By Pete Whitridge
Lee and I hope that each of you survived both Hurricanes Helene and Milton without much damage and that your life is returning to balance. We’re grateful that our home in Fort Pierce was undamaged but so sad about the hundreds of homes and lives in our area that were affected by the terrible tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton’s approach. Businesses, communities, and lives across the state and the south have been torn apart by these two hurricanes and the resulting tornadoes and floods. We send our love and prayers to all who have been impacted by the storms. Let’s hope this hurricane season will end with a whimper after coming in with a bang.
I will be back in Gainesville on November 16-17 for a Myofascial Components of Neck and Shoulder Pain class. We have a small group formed and I’d love for you to join us and enjoy a bodywork weekend to reset your practice, help your own body while gaining new skills, and experience a more connected state of being.
Retirement: I recently received a question from a colleague about retirement. After being in the profession for decades and having long term contact with many LMTs through Continuing Education, I am seeing many seasoned therapists who I’ve taught and worked with for many years now retiring. I admit to a little sadness as I watch people leave the profession, knowing my once regular contact with them will be limited in the future. I’m so grateful to be in a profession where individuals who love their work can continue to maintain a practice long after official “retirement age” if they want. I’d like to personally congratulate Martha Varney on her retirement from massage therapy after 33 years. She’s a Summer 1990 grad who’s worked in a PT office, a Chiropractic office, and for herself throughout this time. She’s now house sitting for people with animals and loves all the pets and the animal love she receives (without all the expense and responsibility of having her own pets.) All the best in you Martha in your new adventures.
2024 Statutory Changes and Background Check/Fingerprint Retention
I outlined a few new requirements for Massage Establishments and LMTs in the last Connective Issue. Since I’ll be attending a Board of Massage meeting late in October and these changes are on the agenda, I’ll outline more on effects of the new statutes (effective July 1, 2024) in the December issue.
For now, I encourage you to be sure that you’ve renewed your background check and retained your fingerprints as mandated by Florida Law and the Department of Health. If you are a long-time therapist, you know that EVERY FIVE YEARS you must pay $43.25 to authorize a new background check and retain your fingerprints on file with the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse (an adjunct to the Department of Health). Newer therapists should look at their date of licensure and count forward five years to determine the approximate time of the next background screening/fingerprint retention. This is the time frame when many long-term therapists will need to meet this requirement. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action from the Board. All LMTs have a 60-day window to log into the Clearinghouse, pay the fee, and authorize the background screening.
Here’s the link to the Clearinghouse Applicant Initiated (CHAI) website to renew your fingerprint retention: https://apps.ahca.myflorida.com/CHAI/Auth.
This website requires your email and password to login. You may reset your password if you have forgotten this important information. If this is your first retention renewal (5 years after your initial licensure), you will register as a NEW USER to create an account on the system.
Here is a link to the instruction guide for this process: https://apps.ahca.myflorida.com/CHAI/Content/Files/CHAI%20Instruction%20Guide.pdf
Basic information about this requirement can be found at: https://flhealthsource.gov/background-screening/bgs-renewalreqs/
I’ll be back with further updates and information regarding the 2024 Statutory changes in December.
Future Classes: I will offer 4 more weekend workshops throughout the renewal period. These are scheduled in March (Dynamics of the Breath), June (Techniques for Surgeries, Scars and Burns), July (Therapeutic Strategies for Pain Relief), and August (Myofascial Components of Low Back and Leg Pain). I will also offer at least two 6 hour Big 3 – Required Class workshops in Gainesville at a location to be determined. Hope to see you soon!
