Introducing the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education

NEW NATIONAL ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED
FOR MASSAGE THERAPY SCHOOLS AND EDUCATORS

The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education is being established to serve as an independent voice and advocate for the entire education sector – from entry-level training programs through post-graduate studies. It will include three components: a School Network (for the institutions themselves); a Teacher’s Network (for instructors in those institutions); and a Continuing Education Network (for providers of post-graduate training). The Alliance will be structured as a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors elected democratically from within its membership.

As the field of massage therapy continues to move forward in its evolution toward becoming a full-fledged profession, it is clear that the education sector must have a champion of its own. The challenges and opportunities that exist call for an autonomous entity that will take its rightful place among the primary stakeholders that comprise the field.

The Alliance will offer a comprehensive range of services to its members, and will represent their interests in all domains. This advocacy will come into play in dealing with state and federal regulatory issues, accreditation, standard-setting projects such as the Body of Knowledge and teacher education requirements, as well as ongoing efforts to get massage therapy better recognized and integrated into the health care delivery system. By strengthening and improving massage education, the Alliance will bring great benefit to massage schools, teachers and practitioners, along with everyone in the general public who receives massage therapy.

Read the rest of this news release under the FORUM section of this site, or go to the new website of the Alliance at www.afmte.org.