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President’s Message
(May 2019)
 /  President's Message Archive / President’s Message
(May 2019)

President’s Message
(May 2019)

INAPTA Members,

On May 1, 2019, Governor Holcomb signed SB 586 into law, and the updates to the Indiana Physical Therapy Practice Act will go into effect on July 1, 2019. You can see the updates with the language HERE. The bold areas represent the new language and the strike through removes language. The key updates are the following:

  • Creation of a 5-person Physical Therapy Board to regulate the practice of physical therapy in Indiana.
  • Expansion of direct access from 24 days to 42 days.
  • Recognition of dry needling as being within the physical therapy scope of practice.
  • Provides improved “title protection” for licensed physical therapists and for the term physical therapy.
  • Removes the ability of a physician to supervise a physical therapist assistant.
  • Adds a definition of “physical therapy aide” which is a person who performs designated and routine tasks related to physical therapy services.
  • Limits the times that the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) can be taken to 6.

I was able to attend the Indiana Physical Therapy Committee meeting on May 1 where the Committee was briefed by staff from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency about the updates that will go into effect on July 1. Many of the updates that will occur are straight forward, such as the change in the number of days of direct access, the limit on the number of times a person can take the NPTE and title protection. However, there are some elements, such as the appointment to the Board and the rule that will outline the education requirements required in order to perform dry needling, that are currently being reviewed by legal counsel for the PT Committee. I appreciate that the PT Committee has been open in communications with me about the updates and as I know more in particular about the dry needling I will share this with INAPTA members.

Over the next few weeks, Pauline Flesch, Steve Beebe and I will have an opportunity to personally thank many of the legislators who supported us during the legislative session. We are able to do this through your contributions to the INAPTA PAC. There are many simple and painless ways to continue to support our PAC. One, is by contributing the $10 in savings on your membership. Every $10 contribution to the INAPTA PAC counts, so please take time to consider giving back to the continued legislative support of our profession. Your professional association assumed the entire cost of making these changes happen. In addition, we are excited to announce our 2019 PAC Golf Fundraiser will be held on June 22 at the Legends Golf Club in Franklin. I look forward to seeing many of you there. Click HERE for more information on how to register your team.

Kip Schick, PT, DPT, MBA, Director, APTA Board of Directors spoke at the INAPTA Spring Meeting on April 27 on The Importance and Impact of Public Policy Advocacy on Physical Therapist Practice and Societal Health. He shared the legislative changes that have occurred in Wisconsin in the practice of physical therapy as a result of advocacy. INAPTA leadership, including District leaders, also met at the Spring Meeting to continue to keep volunteers engaged and informed on the Chapter’s strategic goals and initiatives.

Thank you again for all your support these past few months as we accomplished a monumental legislative win here in Indiana for the profession of physical therapy.

Emily Slaven, PT, PhD
President, INAPTA

Maximize the lifelong health, function, and well-being of people in Indiana by advancing the profession of physical therapy through engagement, advocacy and education.

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