Harvard Massage Institute Inc and American Massage Academy Inc in Plano closed May 18.
In a nutshell
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation issued an order to close various massage schools in the state, including two in Plano, after finding violations including but not limited to fraud, falsification of records or conduct that compromised the integrity of the licensure and examination processes, per its website.
The schools submitted inaccurate and inconsistent student hour records to the department, per a TDLR news release, and students sometimes performed services without required licensed supervision. The department also had concerns about illicit massage businesses and suspected human trafficking activity.
“Massage therapy is a respected profession that plays an important role in the health and wellness of Texans,” TDLR Executive Director Courtney Arbor said in a statement. “We will not tolerate fraudulent conduct that undermines that profession [and] puts the public at risk. At the same time, we are committed to supporting students who followed the law and holding bad actors accountable.”
Most students enrolled at the schools live outside of Texas, with a majority of students coming from New York and California according to the release.
The department also revoked the therapist and instructor licenses of the owner of both schools. The emergency order prevents school operations unless otherwise authorized, per the release.
What’s next
Impacted students can submit documentation to verify their hours or voluntarily surrender the hours to enroll in another approved school, according to the TDLR website. Current massage therapists and instructors that received their licenses from the two Plano schools will be asked to provide documentation at the time of their next license renewal.
