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Operating a Massage Therapy School in Massachusetts, the requirements for massage therapy practice and also, education is overseen by the Board of Registration of Massage Therapy.

So which is under the Division of Professional Licensing in the Office of Consumer Affair and Business Regulation.

While the board has the authority to regulate and also, license massage schools, it has not developed any regulations for governing them.

Therefore, if you want to start a massage school in Massachusetts.

So you must obtain a license from the Massachusetts Office of Private Occupational School Education.

So the curriculum for your school must meet the requirements for licensing of massage therapists in Massachusetts.

Obtaining a License from the Massachusetts Office of Private Occupational School Education

There are seven steps you have to go through to obtain a school license in Massachusetts.

4. Determine that your school needs a license. In most cases, it will.
5. And also, you can find the form to request a determination on the office’s website.
6. Contact the Office of the State Auditor (OSA) to request a copy of their financial application for an Occupational School.
7. And also, you should complete this form and submit it as quickly as possible since you cannot obtain a school license without the OSA determining that you are financially eligible.
8. Complete and submit the school license application.
9. There is a $2,500 application fee for schools that are not a registered non-profit organization.
10. The license application requires you to provide a number of information and also, documents:
    • Name, address and contact information for the school;
    • Ownership documentation, such as articles of incorporation;
    • A list of all owners;
    • A Building Inspection Report and Use Group – this determines how often your facility must be inspected;
    • A Fire Inspection Report;
    • An enrollment agreement on school letterhead that meets the requirements of state law;
    • A course calendar detailing when each course will be offered;
    • Policy statements for attendance, grading, satisfactory progress, rules and also, regulations, guidance and counselling, job placement, school calendar, and also, student complaint resolution process.
    • These must meet the standards in Massachusetts laws and rules;
    • Your fee schedule;
    • A Program/Course Approval form for each program for which your school will be charging separately;
    • A Detailed Course list form;
    • An Instructional Equipment List;
    • Instructor, Employee and Sales Representative Lists;
    • Branch list;
    • A copy of your school catalogue;
    • Federal student aid approval;
    • Accreditation approval(s);
    • Lease and floor plan;
    • Surety document, in the amount determined by the state auditor.

Board of Registration of Massage Therapy Curriculum Requirements

4. Contact the Board of Registration of Massage Therapy and determine if they require you to submit any documentation to them for approval.
5. If not previously done, obtain a surety bond or other surety document, in the amount determined by the state auditor.
6. Once your application is complete and you have received any third party approvals needed, an inspection of your school facility will be scheduled.
7. So if approved, you will issue a school license that is valid for two years.
8. Every 2 years you will need to submit a renewal application and fee.
9. You will also have to submit financial information to the state auditor every year.
10.   You will also have to maintain surety, keep updated on fire inspections, and also, submit updates if you have new instructors, employees, instructional locations, etc.

Renewal fees for schools are determined from the school’s annual adjusted gross revenue.

The minimum renewal fee is $250.

To have a program that meets the board’s requirements, you must offer a minimum of 650 hours of supervised instruction.

Curriculum – Operating a Massage Therapy School in Massachusetts

Your curriculum must include:

• 300 hours of supervised classroom hours in Massage Theory and Technique.
  • 150 of those hours must involve the teaching of techniques that meet the definition of “massage” in Massachusetts law: “the systematic treatment of the soft tissues of the body to demonstrate muscle excursion or muscle flexibility, in which the primary intent is to enhance or restore the health and also, well-being of the client.”
  • The remaining 150 hours may be in traditional massage techniques or may include bodywork practices and theory related to energy methods or other Eastern Theory and Techniques.
• 100 hours of unpaid, supervised clinical internship or externship.
• 250 hours of further study related to the field of massage therapy.
• Because this may include topics such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, ethics and business.
• The Massachusetts board does not specify how these hours are to be distributed.
• CPR and First Aid may not include in your 650 hours.

Summary

If you want to open a massage therapy school in Massachusetts and operating a Massage Therapy School in Massachusetts.

So you must have it licensed as a proprietary school by the Massachusetts Office of Private Occupational School Education.

In addition, your curriculum must meet the requirements of the Board of Registration of Massage Therapy.

The cost to apply is $2,500.

Licenses are valid for two years, and the renewal fee every two years is based on your annual adjusted gross revenues.

Links

Massachusetts Board of Registration of Massage Therapy

Massachusetts Office of Private Occupational School Education

Operating a Massage Therapy School in Massachusetts

Handout for Prospective School Applicants