A Message From the President

As the end of the year rapidly approaches, it is a good time to reflect on the successes of the year and look to the potential of a new year ahead of us. Thanks to the hard work of the APTA Indiana Legislative Committee, legislation passed that now allows the physical therapist assistant to provide physical therapy services via telehealth. We had very a successful Spring Meeting and Fall Conference with increased attendance. Also, for the first time, we have over 2,000 APTA Indiana members. As we look to 2023, the APTA Indiana leadership looks very bright. Thank you to all who consented to run for office in the recent election. The election results were released last week, indicating those who will be stepping into elected positions on the Board of Directors, as Delegates, on the Nominating Committee and as the PTA Caucus Alternate Representative. I want to thank those who are completing their terms at the end of this month:

• Connie Crump, PT – Recording Secretary
• Kevin Sanborn, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy – Director at Large – Central
• Jerry Smith, PT, ATC, MBA – Delegate
• Rick Reuss, PT – Alternate Delegate

The work of these individuals has advanced our profession, here in Indiana. Those who have been elected will take office on January 1, 2023. President-Elect, Paul Lonnemann, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, and I have met, and are working on the handoff of presidential duties. I have no doubt that the Chapter is going to benefit from Paul’s leadership and long-standing knowledge of our profession in Indiana.

In addition to our Chapter elections, there are new leaders that were recently elected to serve on APTA Indiana Special Interest Group Boards.

New Professional SIG

• Michelle Lazorchak, PT, DPT, Chair
• Rachel German, PT, DPT, Vice Chair
• Hannah Bernhardt, PT, DPT, ATC, Secretary/Treasurer

Pain SIG

• John Kiesel, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, Chair
• Dimple Singh, PT, DPT, Vice Chair
• Francis McDonald, Secretary/Treasurer

Pediatric SIG

• Stasia Tapley, PT, DPT, Chair
• Jeanine David Goldner, PT, DPT, MHS, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy, Secretary/Treasurer

Student SIG

• Allison Eavey, SPT, ATC, Chair
• Lucy Momeyer, SPT, Vice Chair
• Caitlin Hudoba, SPT, Secretary/Treasurer

We also have a new Student Core Ambassador, McKayla Tucker, SPT. Thank you to Angie Dolan, SPT, the outgoing Student Core Ambassador. For those who are not familiar with the role of the Core Ambassador, more details about this can be found HERE. APTA Indiana appreciates the willingness of each volunteer who is here to serve and engage members, sharing the resources that the Chapter has to offer.

Over the last year, a number of you have contacted APTA Indiana leadership with a variety of questions and concerns. They were related to the delay in having your license issued by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA), practice questions, and asking when the Physical Therapy Rules might be updated. Last week, APTA Indiana leadership attended a meeting held by the IPLA, outlining the challenges they have faced serving professional licensees in Indiana in past years. The IPLA shared that high staff turnover and limited resources have been significant factors in why they have fallen short in meeting their mission. In light of these challenges, the IPLA recognizes that they need to change a lot of their processes and presented an outline of how this will occur. This includes improving the turnaround time on license processing and Rule approval. All of the processes for the Physical Therapy Rules were completed in late November and we anticipate seeing the Rules before the end of this month. When the Rules are made available for public review, we will communicate the next steps for how to give feedback and when the public hearing on the Rules will occur.

Related to the Rules is the Physical Therapy Compact. The Compact cannot go into effect until the Rules are passed. So, we will not see the Compact go into effect on January 1, 2023. I appreciate that this is frustrating for many, as it is for me as well. However, I see the changes that the IPLA is implementing as very positive and a step forward in improving the practice of physical therapy in Indiana. Going forward, APTA Indiana leadership is committed to working with the IPLA and other stakeholders to allow for continued improvement. As APTA Indiana’s current President, I will be engaged during the transition of the President and available to help in anyway I can.

After serving on the APTA Indiana Board of Directors over the last 10 years, with four years as Vice President and six years as President, I am in the final days of this journey. This journey has simply been incredible, as I have come to appreciate the importance of making a difference in our profession and in the lives of our patients and clients, through service. When on a journey, there are many high points to remember, but also, there are challenges. In those moments when I was challenged with tough decisions, I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by others with the same passion for our profession and those we serve, who provided me with guidance and support. I want to thank you all for your support of our profession and for our professional association, which is critical in the lives of so many. Working together, we can make a difference in the lives of others!

Emily Slaven, PT, PhD
President, APTA Indiana