Qualifications For Instructors Within The Minimum Curricula

All instructors providing hands-on massage therapy instruction within a registered massage therapy school’s minimum curricula shall A. hold a valid massage therapist license in New Mexico; B. have completed at least 50 contact hours of instructional experience of professional teaching or workshop instruction; and C. have practiced massage therapy for a minimum of two years within the past three years. [16.7.5.12 NMAC - N, 11/15/2019] 16.7.5.13 SCHOOL DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTRUCTORS WITHIN THE MINIMUM CURRICULA: A. All massage therapy schools shall provide to the board, both in initial applications for registration and as part of each renewal thereafter, a list of all instructors providing hands-on massage therapy instruction within their minimum curricula. B. As part of an initial application for registration and as necessary in each renewal thereafter, a massage therapy school shall submit the following documentation pertaining to all instructors within its minimum curricula: (1) Documentation verifying two years of professional massage therapy experience during the past three years, including a minimum of three of the following documents: (a) income tax forms documenting massage therapy practice; (b) verifiable letters from clients confirming receipt of massage therapy services from the applicant; (c) proof of rent or lease of practice location or office space; (d) proof of current association membership; (e) proof of current professional insurance; (f) copies of dated receipts for massage therapy practice-related supplies or furnishings that total a minimum of $500; (g) verifiable letters from employers; and (h) work log consisting of appointment dates and time periods worked on clients. (2) Documentation of completion of 50 contact hours of instructional experience of professional teaching or workshop instruction. C. As part of any application for a renewal of a massage therapy school registration, the applicant shall submit a list of all instructors providing hands-on massage therapy instruction within their minimum curricula. A school shall only submit supporting documentation as to an instructor’s qualifications if it has not previously provided such documentation to the board. D. First Renewal Following Adoption of these Rules: All currently-registered massage therapy schools shall provide documentation to the board as to the qualifications of all instructors providing hands-on massage therapy instruction within their minimum curricula in their next renewal applications. A school does not need to submit supporting documentation as to an instructor’s qualifications if that instructor was a registered massage therapy instructor, independent or school-based, as of February 4, 2019. E. The board shall not grant an initial registration or a renewal application for any massage therapy school who fails to submit the necessary documentation related to its instructors within the minimum curricula. [16.7.5.13 NMAC - N, 11/15/2019] 16.7.5 NMAC 4 16.7.5.14 REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHING ASSISTANTS WITHIN THE MINIMUM CURRICULA: Registered massage therapy schools may utilize persons to assist massage therapy instructors within the minimum curricula in providing instruction to massage therapy students working toward obtaining their massage therapy license. Such persons shall be considered teaching assistants. A. The teaching assistant must be a licensed massage therapist. B. The teaching assistant must be supervised by a massage therapy instructor who is physically present in the room. C. Experience as a teaching assistant shall apply to the 50-hour requirement outlined in Paragraph (3) of Subsection B of 16.7.6 NMAC. D. It is the responsibility of the registered massage therapy school to ensure that the teaching assistant complies with the board's regulations.