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Item No. 5A Meeting Date: December 4, 2006 Type of Business: WK City Administrator Review _______ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Desaree Crane, Assistant to the City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Therapeutic Massage License Background: The City currently has guidelines in the Code in regard to Therapeutic Massage Business Licensing. There are two types of Therapeutic Massage Business Licensing in the City Code; Therapeutic Massage Enterprise and Therapeutic Massage Therapist Business License. A Therapeutic Massage Enterprise means a place of business providing massage services to the public for consideration; the term does not include a hospital, sanitarium, rest home, nursing home, boarding home or other institution for the hospitalization or care of other human beings duly licensed under the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, §114.50 through 144.69 (Mounds View City Code §514.02, subd. 5). A Therapeutic Massage Therapist means a person who practices or administers massage to the public for consideration (Mounds View City Code §514.02, subd. 6). There is no state regulation or state certification that regulates Massage Therapy. However, there are certification memberships available that require a certification exam. (please refer to Exhibit B for more information) Staff received a phone call from a Kari Murlowski, an ordained minister, who would like to conduct alternative wellness at the Hypnosis and Wellness Center located at Mounds View Square. Some of the therapies she would conduct include, Brain Gym, Touch for Health, Healing Touch, Aromatherapy, and Raindrop Therapy. Attached is an email (Exhibit A) from Ms. Murlowski, which explains each technique. The techniques explained by Ms. Murlowski require that her clients are fully clothed. Ms Murlowski is not a massage therapist and has no training in massage therapy. Her training is in Health Healing, Aromatherapy, and Raindrop Therapy at the Center for Aromatherapy Research Education (CARE). Discussion: Staff looked at the City Code, and found that the City Code is very general in regard to Therapeutic Massage, and mentions nothing about the techniques listed above. Staff spoke to Maria Leonard of Minnesota Globe College, which has a well-known Massage Therapy Program. According to Maria Leonard, this type of healing that Ms. Murkowski refers to is normally designed to help terminally ill patients relax. Ms. Leonard further stated that massage therapy manipulates skin and muscle tissue, and Ms. Murlowski’s technique (according to Ms. Leonard) does not manipulate skin or muscle tissue. However, Ms. Leonard is concerned with the Raindrop Therapy method. According to Ms. Leonard, Raindrop Therapy uses oil that is placed on the spine and does require you to be partially unclothed. Most Raindrop Therapies use oils placed on the spine and then massaged in. It seems that Ms. Murlowski’s technique is a modified technique in which she applies the oil on the spine, but requires the patient wear a shirt that buttons in the back so the patient is not fully naked. Ms. Leonard recommends that we ensure that the Raindrop Technique that Ms. Murlowski is indeed just a modified technique and no massage is done. Staff would like direction on how to proceed and if the City Council does approve having this type of therapist in the City. This type of therapy is not state regulated, but is becoming a trend in Minnesota. Staff could revise the City Code on Therapeutic Massage, to include definitions and language pertaining to alternative wellness, if the City Council wishes. Staff has sent a request to a number of cities on Thursday, November 30, 2006, to find out what they do for massage therapy and alternative wellness. Staff will have the city responses to you by this Work Session. Respectfully submitted, Desaree M. Crane