Timeline: History of FSMTB
August 1999 — Representatives from various state massage regulatory agencies meet to establish the National Alliance of State Massage Therapy Boards (NASMTB), with a mission of promoting uniformity in regulation, serving as a regulatory information source, addressing multi-state issues, and encouraging research. Based in Middlesex, NJ; meets twice a year. Massage Today April, 2001 (archive.org)
2000–2001 — David Frostad serves as NASMTB president through March 2001; Barbara Benson succeeds him in April 2001. NASMTB compiles state regulatory contact listings, though its website is still under construction as of March 2001. The organization eventually becomes defunct.
2002 — NASMTB website online at 317 Salvatore Avenue, Middlesex, NJ.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20020601084538/http://www.petting-zoo.org/NASMTB/index.html
Early 2005 — Effort begins to reenergize the former “Alliance” of massage regulators.https://web.archive.org/web/20100924020139/http://fsmtb.org/html/about/history.htm
May 11–12, 2005 — ABMP hosts a roundtable in Denver, initiated by President Bob Benson and EVP Les Sweeney, with representatives from seven regulated states plus educators. Two objectives: whether to form a federation of state boards, and whether to develop a new entry-level exam. The group unanimously agrees to move forward with the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards. An interim board is named, with Rick Rosen as interim chair and Patty Glenn as interim vice-chair. Three attendees had been involved in the defunct NASMTB. https://web.archive.org/web/20051119040838/http:/www.massagetoday.com/archives/2005/07/01.html
July 2005 – New Organization Formed to Benefit Massage Therapy By Cliff Korn, BS, LMT, NCTMB https://web.archive.org/web/20061016084329/http:/www.massagetoday.com/archives/2005/07/01.html
May–September 2005 — Interim board researches ten board federations in other professions and conducts site visits to six, drafts bylaws, and finds that most well-run professions have a licensing exam owned by their association of state boards. https://web.archive.org/web/20051221063559/http://www.fsmtb.org/
September 20–21, 2005 — FSMTB’s formal organizational meeting in Albuquerque, NM, held just before the AMTA convention. Representatives from 23 of the 34 regulating state boards attend (elsewhere reported as 22 states plus D.C.), along with a dozen leading educators and authors. Bylaws adopted, first board elected: Patty Glenn (OR) president, Dave Quiring (FL) vice president, Chris Kiely (NH) treasurer, with Kevin Snedden (MO), Georgia Clem (AR), and Rita Sax (IL) as directors-at-large. Rick Rosen hired as executive director; office established in Greensboro, NC. FSMTB incorporates as a nonprofit in Illinois. https://web.archive.org/web/20051025062054/http:/www.massagemag.com/USCan/SBBT.htm
September 22, 2005 — AMTA Board issues a statement supporting the federation concept but urging it not to create a competing exam, warning it could divide the profession. https://web.archive.org/web/20051215011520/http://www.massagetoday.com/archives/2005/11/05.html
October 2005 — FSMTB’s legal counsel (Dale Atkinson) argues it may be unconstitutional for states to name the NCETMB in statute, as unlawful delegation of authority to a private entity. https://web.archive.org/web/20061016074451/http://www.massagemag.com/News/2006/January/Legal.php
2006 — NCBTMB objects publicly to FSMTB’s exam plans; AMTA sides with NCBTMB, stating it supports one set of exams. Massage Today editor Cliff Korn frames the conflict as a “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.”
March 21, 2006 — AMTA releases a legal opinion from Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw countering Atkinson’s memo, concluding state use of the NCETMB for licensure is legally defensible. https://web.archive.org/web/20061016074451/http://www.massagemag.com/News/2006/January/Legal.php
August 2006 — Massage Today editor Cliff Korn frames the FSMTB/NCBTMB/AMTA conflict as a “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,” criticizing all sides for turf protection.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20061016090546/http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=13460
September 21–23, 2006 — First Annual Meeting and Conference at the Elms Resort, Excelsior Springs, MO. https://web.archive.org/web/20061015013122/https://fsmtb.org/
October 13, 2006 – February 1, 2007 — Job Task Analysis Survey deployed online; 7,646 practitioners respond from every state and territory except American Samoa.
March 26, 2007 — JTA results released from new Overland Park, KS headquarters (Debra Persinger now executive director). 84% of respondents support nationwide licensing; two-thirds oppose splitting the field into multiple licensure categories. Psychometrician Donna Surges Tatum concludes the profession is unified rather than fractured. https://web.archive.org/web/20150918215252/https://www.fsmtb.org/userfiles/PDFs/07103_Federation_Progress.pdf
October 1, 2007 — MBLEx launched: 125 multiple-choice items, 13% devoted to ethics, $195 fee, year-round testing at 200+ sites. Selected as a model testing program by the Association of Test Publishers. https://web.archive.org/web/20071011015301/https://fsmtb.org/
October 31, 2007 — Eight states have adopted the MBLEx (AR, IA, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, WA); Kentucky joins FSMTB, bringing membership to 26 boards — more than two-thirds of the 38 regulating states. ABMP donates $10,000 to help recruit state board adoption.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20090205132436/http://fsmtb.org/downloads/07103_Federation_Progress.pdf
May 2, 2008 — Florida becomes the 16th state to adopt the MBLEx (effective August 1, exclusive May 1, 2009); FSMTB membership reaches 28 states.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20110120083814/http://fsmtb.org/downloads/080502%20FL%20Adopts%20MBLEx.pdf
2008 — First MBLEx Candidate Handbook published.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20080509164605/http://www.fsmtb.org/Candidate_Handbook.pdf
July 10, 2008 — Following executive turmoil at NCBTMB, FSMTB issues a “Response to Stakeholders,” declining to take over certification and asserting that licensure is the function of licensing boards, not certification bodies.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20081010094458/http://www.fsmtb.org/downloads/080710StakeholderResp.pdf
October 28, 2008 — 3rd Annual Meeting, Seattle, with 26 state boards represented. Kevin Snedden elected president, Kathy Jensen vice president, Susan Beam treasurer. Patty Glenn steps down after three years as president; Scott Miller (WA) joins the board, replacing founding director David Quiring.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150918215440/https://www.fsmtb.org/userfiles/PDFs/081024_FSMTB_2008_Elections.pdf
January 26–27, 2009 — AMTA reverses course and endorses the MBLEx as the preferred entry-level licensing exam, after nearly three years of failed efforts to get FSMTB and NCBTMB to agree on one exam; ABMP commends the move on Jan. 27.
Source: AMTA Hands On, Spring 2009 — https://web.archive.org/web/20101204234721/http://www.amtamassage.org/uploads/cms/documents/HandsOn_Spring09.pdf
February 2, 2009 — Sally Hacking, MSN, RN — formerly AMTA’s national legislative consultant — appointed FSMTB Director of Government Relations.
Sources: https://web.archive.org/web/20150918232131/https://www.fsmtb.org/userfiles/PDFs/090202_FSMTB_Introduces_Director_of_Government_Relations.pdf · https://web.archive.org/web/20090207125051/http://www.massagemag.com/News/massage-news.php?id=5438
February 3, 2009 — FSMTB publicly thanks AMTA for endorsing the MBLEx, then adopted by 16 state boards.
Sources: https://web.archive.org/web/20100924002449if_/http://fsmtb.org/downloads/090203%20FSMTB%20Applauds%20AMTA.pdf · https://web.archive.org/web/20090207125016/http://www.massagemag.com/News/massage-news.php?id=5426
October 15, 2009 — 4th Annual Meeting, Nashville, with 30 state boards represented. Dennis Beye (AZ) and Jane Johnson (GA) elected; Patty Glenn resigns from the board to focus on Oregon; Christine Kiely elected then resigns, replaced by Phyllis Salyers (TN). Snedden re-elected president.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20110120083819/http://fsmtb.org/downloads/091015%20FSMTB%202009%20Elections.pdf
2009–2010 — Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK) Task Force launched under project manager Chip Hines, jointly stewarded by six organizations: AMTA, AMTA Council of Schools, ABMP, Massage Therapy Foundation, FSMTB, and NCBTMB. Foundational work — definition of massage therapy, scope of practice, terminology, entry-level competencies — begins July 2009.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20100924002625if_/http://fsmtb.org/whatsnew/taskForce.html
March 29, 2011 — FSMTB announces a national continuing education approval program, inviting AFMTE to collaborate and AMTA and ABMP to provide learner input — a direct challenge to NCBTMB’s Approved Provider role.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20111125054312if_/http://www.fsmtb.org/downloads/CE%20Approval%20FSMTB%20Press%20Release%20032911.pdf
April 1, 2011 — Model Practice Act Task Force holds its inaugural meeting in Albany, NY, chaired by Jane Johnson (GA), with regulators from OR, NY, TX, FL, OH, NJ, and SC.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20111015145216if_/http://www.fsmtb.org/downloads/CE%20Approval%20FSMTB%20Press%20Release%20032911.pdf
January 2012 — Continuing education task force convenes (3 FSMTB regulators, 2 AFMTE educators, 1 AMTA and 1 ABMP representing learners); recommends shifting licensure renewal from CE hours toward core competencies.
May 1–2, 2012 — Second Leadership Summit in Chicago brings together seven organizations (AFMTE, AMTA, ABMP, COMTA, FSMTB, MTF, NCBTMB) to address portability, practice standards, entry-level education, CE, discipline, and certification. Entry-Level Analysis Project (ELAP) discussed; AFMTE presents the Teacher Education Standards Project. Follows an earlier St. Louis summit eight months prior; next summit set for December 5–6, 2012 in Denver.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20130123135156if_/https://www.fsmtb.org/downloads/Leadership_Summit_May_1-2.pdf
2012–2013 — FSMTB publishes its Standardized Licensure Renewal Recommendation: six hours annually, at least three in state-sponsored Ethics and Professional Practice, with the remainder exchangeable for professional development activities.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20130123135148if_/https://www.fsmtb.org/downloads/Standardized_License_Renewal_Recommendation_Final.pdf
November 1, 2013 — FSMTB sues the Academy of Oriental Therapy (D.N.J.) over an alleged MBLEx item-harvesting scheme; the court had granted a seizure and impoundment order on October 28. MBLEx then used by at least 42 states.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150919030450/https://www.fsmtb.org/userfiles/2013.11.01_FSMTB_Initiates_Litigation.pdf
January 28, 2014 — FSMTB allows AOT applicants to continue testing but withholds their MBLEx scores pending validation.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150918232050/https://www.fsmtb.org/userfiles/PDFs/2014.01.29_AOT_MBLEx_Scores.pdf
May 1 – mid-June 2014 — 45-day public comment period on the draft Model Practice Act, developed over three years, draws over 1,300 comments.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150918224545/https://www.fsmtb.org/userfiles/Public_Comment_Press_Release.pdf
August 19, 2014 — AOT litigation settles with a consent permanent injunction; numerous MBLEx questions retired and replaced.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150919030456/https://www.fsmtb.org/userfiles/2014.08.19_Settlement.pdf
October 3, 2014 — Landmark agreement: NCBTMB will exit licensure examinations entirely and focus on Board Certification, leaving the MBLEx as the profession’s sole licensing exam. NCBTMB stops accepting licensure exam applications November 1, 2014 and stops offering them February 1, 2015.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150918233006/https://www.fsmtb.org/userfiles/FSMTB_NCBTMB_2014_10_03.pdf
March 20, 2015 — FSMTB and NCBTMB issue a joint clarification of the agreement in response to legislative activity, confirming the Board Certification Exam is for certification only.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150918220745/https://www.fsmtb.org/userfiles/2015.03.20_FSMTB_NCBTMB_Joint_Statement.pdf
June 19, 2015 — Board changes: Toby Jusevitch steps down; Dr. Ed Bolden (TN) appointed. FSMTB now spans 38 states, D.C., and 2 territories.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150919025825/https://www.fsmtb.org/userfiles/FSMTB_Board_Changes_6_19_15.pdf
2015 — Delegate Assembly creates the Human Trafficking Task Force.
March 25, 2016 — NCBTMB and FSMTB announce a collaborative partnership on continuing education, ending FSMTB’s separate CE approval effort after five years of study.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20200719224907/https://www.fsmtb.org/media/1290/20160325-ncbtmb-fsmtb-ce-statement.pdf
July 1, 2017 — Massage Education Policy takes effect, requiring MBLEx candidates’ education records to be submitted directly by an approved program. MBLEx results also shift to pass/fail only, eliminating numeric scaled scores.
Sources: https://web.archive.org/web/20190409221426/https://www.fsmtb.org/information-for-schools/massage-education-policy/ · https://web.archive.org/web/20200510165650/https://www.fsmtb.org/information-for-schools/changes-to-mblex-result-reporting/ · FAQs: https://web.archive.org/web/20220319212308/https://www.fsmtb.org/media/1574/ed-policy-faqs-updated-810.pdf
July 7 – August 18, 2017 — 2017 Job Task Analysis Survey conducted; the JTA is administered every five to seven years (previously 2007 and 2012).
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210613200027/https://www.fsmtb.org/news-and-media/2017-jta-live/
September 29, 2017 — FSMTB files suit in the Southern District of Texas against Mendez Master Training Center, MMTC Texas, and affiliated individuals over a scheme to reproduce and sell MBLEx questions (announced October 23). MBLEx now used by at least 46 states and territories plus D.C.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210613205733/https://www.fsmtb.org/news-and-media/fsmtb-initiates-texas-litigation-to-protect-integrity-of-mblex/
September 29–30, 2017 — 12th Annual Meeting, Tampa, with 41 delegates. Ed Bolden elected president, Craig Knowles vice president, David Cox treasurer.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210613203313/https://www.fsmtb.org/news-and-media/fsmtb-2017-election-results/
November 3, 2017 — Human Trafficking Task Force Report released at the annual meeting, the product of nearly two years of work by a task force of state board volunteers created in 2015. FSMTB donates to Selah Freedom and International Justice Mission in lieu of conference mementos.
Sources: https://fsmtb.org/resources/human-trafficking-task-force-report/ · https://web.archive.org/web/20210613201251/https://www.fsmtb.org/news-and-media/httf/
November 16, 2017 — AMTA and ABMP issue a joint statement strongly objecting to the report, arguing it implies the profession is infested with trafficking, conflates trafficking with prostitution, ignores FBI and Homeland Security data, and falsely implies Coalition organizations endorsed its recommendations.
Source: https://www.abmp.com/updates/news/abmp-and-amta-joint-response-fsmtb-human-trafficking-report
January 10, 2018 — MBLEx content outline revised per the 2017 JTA, effective July 1, 2018 (ethics rises to 16%, guidelines for professional practice to 15%).
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210420132857/https://www.fsmtb.org/news-and-media/fsmtb-announces-upcoming-changes-to-mblex-content/
March 20, 2018 — 2017 JTA findings on job satisfaction released: 98% of practitioners report liking being a massage therapist; 97% are happy they entered the profession.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210613200835/https://www.fsmtb.org/news-and-media/fsmtb-celebrates-job-satisfaction-among-practitioners/
July 31, 2018 — Debra Persinger elected to the Executive Board of the FARB Governing Council.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210613195931/https://www.fsmtb.org/news-and-media/fsmtb-executive-director-elected-to-farb-executive-board/
October 5–6, 2018 — 13th Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, with 40 delegates. Charlene Russell elected president, Robin Alexander vice president, David Cox treasurer. Membership now 46 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210613213338/https://www.fsmtb.org/news-and-media/fsmtb-2018-election-results/
February 27, 2019 — Following the high-profile Florida day spa case, FSMTB reaffirms its anti-trafficking advocacy.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210613204826/https://www.fsmtb.org/news-and-media/fsmtb-continues-push-to-dismantle-human-trafficking/
April 19, 2019 — Announcement that the MBLEx fee will rise from $195 to $265 effective April 1, 2020 — the first increase in 13 years.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210926154246/https://www.fsmtb.org/news-and-media/exam-fee-notice/
October 5–13, 2020 — 15th annual election held online with 41 member boards voting. David Cox elected president, Victoria Drago vice president, Sandy Anderson treasurer.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20201204114144/https://www.fsmtb.org/media/2412/fsmtb-2021-elections.pdf
February 21, 2022 — FSMTB sues Footy Rooty Development (S.D. Tex.) over a YouTube channel publishing copyrighted MBLEx items. MBLEx results now used in 44 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and some cities in unregulated states.
Source: https://www.abmp.com/updates/news/fsmtb-initiates-litigation-protect-integrity-mblex-0
2022 — Publication of A Toolkit for Identifying Human Trafficking and Fraud in Higher Education by Lorna Candler, J.D., and Debra Persinger.
Source: https://fsmtb.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/human-trafficking-toolkit-2022.pdf