A meeting of the Massage, Bodywork and Somatic Therapy Examining Committee was held on March 26, 2008 in the Sussex Conference Room on the 6th Floor, 124 Halsey Street, Newark, New Jersey. Alan G. Vonderahe, Committee Chair called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

ROLL CALL

COMMITTEE MEMBER(S) PRESENT

Alan G. Vonderahe
Deborah Overholt
Donda Kraus-Sternberg

ALSO PRESENT

George J. Hebert, MA, RN, Executive Director
Margaret Howard, MSN, RN, Field Representative
Ginger Provost, Deputy Attorney General
Alba R. Jaramillo, Support Staff

QUORUM WAS DECLARED PRESENT

In accordance with Chapter 231 of P.L. 1975, more commonly referred to as the Sunshine Law, adequate notice of this meeting was provided by mailing on November 30, 2007. A schedule of all 2008 Regular Open Committee Meetings of the Massage, Bodywork and Somatic Therapy Examining Committee to be held during 2008 was provided to the Office of the Secretary of State, Star Ledger, Trenton-Times, The New York Times, Camden Courier Post, The Press of Atlantic City and The Philadelphia Inquirer. The schedule has also been posted on the bulletin board at the New Jersey State Board of Nursing Office.

A reading and approval of the Open Session Agenda of March 26, 2008 Committee Meeting with the following addition:

To add a new agenda item:

Discussion of the June 25, 2008 Committee Meeting.

After discussion, the Committee upon a motion made by Deborah Overholt and duly seconded by Donda Kraus-Sternberg, voted to approve the Open Agenda of March 26, 2008 Committee Meeting as amended. The motion carried.

A reading and approval of the Open Session Minutes of January 23, 2008, Committee Meeting with amendments:

To correct the following:

Page #5, to move New Business to just before review of applications.

Page #5, to delete motion under Old Business resumed.

Page #6, to delete sub-title Old Business resumed.

Page #6, to move item #4, Review of Applications before the names of applicants who were approved.

Page #6, to move Open Session to page #5.

Page #7, to add on third line under motion stated on the record.

After discussion, the Committee upon a motion made by Deborah Overholt and duly seconded by Donda Kraus-Sternberg, voted to approve the January 23, 2008 Open Minutes as amended. The motion carried.

A reading and approval of the Open Session Minutes of February 27, 2008, Committee Meeting with amendments:

To correct the following:

Cover page to correct spelling of DAG, Megan Cordoma’s last name.

To correct the following:

Page #2, to correct second line under motion Alan G. Vonderahe’s last name.

Page #3, to correct forth line under motion the word program.

After discussion, the Committee upon a motion made by Deborah Overholt and duly seconded by Donda Kraus-Sternberg, voted to approve the February 27, 2008 Open Minutes as amended. The motion carried.

OLD BUSINESS:

FYI response letter to Frank Pileggi, PhD, Director at Lourdes Wellness Center from George J. Hebert, MA, RN, Executive Director concerning verification of eligibility for the New Jersey State certification for all graduates of Our Lady of Lourdes Institute of Wholistic Studies.

New Wave Myotherapy Academy – Hearing for March 26, 2008, Committee Meeting.

After discussion, the Committee upon a motion made by Deborah Overholt and duly seconded by Donda Kraus-Sternberg, voted to go into Executive Session for advice of counsel concerning two students from New Wave. The motion carried.

The Committee resumed discussion of item #2, and proceeded to question former New Wave Myotherapy Academy’s students concerning the education they received at the school.

NEW BUSINESS:

Helma Institute of Massage Therapy.

March 14, 2008, letter from Gary Altman, Director, Division of One-Stop Coordination and Support, State of New Jersey, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, regarding Helma Institute of Massage Therapy no longer meeting the regulatory standards of financial responsibility since the school was unable to secure a letter of credit.

After discussion, the Committee upon a motion made by Deborah Overholt and duly seconded by Donda Kraus-Sternberg, voted to go into Executive Session for advice of counsel concerning Helma Institute of Massage Therapy. The motion carried.

OPEN SESSION RESUMED:

OPEN FORUM:

Alan G. Vonderahe asked the public to share or provide information to the Committee.

Alan Jordan, Director, and Mary Rugenbug, Campus Director, Helma Institute of Massage Therapy, shared with the Committee their concerns regarding Helma’s graduates having trouble receiving their New Jersey Massage Certification. Both Mr. Jordan and Ms. Rugenbug gave a brief explanation of The Helma Institute of Massage Therapy’s operation. They also expressed their concern about the possibility of closing the Institute.

The Committee discussed rescheduling the June 25, 2008 Committee Meeting due to Ginger’s absence. The Committee agreed to look into June 18, 2008 as a possible date to hold the June Committee Meeting, and will check to see if there are any conflicts.

REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS:

After discussion, the Committee upon motion made by Deborah Overholt and duly seconded by Donda Kraus-Sternberg, voted to go into Executive Session to review the applications for certification and disciplinary matters. The motion carried.

Open session resumed and the following applications were reviewed:

Danielle Bononcini
Rosina Valvo-Tola
K Yong Sook Cho
Mary Constance Cope

After discussion, the Committee upon motion made by Deborah Overholt and duly seconded by Donda Kraus-Sternberg, voted to approve the applications for certification as listed above. The motion carried.

ADJOURNMENT:

A motion was made by Deborah Overholt and duly seconded by Donda Kraus-Sternberg to adjourn the Massage, Bodywork and Somatic Therapy Examining Committee Meeting. Whereupon the meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m. The next Massage, Bodywork and Somatic Therapy Examining Committee Meeting will be held on April 30, 2008, 9:00 a.m., in the Sussex Conference Room, 6th Floor.

Respectfully Submitted,

_______________
Alan G. Vonderahe
Committee Chair

Contact Us | Privacy Notice | Legal Statement | Accessibility Statement

division: dca home | complaint forms | licensing boards | adoptions | proposals | minutes | consumer protection

departmental: lps home | contact us | news | about us | FAQs | library | employment | programs and units | services a-z

statewide: nj home | my new jersey | people | business | government | departments | search