Pulse November/December 2021 | Page 48

is permanent and lasting in the profession , something that ’ s viable and has a significant amount of buy-in .”

Because states ’ participation in interstate compacts is voluntary , creating that sense of buy-in is crucial . Thankfully , Leslie Roste of BlueCo Brands ( makers of Barbicide ), who is involved with the technical assistance group for the cosmetology compact , believes that interest in the compacts is high . “ It really didn ’ t take many phone calls to get a whole bunch of states very interested in this idea ,” Roste said . The more states that come on board , the merrier , of course , but don ’ t expect all 50 states to join the compact right away . As Roste noted , the largest professional interstate compact currently in existence — for nursing — has been adopted by 38 ( or just over 75 percent ) of the 50 U . S . states .

Finding Common Ground

Enabling licensed massage therapy and cosmetology professionals to work in different or multiple states without requiring them to jump through additional regulatory hoops may seem like a no-brainer solution to an obvious yet simple problem . However , there are a number of reasons why legislation like these interstate compacts has been slow to develop , and stakeholders are going to have to address each of them as they move forward .

As Leslie Roste noted , one significant hurdle interstate compacts can be the lack of uniform requirements — be they for examinations , practice hours or continuing education requirements — between states . “ As we all know , in cosmetology , not all schools are accredited , and there isn ’ t just one exam . So it ’ s trying to get everyone to agree what that standard is that we can all agree on ,” Roste said . “ The biggest hang-up is a lack of standardization in the education and testing processes .”

In massage therapy , Debra Persinger explained , things territories already use the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam ( MBLex ) as the “ gatekeeper ” to licensure . And though the patchwork of other education requirements will no doubt garner a lot of attention as the compact is shaped , Persinger reminded attendees that the point of the compact is simply to benefit licensed professionals , not to align every state ’ s licensure requirements perfectly . “ Our focus is not on the entry level education to be in the compact ; we ’ re talking about licensed professionals . We ’ re not talking about the emerging professionals who are still in school ,” she said . On the cosmetology side , Leslie Roste agrees : “ Hopefully , we can get away from talking about hours and what it took to get licensed in one state and say that , regardless of how you get to sit for an exam … if you pass that exam , or if you can work safely for two years , [ your license will be portable ].

Testing and education aren ’ t the only potential barriers to adoption of the compacts , however . As Debra Persinger noted , concerns about human trafficking are very real , and she anticipates that some kind of database will be crafted to track the credentials and movement of licensed therapists ( FSMTB has been developing their own over the last two to three years ). Such a database , Persinger said , “ will go a long way toward combating not just the criminal element , but the people that you don ’ t want to employ — they ’ re not safe , nor are they competent .”

One Step at a Time

Planning and negotiations around both the massage therapy and cosmetology compacts will continue in the months to come , as the technical assistance groups and CSG work to establish their respective parameters . But the final step in the compact adoption process cannot happen until those parameters have been drafted as model legislation , which state legislatures then debate and vote on . are further along on that front , as 44 states and several U . S . ( CONTINUED ON PAGE 48 )

— DEBRA PERSINGER

46 PULSE ⁿ NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021