CLEAR

Athletic Trainers and Physical Therapists associations reach scope of practice settlement

An out-of-court settlement has been reached between the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), which acknowledges an overlapping scope of practice between the two professions. A joint statement issued by the parties  clarifies that neither manual therapy, nor the provision of physical medicine and rehabilitation services is the exclusive province of Physical Therapists.

Joint statement.

Raft of regulatory changes in Florida, with October 1 implementation

Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) will implement a range of regulatory changes from October 1. Among the highlights: requirements for applications and renewals to be notarized will be removed, in a bid to encourage electronic submissions; removal of duplicative requirements for Certified Public Accountants; removal of the practical element of the barbering examination; and protection of titles "talent agent" and "talent agency". In a separate development, the Board of Surveyors and Mappers will move to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, again effective October 1.

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Study proposes end to healthcare practitioner licensing in Canada, preferring certification

Unnatural Regulation: Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy in Canada published by the Frasier Institute, calls for an end  to health practitioner licensing, and the introduction of a certification process. The study focuses on complimentary and alternative medicine and natural health products, as well as practitioners in the field, and is critical of the regulatory regimes in place for both.

Press release.

Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge developed

A first draft of the Body of Knowledge for Massage Therapy has been released and is available for comment. The document includes  a description of the field, Scope of Practice Statement, competencies expected of an entry level Massage Therapist in terms of Knowledge, Skills and Abilities, and Terminology used in the profession. This initiative is a result of collaboration by the American Massage Therapy Association, AMTA-Council of Schools, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards, Massage Therapy Foundation, and National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

Maryland licensing director Parr dies at 58

Daniel Maurice Parr,  director of professional licensing for the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, has died at the age of 58 after battling with cancer.

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Illinois Cemetery Oversight Task Force recommends regulatory overhaul

Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois has received a series of recommendations from the Cemetery Oversight Task Force, the first of which is that regulatory oversight should lie solely with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Licensure of cemetery managers and certification of cemetery employees is also recommended, as are the necessary legislative changes required to make this possible. The Task Force was established in July 2009 after four employees at the Burr Oak Cemetery were charged with dismembering bodies as part of a cemetery plot reselling scheme.

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Illinois approves regulation of property managers

Property managers (of a condominium or housing association) in Illinois will need a license from July 1, 2010 onwards following signature of Public Act 096-0726. The Act exempts managers of 10 units or less, as well as managers already licensed in another state. Grandfathering provisions are also included for existing managers with more than five years experience and possession of a professional property management designation.

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Irish engineers push for statutory regulation following viaduct collapse

Engineers Ireland is calling for statutory regulation of the country's engineers in the wake of the collapse of part of a viaduct in County Dublin. The group represents 24,000 engineers and contends that the profession warrants regulation, particularly when considered against architects, doctors, vets, dentists, pharmacists, all of whom are subject to statutory regulation.

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California begins certification of "massage practitioners" and "massage therapists"

September 1, 2009 saw the beginning of a program to certify "massage practitioners" and "massage therapists" in California, following the earlier passage of a bill to protect both titles. Previously, regulatory oversight had occurred at city or county level. The new certifying body is the California Massage Therapy Council.

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Ontario College of Teachers promotes professional designation

The College responsible for regulating teachers in Ontario is promoting the use of the professional designation "OCT" (Ontario Certified Teacher) or "EAO" in French.  The designation will automatically be granted to registrants in good standing with the College, and is aimed in part, at providing extra respect to the profession.

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