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State suspends operations of CAM Law office
Jeremy Miller
September 22, 2009
CAM Law Update
As you know in MN Massage Therapy is regulated by the MN CAM law (or Statute 146A.) Because the state legislature could not balance the budget with the enormous deficit the state faced in the 2009 session, Gov Pawlenty had to use his constitutional ability to balance the budget through "unallotments" or what amounts to de-funding already funded programs. One of the Governor's unallotments included "temporarily" closing the Office of Complementary and Alternative Practices (OCAP) office starting 01Sep09 through (at least) the 2010-11 biennium, meaning through 30Jun2011. The OCAP office was the office that oversaw the regulations, fielded clients' complaints, and answered practitioners' questions. This means the paper-thin layer of protection that was offered to our clients by this law is for all intents and purposes now gone.
Technically Statute 146A is still in effect, so we still are required to hand out the CAM Client Bill of Rights, and adhere to the other parts of that statute just as before, but there with no office to oversee the adherence, all the professionals regulated under that law, including Massage Therapists, are now on the honor system. The Department of Health is directing CAM clients who believe they have been assaulted to call the police in the locale where the assault took place, and those who believe they have been victims of fraud are directed to the state Attorney General and small claims court.
The Honor System: Our Challenge as Massage Therapists
A good, functional definition for the word Integrity is "making the right choice and doing the right thing, even when nobody is watching". Everyday we deal with and work hard to shed the negative connotations of massage parlors, back alley red light districts, and raised eyebrows at the mention of our profession. It is vital that to continue the progress that has been made, we remain in adherence to all of the laws that are still in effect, and for the time being that includes the CAM Law. We are being given the chance to show our integrity. Let's stand together and shine.
But what if I really don't like the CAM Law?
If you really don't want to adhere to the CAM Law anymore, there is a means by which you can legally get what you want. Help us pass the Massage Therapy credentialing law that would exempt credentialed practitioners from the CAM law. To that end, there is an important new Massage Therapy Legislative Survey online.
New Online Survey
Your responses can help us get the best credential possible. The survey will only take a few minutes but will close Saturday, October 10, 2009 at noon. It is going out to Massage Therapists all across MN. You can bet the folks who are against the effort will be filling it out. If you support Massage Therapy credentialing, it is vital that you fill out this survey. It will help us make our best case to the Legislature and if enough practitioners fill it out in support, it will even help lower the fees we have to pay once the credential goes through. You can access the survey HERE. Or for more information about the Registration credentialing effort, visit the Alliance for Licensing Massage Therapists (ALMT) website at www.almtmn.org.
If you have any questions, write your chapter Gov't Relations Chair, Jeremy Miller at: jmillergrc@gmail.com
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