History

The regulations are set up according to the requirements in Paragraph 4 of article 46 in People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act (hereinafter called “The Act”).

Except as otherwise provided by other regulations, persons with visual impairments engaging in massage or physical therapy shall follow the provisions of the Regulations.

The referred to the Regulations are Council of Labor Affairs of Executive Yuan at the central government level, municipal governments at the city government level, and county governments at the county level.

The terms used in the Regulations are defined as follows:
1.Massage: the action to soothe other people’s fatigue, by rubbing softly, kneading, pressing by fingers, tapping, quivering, bending arms, exercise and other special hand-techniques.
2.Physical therapy massage: the action of massage to soothe patients’ pain, or to maintain their health, by using massage hand-techniques, or by using assistive tools.
3.Masseur: persons with visual impairments who engages in massage or physical therapy massage.

The massage proprietor should establish his/her fixed practice locations. If no fixed practice locations are established, his/her practice location should be the place, residence, or dwelling house where his/her service is provided mainly.
If the massage proprietor establishes more than one fixed practice locations, only one of them needs to be registered.
A person who practices physical therapy massage should engage in this activity in medical institutions.

Before practicing massage, the person with visual impairments who engages in massage should present the following documents to apply for practice the permission from local competent authorities:
1. National identity card and a photocopy of the front and back page of Disability Identity Card.
2. A Certificate of massage technician issued by the central competent authorities;
3. Proof of health checkup within past 3 months, provided by qualified medical institutions appraised by the central authorities of public health;
4. Three copies of the same photo in 1”taken within past 3 months and the photo should show the face and the upper body without wearing any hats.

Before practicing massage, the person with visual impairments who engages in physical therapy massage should prepare the following documents to apply for the practice permission from local competent authorities:
1. National identity card and a photocopy of the front and back page of Disability Identity Card.
2. A Certificate of Class B massage technician issued by the central competent authorities;
3. A diploma in Physical Massage Therapy issued by public private educational agencies；or a certificate in physical Massage Therapy issued by government institutions or other agencies consigned by those government institutions.
4. Proof of health checkup within past 3 months, provided by qualified medical institutions appraised by the central authorities of public health;
5. Three copies of the same photo in 1”taken within past 3 months, and the photo should show the face and the apper body with wearing ant hats.

If the practice location of the masseur moved is changed within the same administrative zone of municipality or county/city, he/she should update this change in local competent authorities, and change his/her practice permission.
If the practice location of the masseur is moved to a different administrative zone of municipality or county/city, he/she should follow the requirements of the preceding 2 articles to re-gain and apply for permission to practice massage or permission to practice physical therapy massage from local competent authorities in the administrative zone where his/her current practice location belongs. Besides, the masseur should return his/her original practice permission in massage or physical therapy massage.
When issuing a new permission, the local competent authorities where the massage proprietor’s new practice location belongs should concurrently notify the original competent authorities that the massage proprietor’s original practice location belongs in the past. If the original practice permission in massage or in physical therapy massage is not returned by the massage proprietor, such practice permission should be abolished by the precious competent authorities that the massage proprietor’s original practice location belongs.
The issued practice permission will become invalid if the masseur deceased.

If the application is undertaken according to the preceding 3 articles, such application can be consigned to the Massage Union in the administrative zone where the massage proprietor’s practice location belongs. In areas where no Massage Union is founded, such application can be consigned to associations of persons with visual impairments visually impaired designated by local competent authorities.
Once the practice permission in Massage or physical therapy massage is damaged, lost or destroyed, the massage proprietor can apply for replacement or renewal of such permission according to the provisions of article 6 or article 7.

When practicing massage, the massage proprietor should wear the original copy or a photo copy of practice permission card, and keep his/her appearance and clothes clear and tidy..
If the massage proprietor gets any dermatitis, rash, fester, wound in either hand or contracts any other diseases which may be contagious to the person who receives massage, the massage proprietor must not engage in massage during such period of time.
When establishing a fixed practice location, the massage proprietor should show the mark of certified massage technician on the sign; the facilities of massage room and sterilization equipment should also be installed.

By the end of every March, the massage proprietor should receive a health checkup in a qualified medical institution appraised by the central competent authorities of public health. Each massage union or association of persons with visual impairments designated by local competent authorities should help its members spontaneously, and assist massage proprietors in receiving health checkups regularly.

Public or private medical institutions should refer certified masseur to provide their patients with services in physical massage therapy；or it should employ certified masseur to provide services in physical massage therapy according to the provisions in article 38 of The Act.

The competent authorities should coordinate with the authorities of education to enhance education of cultivation or continuing education in physical therapy massage for persons with visual impairments. such education can be provided in the ways of credit programs of physical therapy massage.

The competent authorities in a municipality or county/city should subsidize or consign agencies to conduct job trainings in massage or physical therapy massage for person with visual impairments , and assist them in engaging in providing services massage; the budgets needed should be provided by appropriate sources from the municipal governments at the city government level, and county governments at the county level.
If the competent authorities in a municipality or county/city are short of budget, the central competent authorities should find budgets to subsidize for trainings.

If certified persons with visual impairments engage in practicing massage or physical therapy massage, they will be assisted and ordered to acquire practice permission within a period of time according to the regulations.
The massage proprietor must not rent or lend his/her practice permission to other people or agencies.
If the massage proprietor disobeys the preceding provision, the competent authorities in a municipality or county/city should order him/her to stop within a time limit; if the massage proprietor has no change by the due time, his/her to practice permission should be abolished.

Every December, the competent authorities in a municipality or county/city should report the situations of executing assistance in massage and clampdowns on massage practiced by sighted persons within its jurisdiction to the central competent authorities for check and review.

The regulations should come into force on and from the day of its announcement.