**** HEALTH/WELLNESS Media Release
New Requirements for Massage Therapists
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Starting Wednesday, Jan. 1, anyone who wants to use the title massage therapist or registered massage therapist has to meet new requirements first.
The Massage Therapist Titles Protection Act will help protect the public and provide confidence that the care provider has the appropriate training and meets professional requirements.
“The highly trained massage therapists working in our province provide important care to Nova Scotians,” said Minister of Health and Wellness Randy Delorey. “This act creates more consistency in the profession through professional standards and oversight.”
The legislation sets out requirements around education, liability insurance, membership in good standing in a recognized professional association and that members must provide information on criminal charges or convictions.
Quick Facts:
— there are about 1,500 massage therapists in Nova Scotia
— five provinces regulate the profession
— massage therapy is the manual manipulation of the soft tissues of the body to achieve a therapeutic response, such as enhancing the function of muscles and joints, improving circulation of the blood and lymph, and relieving pain and stress
— in Nova Scotia massage therapists work in private practices and their services are not covered by MSI
Additional Resources:
— Massage Therapists Title Protection Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/PDFs/annual%20statutes/2019%20Fall/c024.pdf
— Massage Therapists Title Protection Act: regulations: https://novascotia.ca/just/regulations/regsxact.htm#M
— Professionals organizations designated by regulations include: Massage Therapists’ Association of Nova Scotia (https://mtans.ca/index.html), Massage Therapists’ and Wholistic Practitioners’ Association of the Maritimes (http://mtwpam.com/), and Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (https://www.nhpcanada.org/)