AMTA House of Delegates‘ 2011 session – Portland, OR, October 20, 2011
Position Statements are the cornerstone professional beliefs of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) as decided by the membership population of over 50,000 professional massage therapists.
the 2011 Agenda – each year the members are encouraged to formally propose Position Statements and Recommendations. There were no Recommendations (for the National Board of Directors) in 2011 and there were 6 proposed Position Statements that the Association agendized in the House of Delegates, and singularly adopted or denied, & published as core beliefs the Association represents. They are as follows:
Position Statement [STATUS]It is the position of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) that… |
| #1 …massage therapy can be effective in reducing the symptoms of depression. [ PASSED ] |
| #2 …massage can be an effective therapy for those who suffer from tension headaches. [ PASSED ] |
| #3 …those who participate in exercise programs, as well as athletes in training, can benefit from massage therapy. [ PASSED ] |
| #4 …massage therapy can be effective in reducing anxiety and its symptoms. [ FAILED ] |
| #5 …massage therapy can be effective in managing signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome. [ FAILED ] |
| #6 …there should be fair and consistent licensing of massage therapy in all states that can lead to portability of practice. [ FAILED ] |
Questions? Comments? Contact your Delegate via email
Member Voting vs. Delegate Representation: the function of the Delegate is to represent the member consensus on the National floor of the House of Delegates (HOD) each year. Delegates poll the members, discuss the Position Statements and Recommendations with the members and take a Chapter vote to the HOD. When in the HOD at the National Convention, representatives from all 51 Chapters have an opportunity to represent the support or concerns of their Chapter’s members and dialogue works toward a consensus of the state Chapters’ Delegates to vote for or against a proposed Position Statement/Recommendation. If needed, a Delegate may change his/her Delegate vote to reflect the best interest of the Chapter membership.
Who can be a Delegate? Any Professional AMTA member in good standing. Terms are now starting at 2 years…your commitment helps the National association and profession move forward. It’s hard work, so you’ll get to take a break for a year before you can run again. No need to step out entirely, though! Continue to be active by supporting/mentoring the incoming Delegate(s), writing a new document, commenting on officially proposed document, connecting with other members who are developing official processes – they need all the help they can get, too!
Who can write a Position Statement or Recommendation? Any AMTA member. Your current Delegate(s), Chapter Board of Directors, or fellow members can help you start and explore the process, edit, proofread, keep communication with the people that need to vet your document, and basically help you follow it all the way through the process.
If you consider the impact that statements a professional association makes on behalf of its tens-of-thousands of members, to include empirical evidence and “by massage therapists, for massage therapists” method of governance, then it is truly a professional representation of who we are and where we stand – what we profess.
…for 2012: If you are interested in becoming a Delegate or just starting a Position Statement or Recommendation of your own: share it with us. Let us help and represent you in your professional Association, on a National stage, and so you can practice what you preach in your own Practice. Contact your Nevada Board today.
Current Delegates
Brad Enerson, immediate past
David Otto immediate past
