888-711-7701.

For additional information, see Professional Service Businesses on the City of Edmonton’s website.

SunLife Now Accepting MTCAP Approved Members

Sunlife is now accepting claims for NHPC MTCAP approved members, as well as resubmissions from clients retroactively to their NHPC MTCAP approval date. If you are an NHPC MTCAP approved member and have had client claims rejected, you are advised to re-submit these claims to SunLife for approval.

NHPC continues to make progress with other insurance providers and will continue to update you on progress.

If you are a massage therapist with less than 2200 formal training hours, are CCP compliant, and have about two years of clinical Massage Therapy practice, you are encouraged to apply for MTCAP approval.

To apply for MTCAP approval, review the Self-Assessment Tool and then submit a Review Application Form to the NHPC by mail or fax. 

NOTE: MTCAP does not apply in provinces that have regulated Massage Therapy (BC, Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador). In those provinces, regulatory colleges determine the standards for Massage Therapy.

If you have any questions about MTCAP, please contact us at growingtogether@nhpcanada.org or by phone at (toll free) at 1-888-711-7701.

Use of "RMT" in Non-Regulated Provinces

Saskatchewan and Manitoba members of the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC) have reported receiving strongly worded correspondence from the Massage Therapy Association of Saskatchewan (MTAS) and the Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba (MTAM) identifying that use of the letters "RMT" must be discontinued under threat of legal action.

At the heart of the issue is the MTAS and MTAM $100 purchase of a “trademark” license from the College of Massage Therapy Ontario (CMTO). NHPC members and other organizations across Canada regularly use terms related to massage therapy including "RMT".

Few jurisdictions in Canada regulate the titles massage therapists may use to describe themselves. Saskatchewan and Manitoba do not regulate the titles that massage therapists may use to describe themselves.

Legal advice and opinion secured by the NHPC states "…in our view the official marks of the CMTO are not valid and enforceable." Therefore, the extended use of the CMTO trademark license by MTAS and MTAM, through license or otherwise, is not valid or enforceable in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

NHPC acknowledges the stress and strain that the MTAS action has caused Saskatchewan members and encourages practitioners to continue with their daily activities as before and maintain contact with their Association.

View NHPC's bulletin to NHPC Manitoba members on this issue.

View NHPC's letter to NHPC Saskatchewan members on this issue.
 

The NHPC Massage Therapy Competency Assessment Process (MTCAP)

History

Over the years, NHPC has maintained a constant dialogue with the insurance industry on behalf of its members. The Massage Therapy Competency Assessment Process (MTCAP) has been in the works since 2003, when the NHPC Standards Review Task Force work supported the development of massage therapy standards for the NHPC.

In June of 2010, the Consortium of Massage Therapy Regulators released their Inter-Jurisdictional Entry-to-Practice Competency Profile for Massage Therapists. What this means is that until six months ago, NHPC did not have standardized information on the regulatory colleges competency requirements were for Massage Therapy.

With the much anticipated release of the Inter-Jurisdictional Entry-to-Practice Document, NHPC was now in a position to undertake significant research, analysis and comparison of the newly released standards document from the Consortium of Massage Therapy Regulators, the NHPC’s Massage Therapy Standards of Practice and the standards of provincial associations and regulators, and professional equivalency recognition models and tools.

The result of this research, analysis and comparison is the NHPC MTCAP.  On October 31st, 2010 MTCAP went before NHPC’s Board of Directors and was approved for implementation. On November 15th, 2010, all NHPC Massage Therapy members received a letter via email and regular post informing them of their status in the MTCAP program.

NOTE:  MTCAP does not apply in provinces that have regulated Massage Therapy (BC, Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador). In those provinces, regulatory colleges determine the standards for Massage Therapy.

Insurance Companies and MTCAP

Many insurance companies require massage therapists to have at least 2200 hours of formal training or a level of massage therapy competency comparable to that required in provinces that currently regulate massage.

The MTCAP has been developed as a mechanism to transition Massage Therapy members through a process for competency equivalency recognition by the insurance industry.

If you are an NHPC member recognized in Massage Therapy, you have recently received notification as to whether or not you have achieved Competency Equivalency Recognition in NHPC’s MTCAP.

If you have received a letter telling you that you are not equivalent, remember that this does not affect your membership or competency status with the NHPC. You are still a full member in good standing with the association and recognized for Massage Therapy. Nothing has changed. Your status with the NHPC does not change.

Also, if insurance companies were accepting your client’s claims before, they should continue to be accepted by those insurance companies. You are encouraged to apply to have your competency equivalency reviewed by completing the MT Competency Review Application Form.

Competency Equivalency Review Process

If you would like to apply to have your competency equivalency reviewed, you will need to read over the NHPC Massage Therapy Competencies/Standards of Practice Competency Assessment Profile Self-Assessment Tool, which you should have received with your equivalency notification.

This self-assessment tool will help you access your Massage Therapy competency and help to determine if you are ready to apply for NHPC MCTAP.

To achieve equivalency in MCTAP you must be able to agree that in your practice you understand, interact and function within all the self-evaluation statements found in the Self-Assessment Tool. In other words, you need to have successfully mastered all of the Standards of Practice.

If you do agree with all of the self-evaluation statements and have successfully mastered the Standards, the final step in your application to MCTAP is to fill out the Massage Therapy Competency Equivalency Review Application.

If you do not feel ready to apply for MCTAP at this time, remember there is no rush. You may apply whenever you feel like your knowledge base is comparable to what is outlined in the Self-Assessment Tool.

This Massage Therapy Competency Equivalency Review Application is a one-page form, and is all you will need to submit to NHPC to have your MCTAP status reviewed. Your first application review to MCTAP will not cost you anything, and can be submitted by mail, fax, or email.

Once NHPC has had time to review your application you will be notified in writing of the outcome of your assessment review. Second MTCAP review application requests may be charged a fee.

Communicating Equivalency

MTCAP is a new program, and NHPC is working very hard to make sure that insurance companies understand its relevance.

If you received a letter of approval to MCTAP, you are probably eager to start getting your claims approved by insurance companies that have previously denied you.

A great way to help speed up this process is for you to send copies of your MTCAP acceptance letter to insurance companies who have previously denied you. This is a fantastic way to show insurance companies how important MTCAP is to massage therapists.

You are also encouraged to share your equivalency letter with your employers.

MTCAP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Massage Therapy Regulation in Alberta
NHPC - One Strong Voice

A new member-group has been added to the TSC. The Alberta Association of Therapeutic Masseurs (AATM), represented by John Neumann. In addition to the AATM, the TSC now includes the NHPC, Massage Therapists Association of Alberta (MTAA) and the Remedial Massage Therapists Association (RMTA).

The process of regulating a profession is a slow one and the TSC continues to make progress. Recently, the Government of Alberta suggested the TSC postpone its work towards creation of a legal Society and concentrate on developing a practice statement and regulatory policies.
 
Each organization that is part of the TSC will now speak as one voice for their membership. What this means for the NHPC is that the association will continue its long history of seeking direct membership input (through surveys, in person meetings, online discussions, etc) on issues that directly affect the membership. NHPC members will continue to have a direct voice on this very important issue.

Members in Alberta are encouraged to attend an upcoming Connections Cafe (visit the Centre for Learning for more information on Connections Cafe dates and locations) to discuss the Alberta Massage Therapy regulation issue.