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2009 APTA State Government Affairs Forum
Nearly 150 PT, PTA, and PT student advocates from across the country
attended the APTA State Government Affairs Forum September 13-15, 2009,
in Phoenix, AZ. This event, co-hosted with the Arizona Chapter, was
designed to increase participants' involvement in and knowledge of state
policy issues that have an impact on the practice of physical therapy,
and improve their advocacy efforts at the state level. Attendees had the
opportunity to hear from influential public policy makers and other PT
advocates; to collaborate with colleagues in developing and improving
their components' advocacy efforts; and to network with other
professionals from across the country.
This year's forum featured a variety of informational and strategy
sessions on topics including health care reform, referral for profit
(POPTS), infringement issues, term protection, and the PT workforce
among others.
In addition, the 2009 APTA State Legislative Awards were presented in
conjunction with this year’s Forum. For their individual
leadership on legislation advancing Vision 2020 in the state arena, the
2009 State Legislative Leadership Award was presented to Maggie Donohue,
PT, of New Hampshire and Kim Reid, PT, of Utah. In recognition of their
long-term commitment to their chapters’ state legislative
activities over several years and for consistently providing assistance
in the statehouse, the 2009 State Legislative Commitment Award was
presented to Kathy Brady, PT, of Maryland and Peter McMenamin, PT, MS,
OCS, of Illinois. APTA Board member Lisa Saladin, PT, PhD, presented the
awards at a reception in honor of this year’s winners.
The 2010 State Government Affairs Forum is scheduled for September
26-28, 2010, in Portland, OR.
Justin Moore, vice president of Government Affairs & Payment
Advocacy, and members of the APTA Government Affairs Committee
participate in a panel discussion on the current health care reform
effort. |
Arizona State Representative Kyrsten Sinema, a democratic member of the
Arizona House of Representatives and the Assistant Minority Leader,
spoke at the Sunday opening luncheon. Rep. Sinema was recently invited
to join President Obama as a member of the White House Health Reform
Task Force. |
Justin Elliott, director of APTA State Government Affairs (far right)
with students from Arizona PT programs. This year's Forum had a record
number of student attendees. |
Arizona Republican State Representative Nancy Barto, chair of the
Arizona House Health Committee, spoke at Monday's luncheon about her
efforts in Arizona to ensure choice in health insurance. |
Vic Vaughan, PT, of the Connecticut Chapter led a workshop on recent
state activity that attempted restrict use of low-level lasers by
physical therapists. |
Marc Goldstein, director of APTA Research, co-presented with Bill
Boissonnault, PT, DHSc, FAAOMPT, on PT workforce issues at the state
level. |
Kevin Rippey, PT, of the Iowa Chapter provided a case study on efforts
this past year in Iowa to combat physician self-referral in physical
therapy. |
John Wallace, PT , MS, OCS, chair of the APTA Referral for Profit
Committee (POPTS), provided an update to attendees on the Committee's
current work and future projects. |
Craig Johnson, PT, and Kathleen Picard, PT, of the Minnesota Chapter led
a small group discussion on the issue of POPTS at the state level. |
APTA Board Member Lisa Saladin (left) with Kathy Brady, PT, of the
Maryland Chapter. Kathy was one of this year's recipients of the APTA
Legislative Commitment Award for her many years of work on a variety of
state legislative issues for the Maryland Chapter. |
Peter McMenamin, PT, MS, OCS, listens as APTA Board member Lisa Saladin
presents him with the 2009 State Legislative Commitment Award. Peter was
recognized for his dedication to the issue of physician self-referral in
physical therapy (POPTS) and his devotion to the Illinois Chapter's
state legislative efforts. |
Lisa Saladin, PT, PhD, pictured with Maggie Donohue, PT, of the New
Hampshire Chapter. Maggie was presented the 2009 State Legislative
Leadership Award for her leadership in defeating state legislation this
year that would have prohibited PTs from performing spinal manipulation,
as well as her assistance in obtaining an opinion from the New Hampshire
Attorney General recognizing that manipulation is part of the PT scope
of practice. |
Kim Reid, PT, (right) of the Utah Chapter accepts the 2009 State
Legislative Leadership Award from Lisa Saladin, PT, PhD. Kim was
recognized for his leadership that led to the enactment this year of a
new PT practice act in the state of Utah. |
APTA Board Members Lisa Saladin, PT, PhD, (far left) and Kathy Mairella,
PT, DPT, MA, (far right) with the winners of the 2009 APTA State
Awards. |
[Last updated: 09/21/09 | Contact: advocacy@apta.org]
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