To: The Physicians of New York State

From: New York State Athletic Trainers’ Association

NYSATA is writing to ask for your support of changes to the current laws regulating Certified Athletic Trainers.

The Athletic Training Bills (S.4465/A.6678) are currently in the Higher Education Committees of both Houses of the New York State Legislature. This updated practice act has been introduced to reflect the growth in training and education that the athletic training profession has undergone in the past twenty-two years since it was first designated as a certified profession. It is also necessary to compliment the recent NYS Concussion Management and Awareness Act of 2011. The current practice act (Article 162) has been misinterpreted in the past to limit ATs from managing “neurologic conditions”. The assessment of concussion and referral is part of athletic training education. ATs are members of the concussion team to manage return to play/learn protocols. Through the accompanying State Education Department Guidelines for the NYS Concussion Management & Awareness Act ATs are recognized in these roles. This legislation would also allow athletic trainers to assess and treat orthopedic injuries regardless of where they occur. The current athletic training practice act restricts ATs to treating injuries which occur only in specific athletic-related settings. Throughout the state an increasing number of athletic trainers are working in orthopedic offices as physician extenders. This update would allow increased utilization of athletic trainers within this setting. The updated practice act also provides for licensure of the profession, which is intended to safeguard the public. In addition it will provide clarity regarding appropriate settings of employment, and concussion management.

Athletic trainers are not seeking to expand beyond the types of injuries they are educated to manage. Most importantly every athletic trainer in NYS will continue to be required to work under a supervising physician.

MSSNY has great influence on medical legislation in New York State. Athletic trainers do not interact with many physician specialists outside of orthopedics, pediatrics and family practice. As such other physicians are often not as familiar with these professionals and NYSATA hopes that you will help educate your colleagues about the role of athletic trainers.

The New York State Athletic Trainers’ Association would appreciate all physicians, especially those who work with athletic trainers, to demonstrate their support for this legislation by signing the online petition found at (website link) in hopes that the MSSNY House of Delegates meeting in April 2014 will pass a resolution in support of the legislation (S.4465/A.6678).

As a NY State licensed physician, I support legislation that will update the practice act for athletic trainers in New York State (Bills S.4465 and A.6678).