Public Policy and Advocacy CommitteeThe Public Policy and Advocacy Committee is responsible for identifying, prioritizing, and managing current and emerging public policy issues that impact the provision of physical therapy services and empowers members with information to be engaged in Association policy efforts.
Compact LegislationWhat is it?The Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association is currently working with the PA Legislature to introduce a bill to the House and Senate to provide Pennsylvania PT/PTA’s to participate in the Interstate Physical Therapy Compact Agreements.
The Physical Therapy Compact Licensure is a contract whereby individual states agree to join the Compact allowing physical therapists and physical therapy assistants in those participating states to practice in any of the other participating states under its laws and rules without being licensed in each state. Each PT/PTA must hold a current and valid license in at least one state. What does it mean for our profession?If passed into Pennsylvania law, it would help military families when they receive PCS, permanent change of station orders. The military spouse would be able to use the compact legislation to work in the new state without the long process of filling out paperwork and waiting to get a license for each state they move to. They would experience improved quality of life and have opportunities to start looking for work with less waiting and paperwork.
What if you lived in the Philadelphia area and worked for a large company that has physical therapy clinics in multiple states like Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware? If all three states participated in the compact legislation you would only need a Pennsylvania license and a compact license to practice in all three states. This would provide you a better opportunity to cover sites for your company without having to get a license for each state. What does it mean for you and your patients?If your home state is Pennsylvania and you want to start travel physical therapy, the compact legislation can help. You would be able to use a compact legislation license to practice in any of the participating states and only apply for licenses in states that are not participating. It would allow less paperwork, less time waiting for the paperwork to be processed and allow you to start working in a participating state sooner as you do not have to wait on being licensed. It could also benefit physical therapists looking to do a residency or fellowship program outside of their home state. One of the goals of the compact legislation is to allow flexibility to practice under a single license in multiple states. The Compact Legislation improves public access to physical therapy services in under-served areas by decreasing the barriers of therapists/therapist assistants crossing state lines to provide needed services or allow opportunities for patients/clients to see a specialist as allowed by state law.
|
