The initial findings from the Entry Level Analysis Project (ELAP), which a coalition of seven leading massage therapy organizations has been collaborating on for the past 15 months, are expected to be made public in April.
The primary purpose of the ELAP is to address concerns regarding inconsistent standards and outcomes in massage education. ELAP work group members are educational subject-matter experts recruited from throughout the U.S. to map out a realistic, evidence-informed and quantified description of content and skill qualifications, according to a coalition press release.
Other of the coalition’s goals include improved portability for massage licensure, a model practice act, more consistent accreditation standards for schools, and better support and training for massage therapy educators, according to the press release.
The ELAP is the first project supported by the seven organizations to address these educational concerns.
Those organizations are the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education, American Massage Therapy Association, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation, the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards, the Massage Therapy Foundation, National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.
“We seek a thriving massage therapy profession that enhances the health and well-being of clients throughout the United States,” the press release stated. “In an environment of cooperation between these groups, we see the potential to advance the massage therapy profession as a whole.”
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