AMTA Future Directions

The National Board of Directors of the American Massage Therapy Association spent the past year analyzing the association’s goals, processes and programs. They reflected on the association’s history, where they feel the profession should go in the future, how massage is currently viewed by the public and how they want the public to view it. The AMTA National Board acknowledged and studied information gathered about all of AMTA’s stakeholders – practitioner members, massage schools and educators, researchers, state governments and regulators, the healthcare community, employers, and the public.

Because of the way AMTA is structured and organized, it is bound not only by its own core ideology, but by some legal requirements. It is required to promote the common interests of the massage therapy profession. AMTA must work to improve the business condition of the industry in general, as well as the interests of its members. That is the association’s responsibility as a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit association.

During AMTA’s 60th anniversary celebration in Richmond, VA in October 2003, their member-elected National Board approved AMTA’s Future Directions. This decision includes descriptions of AMTA’s core ideology, its envisioned future and their updated strategic plan. These three beacons provide direction to the future of both AMTA and the profession for the long and short term.

Acknowledging that AMTA is incorporated to advance the profession, the Board agreed that:

  • Its Mission, Core Purpose and Core Values represent AMTA’s Core Ideology

  • AMTA’s Big Goal and Vivid Description represent AMTA’s Envisioned Future

  • Goals, Objectives, Fiscal Year ‘04/05 strategies represent AMTA’s Strategic Plan.

How did the Board arrive at the Core Ideology?
What are AMTA’s Big Goal and Vivid Description?

During the summer of 2003 the draft ideology, envisioned future and strategic plan were posted online for members’ and other stakeholders’ comments. There was overwhelming agreement with the intended direction. Following this feedback, the Board assigned a workgroup of volunteers to review individual comments, to tabulate results and to craft final recommended statements for the Board’s approval. Those statements were approved and became effective in October 2003.

AMTA used a planning model that looks at four planning horizons:

  • 10 – 30 years for the envisioned future

  • 5 – 10 years for the critical factors

  • 3 – 5 years for strategic planning

  • 1 – 2 years for action planning

It is the AMTA National Board’s intent to annually review issues impacting the profession and the association, to fine tune the current strategic plan. Every three to five years input from stakeholders will be requested and used in shaping a new strategic plan.

As it has for the past 60 years, AMTA’s work on behalf of the profession and its members will continue to provide leadership to the whole profession.