What is the role of the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners?

The role of the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners is to regulate and oversee massage therapy practices. This includes establishing and enforcing standards for the practice, ensuring that therapists are properly licensed, and maintaining the public's safety and welfare. The board is responsible for creating rules and guidelines that govern the profession, which helps to ensure that massage therapy practices are safe and effective for clients.

By regulating the practice, the board ensures that practitioners meet educational and competency requirements, and it provides oversight in cases of misconduct or malpractice. This oversight is essential for maintaining the integrity of the profession and protecting the interests of the public who seek these services.

Other roles, such as performing massage therapy directly, would not fall under the responsibilities of the board, as boards typically do not engage in practice. Providing health care services is also outside the board's scope, as its main focus is on regulation rather than direct service provision. Conducting research on massage techniques is typically the domain of academic and clinical researchers, not regulatory boards. Thus, the board's primary function is to ensure that the field operates within established legal and ethical boundaries.