TAKE ACTION TO STOP MASSACHUSETTS S.221/H.350
An Attempt to Restrict and Regulate Complementary and Alternative Healers!

There are two important bills introduced in Massachusetts impacting access to healers. One bill is very positive and the other is very negative and needs to be opposed.  We’re told the bad bill could be heard in committee soon – with only 48 hours advanced notice!  Speak up now to ensure your testimony is received before the deadline.

Please TAKE ACTION HERE to OPPOSE S.221/H.350, a restrictive licensing bill, because it hurts alternative healing practitioners, and SUPPORT S.1380/H.2343, a proactive exemption bill, because it protects complementary and alternative health care practitioners.

OPPOSE S.221/H.350, An Act Regulating Alternative Healing Therapies, because it is a restrictive licensing bill and a re-draft of former “bodywork” licensing bill.  It will negatively impact access for thousands of health seekers to hundreds of non-invasive gentle methods of healing including but not limited to:

• Reiki
• Qi Gong
• Reflexology
• Ayurveda
• Polarity Therapy
• And over 200 other holistic wellness, stress relief and spiritual healing modalities.

The proposed restrictive bill will hurt practitioners – many who are now exempt from massage licensure under current law, teachers of holistic modalities, consumers, hospice programs and hospitals bringing comfort and relief to those in pain, as well as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ economy.  Tell legislators and committee members why you want them to oppose this restrictive licensing bill. Read the Lengthy Regulatory bill here.

SUPPORT S.1380/H.2343 because it is a safe harbor practitioner exemption bill that protects access to complementary and alternative health care practitioners. The bill provides a state exemption for the broad field of non-invasive complementary and alternative health care practitioners including but not limited to alternative healing practitioners such as homeopaths, herbalists, Reiki and energy healing practitioners and many more who (1) avoid a specific list of prohibited conduct, such as puncturing the skin or administering prescription drugs, and who (2) give out the disclosure information to their clients listed in the bill, before providing services, such as contact information, education and training, and the nature of the services to be rendered. When you take action to oppose S.221/H.350 you will simultaneously urge legislators and the committee to support S.1380/H.2343, a common-sense bill to protect access to complementary and alternative health care practitioners.  Read the Safe Harbor Exemption bill here.

MORE REASONS TO OPPOSE S.221/H.350: 

Under the licensing bill gentle alternative therapies would be unnecessarily regulated and require licensing by the government.  The bills would add alternative healing therapies to the jurisdiction of the Massage Therapy Board.  An Advisory Council of practitioners from various vocations would advise the Massage Board but the Board would be given the authority to adopt rules and regulations governing the licensure of all alternative healing therapists including demonstration of competency and the approval and operation of alternative therapy training and certification programs, and establish standards of professional and ethical conduct for alternative healing therapies and continuing education.  Many of the spiritual and holistic practices affected by the proposed bills are minority traditions offered by sole practitioners.  New, unnecessary regulatory burdens would force closures adversely impacting teaching masters, students and consumers alike.  Many of these are women.

Also, under the restrictive licensing bill, practices and the use of titles would be prohibited and banned from the public domain.  A person would not be able to hold themselves out to others as an alternative healing therapist or practice any alternative healing therapy unless the person holds a valid state license.

Requirement that instructional programs be licensed by the state would also prevent many practices from being taught due to the bureaucratic process, high fees. This will put countless practitioners out of business, hurt families, increase jobless claims and cause a loss of educational programs with restriction of trade and monopolization of health care offerings to state endorsed, dominant medicalized professions.

There is no constitutional basis for regulating vocations that do not pose an imminent risk of harm to the public.  Reducing the prevalence of unnecessary and overly broad occupational licensing that hurts workers and consumers is a goal of many governments and Massachusetts should join in defeating these licensing bills. 

Thanks in advance for your help OPPOSING S.221/H.350!  Together we can protect our alternative healing practitioners.