Source: http://regulations.delaware.gov/register/july2008/final/12%20DE%20Reg%2075%2007-01-08.htm
Timestamp: 2019-02-17 09:20:17
Document Index: 118483766

Matched Legal Cases: ['§5306', '§5306', '§10115', '§5302', '§5308', '§3532', '§4753']

12 DE Reg 75 07-01-08
Statutory Authority: 24 Delaware Code, Section 5306(a)(10) (24 Del.C. §5306(a)(1))
The Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork, in accordance with 29 Del.C. Chapter 101 and 24 Del.C. §5306(a)(1), proposed amendments to its regulation sections 1.0, 2.0, and 7.0. Specifically, the proposed additions to section 1.0 Definitions divide allowable continuing education into two categories: Core and Elective. The changes to section 2.0 Filing of Application for Licensure as Massage/Bodywork Therapist clarify the language of that section but do not alter the substance of the provision.
The changes to 7.0 Continuing Education provide for online licensure renewal, allow half of continuing education requirements to be fulfilled online, clarify the categorical restrictions on continuing education, and provide for the automatic approval of the content of continuing education courses approved by either the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork ("NCBTMB") or the American Massage Therapy Association ("AMTA").
In compliance with 29 Del.C. §10115, notice of the public hearing and a copy of the proposed regulatory changes was published in the Delaware Register of Regulations, Volume 11, Issue 11, at page 1453 on May 1, 2008.
Two written comments were received prior to the hearing. The first was submitted by the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) and marked as "Exhibit C." ABMP wrote to ask that continuing education (CE) courses approved by it be automatically accepted by the Board. Although not related to the currently proposed changes, ABMP encouraged the Board to accept the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) and to cut the required CE hours in half. The second comment was submitted by Linda S. Lowry and marked as "Exhibit D." Ms. Lowry expressed her opposition to the new "Core" and "Elective" CE categories and asked that ABMP-approved course be automatically approved by the Board. Although not related to the currently proposed changes, Ms. Lowry opined that Massage Therapists and Technicians should be required to complete the same number of CE hours, she suggested deleting section 4.2.1, proposed accepting additional exams for licensure, and she suggested a change to section 8.0.
The Board finds that adoption of the proposed amendments is necessary to provide for online renewals, clarify CE requirements, and streamline the audit process.
The text of the final regulations is attached hereto as "Exhibit A" and is formatted to show the amendment. A non-marked up version of the regulations as amended is attached hereto as "Exhibit B."
IT IS SO ORDERED this 19th day of June 2008, by the Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork.
David Patterson, President Clayton Yocum
Diane Langston Gordon Gelley
Cindy Horsman Barbara Uniatowski
1.0 Definitions and Clarifications
1.4 The Board has jurisdiction over the “practice of massage and bodywork” as defined in 24 Del.C. §5302(6).
1.4.1 “Massage” includes, the following practices or modalities:
1.54.2 “Bodywork” includes the following practices or modalities:
1.5 Continuing Education categories
1.5.1 “Core course” means a continuing education course with a subject matter within the “practice of massage and bodywork,” which contributes to the professional competency of the massage/bodywork therapist or massage technician. Core courses must be designed to maintain, improve, or expand skills and knowledge or to develop new and relevant skills and knowledge.
1.5.2 “Elective course” means a continuing education course with a subject matter that is outside the “practice of massage and bodywork,” which does not directly contribute to the professional competency of the massage/bodywork therapist or massage technician. Elective courses must have one of the following subject matters: modalities outside the “practice of massage and bodywork,” personal growth and self-improvement, business management, anatomy, or physiology.
2.1 A person seeking licensure as a massage/bodywork therapist must submit a completed application on a form prescribed by the board to the board office at the Division of Professional Regulation (“Division”), Dover, Delaware. Each application must be accompanied by (1) proof of current CPR certification and (2) payment of the application fee established by the Division. of Professional Regulation
2.2 In addition to the application and materials described in Rregulation 2.1, an applicant for licensure as a massage/bodywork therapist shall have (1) each school or approved program of massage or bodywork where the applicant completed the hours of study required by 24 Del.C. §5308(a)(1) submit to the Board an official transcript or official documentation showing dates and total hours attended and a description of the curriculum completed; and (2) Assessment Systems, Incorporated, or its predecessor, submit to the Board verification of the applicant's score on the written examination described in Rregulation 3.0.
2.3 The bBoard shall not consider an application for licensure as a massage/bodywork therapist until all items specified in Rregulations 2.1 and 2.2 are submitted to the bBoard's office.
2.3.1 The bBoard may, in its discretion, approve applications contingent on receipt of necessary documentation. If the required documentation is not received within 120 days from the date when the application is first reviewed by the bBoard, the bBoard will shall propose to deny the application.
2.3.2 If an application is complete in terms of required documents, but the candidate has not responded to a bBoard request for further information, explanation or clarification within 120 days of the bBoard’s request, the bBoard will shall vote on the application as it stands is.
2.4 Renewal. Applicants for renewal of a massage/bodywork therapist license shall submit a completed renewal form, renewal fee, proof of continuing education pursuant to Regulation 7.0 and proof of a current CPR certification. Applicants for renewal of a massage/bodywork therapist license must maintain a current CPR certification, pay the required renewal fee, and submit a completed renewal application that indicates whether the applicant has met the CE requirements pursuant to regulation 7.0. Licensees holders shall be required to maintain current CPR certification throughout the biennial licensure period.
7.0 Continuing Education (CE)
7.1 Renewal Requirements. Hours required. For license or certification periods beginning September 1, 2004 and thereafter, each mMassage/bodywork therapists shall complete twenty-four (24) hours of Board approved continuing education CE during each biennial licensing period, except as otherwise provided in these Rules and Rregulations. Each mMassage technician shall complete twelve (12) hours of acceptable continuing education approved CE during each biennial licensing period, except as otherwise provided in these Rules and Rregulations. Completion of the required continuing education CE hours is a condition of prerequisite for renewing a license or certificate. Hours earned in a biennial licensing period in excess of those required for renewal may not be credited towards the hours required for renewal in any other licensing period.
7.1.1 Calculation of Hours. For academic course work, correspondence courses, or seminar/workshop instruction, one (1) hour of acceptable continuing education CE shall mean 50 minutes of actual instruction. One (1) academic semester hour shall be equivalent to fifteen (15) continuing education CE hours; one (1) academic quarter hour shall be equivalent to ten (10) continuing education CE hours.
7.1.2 If, during a licensing period, an individual certified by the Board as a massage technician is issued a license as a massage/bodywork and bodywork therapist, the continuing education CE requirement for that licensing period is as follows:
7.1.2.1 If the license is issued more than twelve (12) months prior to the next renewal date, the licensee shall complete twenty-four (24) hours of acceptable continuing education CE during the licensing period.
7.1.2.2 If the license is issued less than twelve (12) months prior to the next renewal date, the licensee shall complete twelve (12) hours of acceptable continuing education CE during the licensing period.
7.2 Proration. Candidates for renewal who were first licensed or certified twelve (12) months or less before the date of renewal are exempt from the continuing education CE requirement for the period in which they were first licensed or certified.
7.3 Content. Therapists and technicians may:
7.3.1 Except as provided in Rule 7.3.2, continuing education hours must contribute to the professional competency of the massage/bodywork therapist or massage technician within modalities constituting the practice of massage and bodywork. Continuing education hours must maintain, improve or expand skills and knowledge obtained prior to licensure or certification, or develop new and relevant skills and knowledge. For each biennial licensing period, massage therapists must complete at least eighteen of the required twenty-four hours of continuing education hours in supervised in-class hands-on study of the “practice of massage and bodywork” as defined in Rule 1.4. For each biennial licensing period, massage technicians must complete at least nine of the required twelve hours of continuing education hours in supervised in-class hands-on study of the “practice of massage and bodywork” as defined in Rule 1.4. Fulfill all of their CE requirements with approved Core courses.
7.3.2 For each biennial licensing period, massage therapists may complete (but are not required to complete) up to six hours of the required twenty-four hours of continuing education hours in any combination of the areas and methods listed in Rules 7.3.2.1 through 7.3.2.5. In each biennial licensing period, massage technicians may complete (but are not required to complete) up to three hours of the required twelve hours of continuing education hours in any combination of the areas and methods listed in Rules 7.3.2.1 through 7.3.2.6. Fulfill 25% of their CE requirements with approved Elective courses.
7.3.3 Fulfill 50% of their CE requirements with Board-approved courses conducted online, by video replay, video- or tele-conference, correspondence, or mail. This allowance is subject to the limitation of Elective courses in regulation 7.3.2.
7.4.1 NCBTMB- and AMTA-approved CE courses are automatically approved for content. This provision is subject to the requirements and limitations under regulation 7.3.
7.4.12 All continuing education To obtain credit for CE courses not approved by NCBTMB or AMTA, those courses must be pre-approved by the Board before submission of a renewal application. Continuing education programs CE course participants or providers must may apply for pre-approval of continuing education hours courses by submitting a written request to the Board which that must includes the a program agenda, a syllabus and indicating the time spent on each topic, the names and resumes of the presenters, and the number of CE hours for which approval is and category requested. The Board reserves the right to approve less than the number of hours requested or to approve a course in a different category than requested.
7.4.23 Self-directed activity. The Board may, upon request, review and approve credit for self-directed activities, including, but not limited to, teaching, research, and preparation and/or presentation of professional papers and articles. A lLicensees must obtain may apply for pre-approval of the Board prior to undertaking the self-directed activity in order to assure continuing education credit for the activity. Any self-directed activity submitted for approval must include activities by submitting a written request for pre-approval that must include an proposal outlineing of the scope of the activity, the number of continuing education CE hours and category requested, the anticipated completion date(s), the role of the licensee in the case of multiple participants (e.g. research), and whether any part of the self-directed activity has ever been previously approved or submitted for credit by the same licensee.
7.4.34 Course preparation and instruction. The Board may award approve up to six additional continuing education CE credits, on an hour for hour basis, to continuing education instructors for their first-time initial preparation and presentation of an approved continuing education CE course for other practitioners, to a maximum of 6 additional hours. (e.g. an instructor preparing and presenting an 8 eight hour course for the first time may receive up to 6 six additional credit hours. for preparation of the course). This provision remains subject to the limitations of Rule regulation 7.3.2.
7.4.5 Board approval of a licensee’s CE hours in a modality is not a Board endorsement of the licensee’s competence to practice that modality.
7.5 Reporting Verification.
7.5.1 For license or certification periods beginning September 1, 2004 and thereafter, each candidate for renewal shall submit a summary of their continuing education hours, along with any supporting documentation requested by the Board, to the Board on or before May 31 of the year the license or certification expires. No license or certification shall be renewed until the Board has approved the required continuing education hours or granted an extension of time for reasons of hardship. The Board’s approval of a candidate’s continuing education hours in a particular modality does not constitute approval of the candidate’s competence in, or practice of, that modality. Verification of CE hours shall be by attestation. Attestation shall be completed electronically if the renewal is accomplished online. Alternatively, the attestation of completion may be submitted by paper renewal forms. Requests for paper renewal forms must be directed to the Division.
7.5.2 If a continuing education program has already been approved by the Board, the candidate for renewal must demonstrate, at the Board’s request, the actual completion of the continuing education hours by giving the Board a letter, certificate or other acceptable proof of attendance provided by the program sponsor. Post-Renewal Audit. The Board will conduct random audits of renewal applications to ensure the veracity of attestations and compliance with the renewal requirements. Licensees selected for the random audit shall submit CE course attendance verification in the form of a certificate of attendance or completion that must be signed by the course presenter or by a designated official of the sponsoring organization. Licensees shall retain their CE course attendance documentation for each licensure period and for at least one year after renewal. Licensees found to be deficient or found to have falsely attested may be subject to disciplinary proceedings and may have their license suspended or revoked. Licensees renewing during the late renewal period pursuant to regulation 5.0 shall be audited.
7.6 Hardship. A candidate for renewal may be granted an extension of time in which to complete continuing education CE hours upon a showing of unusual hardship. “Hardship” may include, but is not limited to, disability, illness, extended absence from the jurisdiction, and exceptional family responsibilities. Requests for hardship consideration extensions must be submitted to the Board in writing prior to the end of the licensing or certification period for which it the request is being made. If the Board does not have sufficient time to consider and approve a request for hardship extension prior to the expiration of the license, the license will lapse upon the expiration date and be reinstated upon completion of continuing education pursuant to the hardship exception. The licensee may not practice until reinstatement of the license.
7.7 Continuing Education Requirements for Late Renewal. Reinstatement of a Lapsed License Unless extended by the Board for hardship as defined in Rule regulation 7.6, and subject to the one (1) one-year limitation set forth in Rule regulation 5.0, a massage/bodywork therapists and massage technicians applying for reinstatement of a lapsed license late renewal must provide to the Board adequate proof of the satisfactory completion of twenty-four (24) hours of Board approved continuing education within the required CE for the immediately preceding two (2) year licensure period prior to the date of application for reinstatement. A massage technician applying for reinstatement of a lapsed license must provide to the Board adequate proof of the satisfactory completion of twelve (12) hours of Board approved continuing education within the immediately preceding two (2) year period prior to the date of application for reinstatement. Continuing education hours required for reinstatement of a lapsed license may not be credited towards the hours required for renewal in any other licensing period.
7.8 Continuing Education Requirements for Licensees Returning from to InaActive Status. Unless extended by the Board for hardship as defined in Rule regulation 7.6, a massage/bodywork therapists and massage technicians returning from inactive status must provide notice to the Board as set forth in Rule regulation 6.2 and must provide to the Board adequate proof of the satisfactory completion of twenty-four (24) hours of Board approved continuing education CE within the immediately preceding two (2) two-year period prior to the date of the notice to return to active. A massage technician returning from inactive status must provide notice to the Board as set forth in Rule regulation 6.2 and must provide to the Board adequate proof of the satisfactory completion of twelve (12) hours of Board approved continuing education CE within the immediately preceding two (2) year period prior to the date of the notice to return to active status. Continuing education CE hours required to return to active status may not be credited towards the hours required for renewal in any other licensing period.
10.1.84 Victim or Witness Intimidation. 11 Del.C. §§3532 and 3533.
10.1.86 Trafficking in marijuana, cocaine, illegal drugs, methamphetamines, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (L.S.D.), designer drugs, or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). 16 Del.C. §4753A (a)(1)-(9).
12 DE Reg. 75 (07/01/08) (Final)