Source: http://sagecontinuinged.com/about/pa-licensing-and-massage-therapy-information/
Timestamp: 2020-08-12 20:08:15
Document Index: 87592685

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 6311', '§ 6311', '§ 20', '§ 627', '§ 20', '§ 20', '§ 20', '§ 20', '§ 20', '§ 627', '§ 43']

PA Licensing and Massage Therapy Information – Sage Continuing Education
Continuing Education Requirements at Your Fingertips!
(Includes PA State Board of Massage Therapy, NCBTMB, AMTA, ABMP, & IMA)
www.dos.state.pa.us/massagetherapy
717.783.7155
Pennsylvania requires 16 hands on (live) CE classes to fulfill licensure requirements – 8 CE hours may be taken online or by mail. A class taken online or through the mail is not considered a hands-on class. Any class taken in a classroom, spa, clinic, home, etc. by an approved CE provider is considered a (live) hands-on class even if it is just theory or lecture and there is no actual “hands-on” practice.
Classes taken between February 1, 2017, and January 31, 2019, count for the 2017 licensing renewal period.
**CEs cannot be older than 2 years old by the year that they are due and cannot “roll over” if you took extra. There is no way to submit proof of your CEs to the Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy—they will be randomly auditing therapists to make sure CE requirements are being met.
APPROVED PROVIDERS FOR CHILD ABUSE/RECOGNITION MANDATORY REPORTING CE
PA Family Support Alliance: www.pa-fsa.org Click on “Mandated Reporters”
PA Child Resource Center: www.reportabusepa.pitt.edu FREE!
PA Dental Association: www.padental.org/childabusece
PA Nurses Association: www.psna.org
The Massage Therapy Law establishes the requirement that licensees complete 24 hours of massage therapy continuing education before the license can be renewed. The continuing education must be completed in accordance with sections 20.32 and 20.33 of the board regulations.
If this is the first time I am renewing my license, do I need to complete 24 hours of continuing education?
Continuing Education Waiver for 2019 Renewal
Although the State Board of Massage Therapy (Board) believes that all massage therapists can benefit from continuing education, those massage therapy licensees who have been issued an initial license during the current biennium (February 1, 2017, through January 31, 2019) will be granted a waiver of the 24-hour continuing education requirement for licensure renewal in January 2019. Licensees who qualify for this waiver do not need to submit a letter requesting the waiver. Upon receipt of notification that the massage therapy license is due for renewal, a licensee must apply for renewal and select the option “I am exempt from the continuing education requirement due to this being my first biennial renewal of my license.” Please note that the waiver DOES NOT apply to the Act 31 Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting CE requirement. The course used to obtain initial licensure cannot be used to meet the renewal requirement.
How many hours of continuing education are required in order to renew the biennial renewal?
24 hours of continuing education in the field of massage therapy in the 2 year period immediately preceding the application for license renewal ( February 1 of the odd year through January 31 of the next odd year). The 24 hours must include a minimum of 4 hours in professional ethics and a minimum of 16 hours earned through contact hours. All massage therapy licenses expire January 31 of every odd year.
The Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA), in conjunction with the Department of Human Services (DHS), is providing notice to all health-related licensees and funeral directors that are considered “mandatory reporters” under section 6311 of the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) (23 P.S. § 6311), as amended, that EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2015, all persons applying for renewal of a license shall be required to complete 2 hours of Board-approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting requirements as a condition of renewal. Please review the Board website for further information on approved CE providers. Child Abuse Continuing Education Providers Information can be found here.
Once you have completed a course, the approved provider will electronically submit your name, date of attendance, etc., to the Board. All child abuse courses must be taken through one of the approved providers.
When do I need to take the Child Abuse continuing education?
The Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA), in conjunction with the Department of Human Services (DHS), is providing notice to all health-related licensees and funeral directors that are considered “mandatory reporters” under section 6311 of the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) (23 P.S. § 6311), as amended, that EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2015, all persons applying for issuance of an initial license shall be required to complete 3 hours of DHS-approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting requirements as a condition of licensure. Please review the Board website for further information on approved CE providers. Child Abuse Continuing Education Providers Information can be found here. Once you have completed a course, the approved provider will electronically submit your name, date of attendance, etc., to the Board. The child abuse courses must be taken by one of the approved providers.
Can I earn CE for my CPR certification?
CPR certification is not counted towards fulfillment of the required credits
For Board Certification renewal, the NCBTMB requires massage therapists to complete 24 CEs every 2 years. Of the 24 CE hours, 3 CE hours must be in Research, and 3 CE hours in Ethics. Only 4 CE hours can be in Self-Care.
The AMTA requires massage therapy continuing education at the Professional Level of membership. The current requirement, beginning with the first full year of membership, is 48 CEs every 4 years.
The certified member level requires massage therapists to complete 16 CEs every 2 years.
Currently, there are no CEs required to renew membership at this level.
To maintain IMA membership, 16 CEs are required every 4 years for Practicing Memberships, and 16 CEs are required every 2 years for Therapist Memberships. The 16 CEs must be earned through IMA approved vendors.
MORE ABOUT PA CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS ….
*HOLD ONTO YOUR CE CERTIFICATES FOR 3 YEARS – YOU MAY BE AUDITED*
PA STATE BOARD OF MASSAGE THERAPY
§ 20.32. Continuing education hours, maintenance of certificates of completion.
(a) Licensees shall complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education in the field of massage therapy as set forth in section 4(6) of the act (63 P. S. § 627.4(6)) and § 20.33 (related to continuing education content and providers) in the 2–year period immediately preceding the application for license renewal. To be creditable, continuing education must meet the requirements for Board approval set forth in this section and § 20.33.
(d) Courses for the renewal of the licensee’s CPR certification shall be earned through contact hours and may not be used to meet the biennial continuing education requirement.
(e) Licensees shall retain the certificates of completion from continuing education courses for a minimum of 5 years.
(f) A licensee who is unable to complete the required continuing education shall request a waiver or extension from the Board at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the license. The request must include details about the licensee’s illness, emergency or hardship, including documentation such as a letter from the licensee’s physician or a copy of the licensee’s military orders. The Board will respond in writing either granting or denying a request for waiver or extension.
(g) Licensees may be audited to ensure their compliance with the continuing education requirements.
This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 20.31 (relating to expiration, renewal and reactivation of license).
24 hours of continuing education in the field of massage therapy in the 2 year period immediately preceding the application for license renewal. The 24 hours must include a minimum of 4 hours in professional ethics and a minimum of 16 hours earned through contact hours. All massage therapy licenses expire January 31 of every odd year.
This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 20.32 (relating to continuing education hours, maintenance of certificates of completion).
§ 20.34. Penalty for failure to complete continuing education.
Applicants for license renewal shall provide, on forms provided by the Board, a signed statement verifying whether continuing education requirements have been met. Failure to complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education in a biennial period may subject a licensee to discipline under section 9(a)(7) of the act (63 P. S. § 627.9(a)(7)) in accordance with the schedule of civil penalties at § 43b.23 (relating to schedule of civil penalties—massage therapists).