Minimum Requirements for Board Approved Massage Schools

 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Board of Massage

RULE NO.: RULE TITLE:
64B7-32.003: Minimum Requirements for Board Approved Massage Schools

NOTICE OF CHANGE

Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 38, No. 4, January 27, 2012 issue of the Florida Administrative Weekly.

The change is due to a public hearing held March 13, 2012.

(Substantial rewording of Rule 64B7-32.003 follows. See Florida Administrative Code for present text.)

64B7-32.003 Minimum Requirements for Board Approved Massage Schools.

(1) In order to receive and maintain Board of Massage Therapy approval, a massage school, and any satellite location of a previously approved school, must:

(a) Meet the requirements of and be licensed by the Department of Education pursuant to Chapter 1005, F.S., or the equivalent licensing authority of another state or county, or be within the public school system of the State of Florida; and

(b) Offer a course of study that includes, at a minimum, the 500 classroom hours listed below, completed at the rate of no more than 6 classroom hours per day and no more than 30 classroom hours per calendar week:

Course of StudyClassroom Hours

Anatomy and Physiology150

Basic Massage Theory and History100

Clinical Practicum125

Allied Modalities76

Business15

Theory and Practice of Hydrotherapy15

Florida Laws and Rules10

(Chapters 456 and 480, F.S. and Chapter 64B7, F.A.C.)

Professional Ethics4

HIV/AIDS Education3

Medical Errors2

(c) An approved program must achieve a graduate passage rate that is not lower than 10 percentage points less than the average passage rate for graduates of comparable degree programs who are first-time test takers on the Board approved exam during a calendar year, as calculated by the contract testing service of the Board approved exam vendor.

(d) Apply directly to the Board of Massage Therapy and provide the following information:

1. Sample transcript and diploma; and

2. Copy of curriculum, catalog or other course descriptions;

(2) All faculty members of the massage therapy school must meet the minimum requirements of the Department of Education.

(3) Board of Massage Therapy approval shall be withdrawn or other action taken if the massage school, which it regulates under F.S. Chapter 480 and this rule:

(a) Modifies its curriculum to fall below the minimum standards set out in this rule, or fails to require its students to complete the minimum standards in order to graduate;

(b) Submits to the Board of Massage Therapy on behalf of an applicant for licensure documents containing information the school, through its owner, manager, instructors, or other employees or agents, knows to be false;

(c) Violates any standard applicable to the school pursuant to licensure by the Department of Education;

(d) Violates any applicable rule herein.

(4) A Board of Massage Therapy-approved school must notify the Board of Massage Therapy within 90 days of:

(a) Changes in curriculum; and

(b) Changes in address.

(5) Any change in ownership of a Board of Massage Therapy approved school must be approved by the Board of Massage Therapy.

(6) Beginning with graduate passage rates for calendar year 2013:

(a) If an approved program’s graduate passage rates do not equal or exceed the required passage rates for two consecutive calendar years, the Board may place the program on probationary status pursuant to Chapter 120, F.S., and may require the program director to appear before the Board to present a plan for remediation. If the program is placed on probationary status the program shall remain on probationary status until it achieves a graduate passage rate that equals or exceeds the required passage rate for any one calendar year.

(b) Upon the program’s achievement of a graduate passage rate that equals or exceeds the required passage rate, the Board, at its regularly scheduled meeting following release of the program’s graduate passage rate by the Board approved testing vendor, shall remove the program’s probationary status. However, if the program, during the two calendar years following its placement on probationary status, does not achieve the required passage rate for any one calendar year, the Board shall terminate the program pursuant to Chapter 120, F.S.

(7) If a massage school is alleged to have violated any provision of Florida Statute 480, Rule Chapter 64B7, F.A.C. or part therein;

(a) The Board shall inform the school of any alleged violations in writing. The school shall respond in writing and/or request to appear before the Board at the next scheduled meeting to explain any mitigating factors;

(b) If the Board determines that a school is in noncompliance, it may impose one of the following:

1. Corrective action required which shall include the time period in which the school must comply; or

2. Withdrawal of Board approval.

(c) The Board shall inform the Florida Department of Education or if an out of state school, the equivalent licensing authority, of the action taken.

Rulemaking Authority 480.035(7) FS. Law Implemented 480.033(9), 480.041(1)(b) FS. History–New 3-25-86, Amended 8-15-89, 12-22-92, Formerly 21L-32.003, Amended 10-20-96, Formerly 61G11-32.003, Amended 8-16-98, 10-30-07, 4-25-10,________.