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PUBLIC TESTIMONY

Testimony by Kristina Hinkson, President of New York State Society of Medical Massage Therapists (NYSSMMT)

2:44:21

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Kristina Hinkson, President of the New York State Society of Medical Massage Therapists (NYSSMMT), testified in support of the bill with amendments. She highlighted the importance of massage therapy in New York and advocated for stronger safety standards in the proposed legislation.

Hinkson emphasized the need for a director of safety position to ensure safety practices are upheld
She discussed NYSSMMT's recent accomplishments, including changing terminology and working with city planning to recategorize massage therapy practices
Hinkson stressed the versatility and importance of massage therapy while acknowledging its vulnerability to exploitation

Kristina Hinkson

2:44:21

Can you hear me?

2:44:22

Okay.

2:44:23

Thank you.

2:44:24

Thank you.

2:44:25

I'm Christina Hinkson, president of the New York State Society of Medical Massage Therapists established in 1927, and we support this bill with amendments.

2:44:37

Nismuth represents the over 15,000 massage therapists in New York State.

2:44:44

Our recent accomplishments has been changing the naykes code of the word massage parlor to massage wellness centers.

2:44:53

And recently, to help reopen the economy in New York City, we had worked with New York City Planning Commission to remove the antiquated adult physical culture permit.

2:45:06

With that, that had allowed the economy to reopen with small businesses such as hours, yogas, studios, etcetera.

2:45:15

This has also allowed massage therapy practices to be recategorized as ambulatory care in the commercial space.

2:45:26

Okay.

2:45:27

Massage therapy is one of the oldest forms of medicine as an ancient healing art rooted in traditional Chinese medicine.

2:45:34

In the new yet, in the US, New York City is the birthplace of massage therapy coming from East And Europe.

2:45:42

We own that.

2:45:44

On the national scope of the industry, New York State has the highest educational training and practice standards thus making the New York license the most coveted license to attain.

2:45:55

Massage therapy as a healing modality is flexible, portable, manageable, versatile, complimentary, scalable and non pharmacological.

2:46:07

The versatility of the massage therapy profession makes it an easily misunderstood profession thus making it vulnerable to exploitation.

2:46:20

We support this bill with amendments.

2:46:22

1 of the most important aspects of this bill is safety and health for the massage profession.

2:46:31

The biggest ask we would like to see in this bill is that the safety standards are upheld by having a director of safety position.

2:46:39

So all the safety practices can be upheld versus just having a license to open, and that's it.

2:46:45

That's the most important aspect, and we will be submitting written testimony.

2:46:49

Thank you.

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Testimony by Larinda Hooks on Intro 970

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Testimony by Lucy Palacios, Licensed Massage Therapist and Member of Nismet