During lunch at the 6th Annual TAMT Convention and Trade Show in San
Antonio we are having committee meetings to organize and establish
the following TAMT committees:

• Membership Benefits - Develops benefits for membership (group
health insurance, convention, newsletter, IRA information, etc.)
• Government Advisory Board - Attaché to DSHS and establishes
relationships with local governmental agencies and political figures
• Educational Alliance - Will help to create criteria for
acceptable Continuing Education Providers and help provide qualified
CE's for chapter meetings.

You are welcome to join us in the Clarion Tropicana Riverwalk Hotel
in San Antonio 12-2PM whether you attend the convention or not. In
order to be on the committee you will need to be a TAMT member, but
you are welcome to come to the meeting if you are not a member to see
if you are interested.

There are several things going on in our profession that may shape
our future and are likely to be the major priorities of the
committees..
1. The Commission for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine is
studying our profession.
2. The American Medical Association has currently organized a
task group headed by the Texas Chapter to look at the education
qualifications of complimentary health care workers.
3. Current laws and rules are not being enforced, rather we have
a tendency to attack those that are practicing within the law and
unlicensed, illicit practitioners using massage or bodyworkers as a
marketing tool are being left alone by law enforcement. This hurts
us all.
4. I have heard numerous complaints about the state of
continuing education in Texas. Several interest groups still want to
change massage rules and laws for various reasons.
5. Due to the self employed status of MT in this state, health
insurance and other benefits are expensive and often unavailable. We
have a tendency to massage to massage and our future is our
responsibility. Retirement plans can be complicated. Group rates and
education can make these things affordable and obtainable.

I support a Texas based Association handling these things, without
the complications of a national associations agenda. I do personally
support the "other" association's agenda but is that what the
majority of LMT's want in Texas? If I have learned anything during
the last two years of my political activism, is Texans are different
and they don't care how it is done anywhere else. Also, most
politicians are still "good-old" boys and will listen to us, if we
have the numbers and a united voice.

Please feel free to email me off list or call me for more
information.

Vicki Matthews
2nd VP TAMT
512-913-6300