APTA's Committee on Cultural Competence replaced the Advisory Panel on Minority Affairs in 2001. APTA's Board of Directors approved the "Operational Plan on Cultural Competence" in May 2007.
Goal I: Integrate the process of cultural competence within the physical therapy profession.
- Adopt a cultural competence model for the profession of physical therapy.
- Create an education curriculum that is consistent with the adopted cultural competence model.
- Educate stakeholders (APTA staff, PTs, PTAs, students) in the process of cultural competence.
- Facilitate ongoing assessment of the process of cultural competence within the physical therapy profession.
Goal II: Facilitate the development of physical therapist practices that assure physical therapy professionals are committed to serving the underserved and eliminating health disparities.
- Establish a database of effective clinical practice models that serve the underserved and eliminate health disparities.
- Promote awareness and utilization of the resources that are available to practitioners relative to the delivery of culturally competent physical therapy services
Goal III: Increase the number of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants from racial/ethnic minority groups to reflect the changing demographics of US society.
- Identify and communicate strategies for recruitment/retention of PTs and PTAs from racial/ethnic minority groups into PT/PTA education programs and APTA membership.
- Identify the benefits and barriers to APTA membership/governance/ participation for PTs & PTAs from racial ethnic/minority groups.
- Assess our "welcoming quotient" and develop strategies to be more inclusive for PTs and PTAs from racial/ethnic minority groups.