Massage Therapy Board Faces Criticism for Delayed Complaint Investigations and Lack of Transparency

The Arizona State Legislature's Senate and House Health & Human Services Joint Committee convened on January 17, 2025, to address critical issues surrounding the oversight of the state's massage therapy licensing board. The meeting focused on a follow-up review of the board's handling of complaints and public transparency, stemming from a 2022 audit that raised significant concerns.

The committee began by discussing the findings from the 2022 review, which revealed that the board failed to investigate or document numerous complaints, including serious allegations of patient harm and unlicensed practice. Notably, seven complaints linked to a prostitution-related police report had gone unaddressed for over two years. The review also highlighted that 29 sampled complaints took more than 180 days to resolve, with many lacking essential documentation and not being reviewed in public meetings. These shortcomings were deemed a risk to public safety, as they allowed potentially unfit practitioners to continue their work.

To rectify these issues, the audit presented nine recommendations. As of the latest follow-up, the board had made progress on seven of these, particularly in resolving approximately 80% of complaints within the 180-day target. However, 19 complaints remained unresolved for extended periods, ranging from 194 to 380 days. The board had implemented one recommendation related to complaint policies, but four others were still in progress due to inconsistent compliance by staff.

The committee also examined the board's public communication practices, which were found lacking. The board had not provided its contact information on its website, failed to respond to public inquiries, and did not adequately post or remove disciplinary actions as required by law. This lack of transparency undermined public trust and limited the ability of potential employers and the public to make informed decisions regarding massage therapy practitioners.

In response to these findings, the audit made six additional recommendations aimed at improving public information access. While the board had implemented one recommendation to post its telephone number online, the remaining five were not yet fulfilled. The board had developed policies for responding to inquiries and managing disciplinary actions but had not effectively trained staff to adhere to these protocols.

The meeting concluded with a commitment from the committee to monitor the board's progress in implementing the recommendations and improving its operations. The ongoing issues underscore the importance of accountability and transparency in regulatory bodies, particularly those responsible for public health and safety.