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President’s Message
(March 9, 2022)
 /  President's Message Archive / President’s Message
(March 9, 2022)

President’s Message
(March 9, 2022)

A Message From the President

We had a little glimpse of spring this past weekend, giving hope that we are moving in the right direction, leaving winter behind us! The physical therapy profession in Indiana is also moving in the right direction as we celebrate yet another advancement in practice during this year’s legislative session.

APTA Indiana’s legislative push in 2022 was to pass legislation that would allow the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) to provide physical therapy services via telehealth. In 2021, Senate Bill (SB) 3 was responsible for the change in the Indiana Code, which permitted the Physical Therapist (PT) to provide physical therapy services via telehealth. However, we could not convince the author of SB 3 to add the PTA to that legislation. This year, SB 284 was the vehicle to change that. At the start of the legislative session, the initial language in SB 284, relating to the PTA and telehealth, was challenging to follow, but did allow the PTA to work under the plan of care developed by the PT. This language was removed when the bill moved to the House, so we really had to dig in to have the PTA added back into SB 284. This was a roller coaster ride for several weeks with the eventual high this week SB 284 passing the House and Senate on Monday afternoon, including the language ‘Physical Therapist Assistant’ being inserted back into the bill! Thank you to the APTA Indiana Lobbyist, Steve Beebe, for his tireless work with legislators to make this happen. I also want to recognize Holly Zent, PTA for testifying on SB 284 and to Senator Charbonneau for supporting the addition of the PTA into SB 284. I also want to recognize Connie Crump, PT and Jack Werle, PT, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy, who both stepped up and showed the power of grass roots advocacy, connecting with their local Representatives to secure up the PTA being in the final version of SB 284.

Considering this advance in our profession, and the potential we have to continue moving our profession forward, I would encourage you to consider attending this year’s APTA Indiana Spring Meeting on April 30 at Bradford Woods were the theme will be innovation within our profession. We have some incredible programming for the Spring Meeting from 9:00 am-12:00 pm.

  • Finding Innovation in the PT Profession
  • Drew Contreras, PT, DPT, Vice President of Clinical Integration & Innovation, APTA
  • Naloxone Administration and PT Roles in the Opioid Public Health Crisis
  • John Kiesel, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy

This programming is free to all APTA Indiana members and will provide you 3 Category I contact hours toward your license or certificate renewal! Breakfast and lunch will be provided for those who register HERE. If you are not already involved with an APTA Indiana Committee or SIG, but would like to learn more, consider staying after lunch to learn more about the committees, SIGs and the Board of Directors.

Another date to add to your calendar is Friday, June 3 for the APTA Indiana Golf Outing. This is our primary annual fundraiser for the APTA Indiana Political Action Committee (PAC). When we support our PAC, we drive our ability to continue to move the needle with the practice of physical therapy within Indiana. Every donation counts! Please consider donating to the PAC today!

Thank you all for your membership and engagement in our profession. Without your membership, the momentum in our profession in Indiana would not occur. We are better together!

Happy early St. Patrick’s Day!

Emily Slaven, PT, PhD
President, APTA Indiana
slavene@uindy.edu

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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