Statement from State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong on Massage Therapy Survey Report
Contact: DOH Communications,
(850) 245- 4111
Statement from State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong on Massage Therapy Survey Report
“Over the course of this past week, I have signed 161 emergency suspension orders (ESOs) for massage therapists who obtained their licenses to practice through fraud. These suspension orders prevent these individuals from continuing to practice massage therapy.
What has been particularly concerning is the systematic nature of the transcript fraud that led to licensure fraud. One week ago, Governor Scott asked our Florida Department of Health to review the transcript practices of Florida’s approved massage therapy schools and to identify measures to prevent fraudulent transcripts from infecting the licensure process.
I want to thank all of the massage therapy institutions who have participated in this opportunity to safeguard the integrity of massage therapy profession. This review has identified best practices for ensuring transcript integrity and improving processes toward this end.
The Department of Health is working with the Florida Board of Massage Therapy and with the Department of Education, who share responsibility in regulating Florida’s massage therapy schools, to work toward an implementation plan of the survey results.”
The Florida Department of Health’s mission is to protect and promote the health of all residents and visitors in the state through organized state and community efforts, including cooperative agreements with counties. For more information, visit the Department’s website.
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