CU PT Student Legislative Day is coming up!

The 2nd CU PT STUDENT LEGISLATIVE DAY will be February 28,2012.  Hurry up and sign up if you haven't already- there are only 5 more spots open!
Email Julie or Terra to reserve your spot!
Julie Engle-julia.engle@ucdenver.edu
Terra Wishon-terra.wishon@ucdenver.edu

Join other students who are just as passionate as you about our profession and our future! It will be a great day to come together and tell legislators why PT's are the practitioners of choice

New Physical Therapy Board Appointed by Gov. Hickenlooper

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has announced the appointment of five physical therapists and two consumers to the new Board of Physical Therapy. Restoring the Board was the Chapter’s number one priority during the 2011 Sunset process. The legislation, SB11-169 formed the Board and authorized it to promulgate rules and regulations associated with the new PT Practice Act. The Board, which will begin its work on January 1^st, replaces the Physical Therapy Advisory Committee that has been in place for many years. Congratulations to the PTs who are all members of the APTA / Colorado Chapter:

Britt Smith, PT, DPT, private practice, Grand Junction – 2 year term

Carolyn Armstrong, PT, DPT, private practice, Nederland – 3 year term

Steve DiPaolo, PT, corporate practice, Lakewood – 3 year term

Ann Dinsmore, PT, hospital practice, Fort Collins – 4 year term

Tamara Struessel, PT, DPT, CU faculty, Denver – 4 year term

Marion Wells, public member – 4 years

Cindy Charlton, public member – 2 year term

Student Advocacy Challenge Winners!

(picture taken at 2011 National Student Conclave)

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO- APTA STUDENT ADVOCACY CHALLENGE WINNERS!

This year the physical therapy students at the University of Colorado have worked very hard advocating for issues we felt were important. We have held various events in order to increase awareness and educate legislators on important issues regarding our profession. We hosted state legislators on campus, met with state lobbyists, held “lunch-and-learn” lectures and have been committed to writing letters to our legislators. The most exciting experience was the 1st annual CU PT student Legislative Day at the Colorado state capitol. On that day, thirty students from our DPT program met with legislators in small groups and spoke about important issues involving the sunset of our practice act.  We also had students attend the CO Government Affairs monthly meetings to remain up-to-date on important state legislation and relayed this information to the students.  All in all, this has been an exciting experience for all of us who participated.  It was a team effort that focused on advocating for the profession of physical therapy and support of Vision 2020.  We look forward to this year's challenge!

Update on H.R. 1426

Student Loan Repayment Bill- update
-The Physical Therapist Student Loan Repayment Eligibility Act - H.R. 1426, S. 975
-The NHSC loan repayment provides up to $30,000 in loan forgiveness per year for a minimum of two years of service in an underserved area.
Increased by 35 cosponsors since Hill Day (57 total currently)
Increased by 3 cosponsors since Hill Day (5 total currently)

218 votes are needed!

Student Advocacy Challenge

REMINDER!
The APTA Student Advocacy Challenge is coming to an end for this year! Report your activity so your school can get challenge points. Follow the link below and fill out your activity:
http://www.apta.org/StudentAdvocacy/
-click on report your advocacy activity
-fill out the challenge record sheet

This year's winner will be announced at National Student Conclave :)

The Physical Therapist Student Loan Repayment Eligibility Act of 2011 (HR 1426/S 975)

On September 1,2011 a group of students consisting of first, second and third year CU PT students (3rd year: Leslie Sanchez, Jennifer Keller, Dave Gerbarg, Jackie Kiernan, 2nd year: Julie Engle, Tracy Louk, 1st year: Erica Hylton) met with Andrea Autobee (Congresswoman Diana DeGette's Congressional Aid).  The meeting agenda included a 1 hour tour of physical therapy facilities on the Anshutz Medical Campus: Dr. Melanson lab, Dr. Stephens-Lapsly lab, physical therapy gait lab, and the physical therapy student teaching labs.  The tour was followed by a 1 hour conversation on the bill HR 1426.  We specifically asked for Congresswoman Diana DeGette to sign on and support HR 1426 while it is in her committee.  Currently, the only Colorado legislator to sign on and support our bill is Congressman Perlmutter.

I have included our 1 page summary statement as to why Congresswoman DeGette should support our bill.
I encourage everyone to continue to write to your legislators and ask for their support!  You may include this 1 page summary with your letters (just don't forget to change the name ;)  Post any of your questions, comments or progress!

BELOW YOU CAN TRACK WHO HAS BEEN SUPPORTING OUR BILL:

H.R. 1426 Physical Therapist Student Loan Repayment Eligibility Act of 2011

Cosponsors Permalink: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:H.R.1426:@@@P

S. 975 Physical Therapist Student Loan Repayment Eligibility Act of 2011

Cosponsors Permalink: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:S.975:@@@P

 Link to 1 page summary handout: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14vgOtuPtg-YUkogH8CICHlLPw8IqqslO1PTqrtLjTYY/edit?hl=en_US#

Getting Started

The most important first step in getting started with physical therapy advocacy is identifying the individuals that represent you. You can find your Senator or Representative by district under "Colorado Legislative Links" or, if you are an APTA member, login to the Legislative Action Center. The Legislative Action Center shows your representatives based on the address associated with your membership. If you have a work, school or old address associated with your membership, these representatives may not be correct, so be sure to double check these are the individuals representing the district in which you currently live and vote.

Through the APTA website Advocacy & Governmental Affairs center you can receive updates regarding important issues facing our profession nationally and at your state level.

The easiest way to get involved as a student is to write your Senators and Representatives. Kyle Ridgeway PT, DPT, outlined detailed instructions on contacting your representative as part of a grassroots letter writing campaign with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Therapists Student Special Interest Group in 2009. Below is an excerpt from Kyle's post, the full post can be found here.

APTA MEMBERS: FINDING/CONTACTING YOUR REPRESENTATIVE

If you are an APTA member you can send electronic correspondence by clicking on “Support Physical Therapy Provisions in Health Care Reform Legislation in Congress” in the APTA’s Legislative Action Center.

1. Click Here to sign into the Legislative Action Center directly:

2. Once signed in click the “Federal Issues” button on the top(A form letter will appear)

3. Under "Current Issues" Support Physical Therapy Provisions in Health Care Reform Legislation in Congress will be listed. Click "Take Action" (a form letter will appear)

3. Select whether you would like to send an e-mail or a letter
* E-mail: will be sent once you click submit
* Letter: Addressed letter will be ready to print after clicking submit

4. Please read over the letter. Add some personal information and insights to make the letter unique

* Whether you are a student or practicing therapist
* What you are interested in
* What patient populations you serve
* NOTE: You can also select a blank letter and enter information on your own
* Make sure to identify yourself as a constituent

5. SUBMIT! It is that easy!!
1. If you selected e-mail, it will be sent
2. If you selected letter, an addressed letter ready to print will appear


NON APTA MEMBERS

Finding Your Representatives

1. Click Here to find your representatives

2. Enter the zip code of where you are registered to VOTE.

Contacting

1. For each representative that appears click on their picture. This will take you to their profile.

2. Once in the representative’s profile click on the “contact” tab above their picture.

3. Please use the Washington DC Office address for all your representatives.

NOTE: Electronic Correspondence: If you would also like to send an electronic correspondence, click on the link for the representative’s WEBSITE and contact them from their website.

See the talking points and sample letter below… Add some personal insights to make your letter unique and send it onward!!


Coordinate your efforts with other students as important issues arise to remind your legislators to represent you and your profession when they vote.