Current through Register Vol. 6, March 22, 2024
(1)
The board will not preapprove continuing education programs or sponsors.
Qualifying criteria for continuing education are specified in these rules. It
is the responsibility of the licensee to select quality programs that
contribute to his/her knowledge and competence which also meet these
qualifications.
(2) A continuing
education activity must meet the following criteria:
(a) The activity must have significant
intellectual or practical content. The activity must deal with direct
application of massage therapy knowledge, skills, business practices, or
ethical standards. In addition, the board may accept continuing education
activities from other professional groups or academic disciplines if the
massage therapist demonstrates that the activity is substantially related to
his or her role as a massage therapist.
(b) The activity itself must be conducted by
an individual or group qualified by practical or academic experience.
(c) Continuing education credit earned by
courses, seminars, or workshops must be supportable through a certificate of
completion containing the following information:
(i) full name and credentials of the
presenter, including provider number, if applicable;
(ii) title of the presentation
attended;
(iii) number of hours and
date of each presentation attended;
(iv) description of the presentation format;
and
(v) name of licensee.
(d) It is the responsibility of
the licensee to establish and maintain detailed records of continuing education
compliance for a period of three years, following submission of a continuing
education report.
(3) In
general, one continuing education credit will be granted for each hour of
participation in the continuing education activity. Credit will not be awarded
for activities lasting less than one hour.
(4) A licensed massage therapist must earn at
least 12 continuing education credits every two consecutive years by the
licensee renewal date on even numbered years beginning in 2012.
(a) No continuing education is required for
licensees licensed less than one full year on their first continuing education
reporting date. Licensees licensed at least one year but less than two full
years on the first continuing education reporting date shall submit six hours
of continuing education.
(b) Active
licensees will be required to affirm their understanding of the basic
requirement upon annual renewal.
(c) Certificates of completion or program
documentation for continuing education credits reported must be submitted upon
request of the board.
(5) Acceptable continuing education courses
include but are not limited to the following:
(a) courses, seminars, or workshops taken in
person, by correspondence, or online or by other electronic means;
(b) teaching a course, with one continuing
education credit allowed for each hour of preparation time for each credit hour
offered, and one credit of continuing education allowed for each hour of
presentation time for each credit hour offered, all credit being subject to
proper documentation. Documentation for this activity includes:
(i) course name;
(ii) teaching format (in person, webinar,
correspondence, online, etc.);
(iii) number of hours in the
course;
(iv) a statement that
demonstrates the activity is substantially related to your role as a massage
therapist;
(v) number of hours
preparing the course not to exceed the number of course hours;
(vi) the date and location of the course
taught; and
(vii) the course
outline;
(c) published
articles or books applicable to the practice of massage authored by the
licensee with the hours awarded as determined at the discretion of the board.
Documentation for this activity includes:
(i)
a copy of the publication;
(ii) the
source of publication;
(iii) the
date of publication; and
(iv)
number of credit hours requested;
(d) books, audio, or other media with the
hours to be awarded as determined at the discretion of the board. Trade
magazines and journals do not qualify for credit. Documentation for this
activity includes:
(i) the title of the
presentation;
(ii) the author of
the presentation;
(iii) the number
of pages in the book or number of hours' duration of the media;
(iv) a summary of what was learned from the
presentation;
(v) notes regarding
how this material applies to your massage therapy practice;
(vi) dates when the activity occurred;
and
(vii) number of credit hours
requested;
(e)
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with certificate;
(f) two hours per renewal cycle will be
allowed for voluntarily attending the Montana Board of Massage Therapy
meetings. Each licensee will be required to identify themselves at the board
meeting and must be physically present or in person for at least two
hours.
(6) Notices will
be considered properly mailed when addressed to the last known address on file
in the board office. No continuing education programs used to complete the
previous reporting period may be used to meet the continuing education
requirements for the next continuing education reporting period.
(7) If a licensee is unable to acquire
sufficient continuing education credits to meet the requirements, he or she may
request an exemption. All requests for exemptions will be considered by the
board and evaluated on an individual basis.
AUTH:
37-1-131,
37-1-319,
37-33-405,
MCA; IMP:
37-1-306,
37-33-405,
MCA