The Massage Politics Sheet
No Hype — No
Cheerleading — No
Hidden Details
Bringing you hard facts & clear analysis since 2002
About
The Massage Politics Sheet (MPS) was created in December 2002 with introduction of a California massage licensing bill expected early in 2003. That expectation became AB 1388 in 2003-2004, SB 412 in 2005-2006, and SB 731 in 2007. SB 731 was passed, signed by the Governor and enacted into law in 2008.
The MPS was a response to multiple perceptions. The first was my perception that there was a need for more transparency and more timeliness in getting information out to those potentially affected by proposed regulation or regulatory actions. Traditional media is too slow to enable responding to evolving situations. Such media also often has taken the position of “cheer-leading” regulatory efforts rather than subjecting them to rigorous analysis and critiques. It is difficult to give a legislature an informed opinion if good information isn't readily available. It is also difficult for all stakeholders to have a voice when details and proposals aren't widely available in a timely manner.
Finally, the MPS was formed to function as a watchdog. States are allowed to regulate professions to further the public benefit. It is germane to ask exactly what guarantees of knowledge, skills, and abilities the public gains for the expenditures of time and money required of students. Claims about having “high standards” are only so much verbiage unless they are tied to training that has well-defined outcomes for bringing specific knowledge, skills, and abilities into actual practice and unless the results of the training are both measurable and actually assessed. It is, once again, germane to ask, “What is the evidence of need for a required element of training?”, “How does such a required element meet the need?”, and “How do we know that the training is accomplishing its intended goals?”. The MPS will continue to ask such questions.
While I have been a member of the board of directors of the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC), the nonprofit massage certification organization authorized by SB 731, since 29 Oct 2009, the information and opinions expressed in the MPS are my individual observations and perspectives except when explicitly noted to refer to an adopted board policy. Except as explicitly so noted, I speak for myself as a journalist, however influenced by my experiences as a board member, not for the board as a whole.
Keith Eric Grant, Editor.
Pleasanton CA, September 2010
