1.

WORLD CONFEDERATION FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY

Introduction & Foundation

World confederation for physical therapy (WCPT) was founded in 8 September 1951 in

Copenhagen, Denmark, with 11 founding member organizations from:

1. Australia

2. Canada

3. Denmark

4. Finland

5. Great Britain

6. New Zealand

7. Norway

8. South Africa

9. France

10. Sweden

11. United States of America

The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is the sole international organization

representing more than 300,000 physical therapists worldwide through its 101 member

organizations.

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 It is dedicated to promoting the profession and improving global health. The sole international

voice for physiotherapy. Represent more than 670,000 physiotherapists worldwide, through 122

member organizations. In 1996 World Physiotherapy established World PT Day which has been

celebrated annually ever since, and has grown in popularity and influence. Every year

physiotherapy organizations and individual physical therapists around the world organize

campaigns and events to celebrate and publicize the role of physical therapists.

Vision

World Physiotherapy's vision is to move physiotherapy forward so the profession is

recognized globally for its significant role in improving health and wellbeing. As the

international voice of physiotherapy.

Mission

Its mission is to:

 Unite the profession internationally

 Represent physiotherapy and physiotherapists internationally

 Promote high standards of physiotherapy practice, education and research

 Facilitate communication and information exchange among member organizations, regions,

subgroups and their members

 collaborate with national and international organizations

 contribute to the improvement of global health

World Physiotherapy believes every individual is entitled to the highest possible standard of

culturally appropriate healthcare delivered in an atmosphere of trust and respect for human dignity

and underpinned by sound clinical reasoning and scientific evidence.

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Presidents of WCPT

• Mildred Elson, 1953-1956, member of American Physical Therapy Association

• Gwen Griffin, 1956-1959, member of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

• Rudie Agersnap, 1959-1967, member of Association of Danish Physiotherapists

• Glen Park, 1967-1970, member of Physiotherapy New Zealand

• Doreen Moore, 1970-1974, member of Canadian Physiotherapy Association

• Eugene Michels, 1974-1982, member of American Physical Therapy Association

• Margrit List, 1982-1988, member of German Association for Physiotherapy

• Brian Davey, 1988-1991, member of Australian Physiotherapy Association

• A J Fernando, 1991-1995, member of Canadian Physiotherapy Association

• David Teager, 1995-1999, member of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

• Sandra Mercer Moore, 1999-2007, member of Australian Physiotherapy

Association

• Marilyn Moffat, 2007-2015, member of American Physical Therapy Association

• Emma Stokes (current president)

Major Activities

 WCPT undertakes and supports a range of programs, projects and campaigns promoting

the physical therapy contribution to global health.

 It maintains official relationships and strategic alliances with government and non-

government agencies worldwide, including the World Health Organization.

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  WCPT believes that physical therapists have the responsibility, through their national

associations, to work with governments and other agencies, to contribute to national

human resource (workforce) planning.

 Such planning should aim to ensure a balance between demand and supply for physical

therapists and a balance between qualified physical therapists and support personnel, to

facilitate the best possible level of quality service/care for the community.

WCPT Role in Advocacy

It help member organizations

how to increase the standing of

the profession in their country

and advocate for change.

WCPT role in doing Projects

It work collaboratively on

projects to develop and

strengthen physiotherapy

around the world.

WCPT Role in Education of Physiotherapy

WCPT supports the

development of high quality

physiotherapy education and

offer an education accreditation

service.

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 Physiotherapy Definition by WCPT

“Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximising quality of life and movement

potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, habilitation and

rehabilitation”.

World Physiotherapy Congress

World Physiotherapy holds a congress every two years, where the world of physiotherapy

meets. The World Physiotherapy Congress is the largest international gathering of physiotherapists,

bringing together clinicians, educators, researchers, managers and policy makers. The next congress

will be in April 2021 in Dubai, UAE.

Previous congresses

2020, France, Poland and Romania admitted

New Constitution

 2019 Geneva, Switzerland - (Congress proceedings)

A new constitution is unanimously approved at the 19th

general meeting in Geneva in May 2019. Delegates at the

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meeting also approved a motion on climate change, a policy

statement

on diversity and inclusion, and an endorsement of ethical

principles of health care in times of armed conflict and other

emergencies. Three new subgroups were also approved:

 2017 Cape Town, South Africa First congress in

Africa. Cape Town was the location for

WCPT's first congress in Africa

 2015 Singapore

2011 Amsterdam, Netherlands: Amsterdam was the

location for the 17th general meeting

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 2007 Vancouver, Canada: 16th general meeting in
Vancouver,
Canada, the senational physiotherapy associations brought
the membership to 100
 2003 Barcelona, Spain

1999 Yokohama, Japan: The 14th general meeting

 1995 Washington DC, United States

1991 London, UK: the general meeting. The 12th meeting

 1987 Sydney, Australia

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1982 Stockholm, Sweden: 10th general meeting in
Stockholm

1978 Tel Aviv, Israel: The 9th general meeting took place
in Tel Aviv, Israel, where the first subgroup, International
Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapists
(IFOMT), is recognised

1974 Montreal, Canada: Subgroups are established at the

8th general meeting in Montreal, Canada

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1970 Amsterdam, Netherlands: The 7th general meeting

1967 Melbourne, Australia: 6th general meeting

1963 Copenhagen, Denmark: The 5th general meeting

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1959 Paris, France: The first
national physiotherapy association from South America

1956 New York City, United States: 3rd general meeting

1953 London, UK: 2nd general meeting

NEW Brand for WCPT. Welcome World Physiotherapy

 

 World Physiotherapy (formerly WCPT), the global body for national physiotherapy

associations, has launched a new brand and website on 30 June 2020

 The World Congress of Physiotherapy re-brand and transformation to World

Physiotherapy is complete and signals exciting times ahead for the global profession.

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  The vision, mission and support they offer us a physiotherapists around the world

remains the same but the clean crisp look means we will better be represented on the

world stage.

 Applied across all channels from the website and social media to printed reports, T -

shirts and stationery, the brand was launched on 30 June 2020 to a wonderful reception

from member organizations and physiotherapists around the world.

 Now fit for the launch of the new site in 2020, Congress in 2023 and beyond, we’re

looking forward to supporting World Physiotherapy on their brand journey.

 The contact details to access professional support has changed with the web site now

being world.physio , Twitter handle is @WorldPhysio1951 and general contact

being info@world.physio.

 A new constitution is unanimously approved at the 19th general meeting in Geneva in May

2019. Delegates at the meeting also approved a motion on climate change, a policy

statement on diversity and inclusion, and an endorsement of ethical principles of health

care in times of armed conflict and other emergencies.

Three new subgroups were also approved:

1. International Organization of Aquatic Physical Therapists (IOAPT),

2. International Federation of Physical Therapists working in Occupational Health and

Ergonomics (IFPTOHE),

3. International Physical Therapy for HIV/AIDS, Oncology, Hospice and Palliative Care

(IPT-HOPE).

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Future Planning of WCPT

Executive board has developed a strategic plan for 2017-2021.

 In 2021 WCPT will start a process to consider the key activities that will need to undertake

to continue the support of their members to grow the profession across the globe.

 World Physiotherapy is committed to furthering the physiotherapy profession and

improving global health.

 An important part of its mission is to further the global physiotherapy profession by

supporting its member organizations with information, expertise and services. It provide a

range of support and services for its member organizations.

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 2. FOREIGN CREDENTIALING COMMISSION ON PHYSICAL THERAPY

Introduction & Foundation

FCCPT is an independent non-profit organization founded by the Federation of State Boards of

Physical Therapy (FSBPT) in 1998. Many of the standards in use by FCCPT were developed by

FSBPT and it members. While both organizations share the fundamental mission of public

protection for consumers of physical therapy services. FCCPT carries out its mission through the

evaluation of the credentials of foreign educated physical therapists. Both organizations are largely

comprised of physical therapists and others active in physical therapy education, practice and

regulation in the United States.

The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is a non-profit organization

created to assist the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (formerly INS) and U.S. state

licensing authorities by evaluating the credentials of Foreign Educated Physical Therapists

(FEPTs) who wish to immigrate and work in the United States.

The Federation recognized that individuals educated outside the U.S. who wanted to work as

physical therapists in the U.S. must meet certain criteria. To protect the American public and

provide credentialing services to these individuals. The Foreign Credentialing Commission on

Physical Therapy (FCCPT) creation is a separate organization from the Federation.

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Origins of FCCPT

FCCPT is a nonprofit, member corporation registered in the state of Delaware on May 1, 1998. It

commenced operation in January 1999. The sole member of FCCPT is the Federation of State

Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). FCCPT is independent of any organization that functions

as a representative of the physical therapy occupation, such as a professional organization.

Services are not related to any recruitment or placement organization and fees are not based on

whether an applicant receives any benefit (license or visa) from an evaluation performed by

FCCPT.

FCCPT was formed, in part, as a response to problems identified by INS regarding a backlog of

FEPTs requesting occupational visas and in need of a credentialing certification. FCCPT saw an

opportunity to fill this need and recognized that a screening program could also be developed to

meet the licensure requirements of many state licensing jurisdictions, at the same time meeting the

needs of educational institutions for determining proper academic placement for foreign

applicants. With this in mind, FCCPT’s screening program was developed “to create an objective,

standardized assessment of an FEPT’s educational and professional credentials.” This assessment

could then be used by FEPTs in applying for occupational visas, state licensure or academic

placement. On April 27, 1999, FCCPT was authorized by INS to review FEPT credentials and

issue certificates to those who were qualified. By this time, FCCPT had already begun the process

of marketing their services to the member boards of FSBPT and to educational institutions.

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VISION

FCCPT is the credentialing agency required by all U.S. physical therapy licensing jurisdictions

and is recognized as a leading authority on the credentialing of foreign educated physical

therapists.

MISSION

FCCPT’s mission is to protect the public by the evaluation and authentication of international

credentials. It accomplish this through collaborative efforts to establish standards of excellence

and provide high quality and timely services.

Major Role of FCCPT

 FCCPT provides educational credentials reviews for physical therapists (PTs) and

physical therapist assistants (PTAs) using the PT or PTA Coursework Evaluation Tool

(CWT), which have been validated against CAPTE accreditation requirements for PT and

PTA education.

 FCCPT provide services to the individuals and organizations.

 It serve convenient and easy to access.

 It provide these services to the clients in the shortest possible time period.

Value of FCCPT

Foreign educated physical therapists can rely on FCCPT to fairly and consistently

evaluate their credentials utilizing uniform standards and processes in an objective

manner. Findings and conclusions are provided to the applicant when reports are issued.

FCCPT staff will assists jurisdictions and applicants to identify deficiencies and options

for supplementation.

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Immigration, licensing and other regulatory authorities can rely on the same uniform

standards and processes to produce consistent, clear opinions on the credentials of foreign

educated physical therapists. Our report format and supporting documentation clearly

explain how an opinion was reached and what steps were followed in the evaluation

process. Authorities can also rest assured that sound authentication procedures have been

followed in verifying source documents utilized in a credentials evaluation.

Employers, immigration attorneys, health plans and others may benefit from the services

of FCCPT to verify credentials of foreign educated physical therapists for quality

assurance, visa application, contracting or accreditation.

Salient Features

o FCCPT is one of only two organizations given authority by the U.S. Citizenship

& Immigration Services (formerly INS) to prescreen FEPTs and to issue

qualifying certificates for immigration.

o FCCPT is the ONLY qualifying organization dedicated exclusively to the review

and evaluation of physical therapist credentials for immigration and licensure.

o FCCPT keeps abreast of standards for physical therapy practice and licensure,

educational curricula and foreign educational systems. FCCPT has the

knowledge, ability and infrastructure to evaluate credentials on a consistent basis,

authenticate information sources and produce consistent, reliable outcomes.

o FCCPT has created uniform credentialing standards and developed the systems,

processes, and human resources necessary to consistently apply these standards.

o FCCPT has developed its credentialing standards in close collaboration with

academia, practicing physical therapy professionals, and licensing authorities.

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 o FCCPT’s quality assurance program is overseen by a panel of physical therapy

educators and physical therapists active in regulation.

o FCCPT is the only qualifying organization whose leadership is comprised of

physical therapy educators, regulators, public representatives and practicing

physical therapists.

FCCPT Board of Directors

The FCCPT Board of Directors comprises five voting members and one board liaison from

FSBPT. The Board’s role is to guide the overall development and direction of the organization.

The Board conducts monthly meetings.

Quality Review Committee (QRC)

The FCCPT Quality Review Committee also comprises five voting members and one board

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liaison from FCCPT. The Committee oversees Board-approved policy as it applies to the

credentials review process and administers a Board-approved quality assurance program. In

addition the Committee assists in the recruitment and orientation of a network of approved

credentials reviewers, continuing education updates and monitoring network performance.

Staff

FCCPT staff compromises a Director and two full-time credentials evaluators and applications

coordinators. These individuals are responsible for daily operations and for enacting the rulings

of the Board of Directors under direction from the Chief Executive Officer. A Chief Financial

Officer is charged with maintaining a system of accounting, reporting, financial controls, payroll,

accounts payable and accounts receivable, and with performing treasury functions.

The Director has overall responsibility for the development of the organization, its services and

capabilities, and its relationships with key constituent/client groups. The credentials evaluators

manage the application, authentication and credentialing functions. A network of outside

contracted physical therapists with credentialing experience serves to review professional

education and render an opinion on reviews requiring a coursework evaluation. All other

verification of credentials is performed in-house by staff.

Relationship with the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT)

FCCPT is an independent non-profit organization founded by the Federation of State Boards of

Physical Therapy (FSBPT) in 1998. Many of the standards in use by FCCPT were developed by

FSBPT and it members. While distinct and separate from one another, both organizations share

the fundamental mission of public protection for consumers of physical therapy services. FCCPT

carries out its mission through the evaluation of the credentials of foreign educated physical

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therapists. Both organizations are largely comprised of physical therapists and others active in

physical therapy education, practice and regulation in the United States.

The People of FCCPT

FCCPT is managed and operated by a team of dedicated individuals whose knowledge,

experience and commitment is unsurpassed. Functional areas include a Board of Directors, a

Quality Review Committee and Staff. Each plays an important role in providing the highest

quality of service to our customers.

In order to protect the American public, the U. S. government enforces laws that govern the

conditions under which aliens can immigrate, live and work in the United States. This includes

those foreign-educated aliens who wish to work as physical therapists. To work as a physical

therapist in the United States, the foreign-educated physical therapist (FEPT) must posses a valid

occupational visa issued by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (formerly INS), and a

physical therapy license, issued by each state where the FEPT wishes to work. To obtain an

immigrant visa, the FEPT must obtain a certificate from an authorized credentialing organization

that verifies and authenticates that the FEPT is qualified to work in the U.S. as a physical

therapist. To obtain this certificate, FEPTs must:

 Meet the same substantially equivalent educational standards required of U.S.-educated

physical therapists

 Demonstrate English proficiency and

 Have their licenses/registration verified.

The Congress of the United States, in conjunction with the Attorney General of the U.S.

Department of Justice, working through the INS and with the Secretary of Health and Human

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Services and the Secretary of Education, proposed the Illegal Immigration Reform and

Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), Public Law 104-208, which was signed into law on

September 30, 1996. Section 343 of IIRIA pertains to all foreign-educated aliens, other than

physicians, who are requesting permanent immigrant status and permission to work in the United

States as a health-care professional. This includes individuals who are seeking immigrant visas or

are requesting an adjustment of status as a permanent U.S. immigrant. Section 343 temporarily

does not apply to individuals who are seeking a temporary work visa with a non-immigrant status.

To obtain permanent immigrant status, Section 343 requires that candidates obtain a certificate

from an authorized, independent credentialing organization verifying their qualifications. This

certificate, which must be presented to the INS consular officer, or in the case of an adjustment of

status, to the U.S. Attorney General, verifies that the candidate has met the following minimal

requirements:

 The candidate’s competence in both oral and written English must be adequate for the work to

be performed, as demonstrated by scores on one or more nationally recognized , standardized

assessments (TOEFL, TSE, TWE);

 The candidate’s education must be substantially equivalent to that required of a U.S. graduate

in the same profession, based on transcripts from source institutions.

 If a candidate holds a foreign license, it must be valid and unencumbered as authenticated by

the issuing or validating agency. and

 If a majority of states licensing the profession in which the candidate intends to work, recognize

a predictor test for success on the profession’s licensing exam, the candidate must have passed

the predictor test of the licensure exam.

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In order to obtain an occupational work visa from the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services

(formerly INS), candidates must apply for and obtain a license from the individual state or states

in which they intend to work.

The licensing of physical therapists in the United States is a right and responsibility of each

individual state. Physical therapists educated in the U.S. must pass the National Physical Therapy

Examination (NPTE) and meet other criteria determined by each state in order to be licensed.

FSBPT is the organization responsible for the development and administration of the NPTE for 53

state licensing jurisdictions. Foreign educated physical therapists must also undergo a credentials

evaluation and meet other criteria in order to obtain a license to practice physical therapy in most

U.S. licensing jurisdictions.

As a result of Section 343, INS experienced a backlog of FEPTs requesting occupational visas.

On April 18, 1998, the FSBPT Board of Directors, aware of the backlog, approved the

development and implementation of an interim, screening program to certify FEPTs. FCCPT was

established as the corporation responsible for operating the program.

On October 14, 1998, the INS published the first interim rule for Section 343 of the 1996 IIRIRA.

Credentialing organizations seeking INS authority to evaluate foreign-trained health-care workers

and issue certificates must demonstrate a sustained level of demand for foreign-trained workers

and show an established track record in providing credentialing services in the occupation.

The rule provided legal notice that the INS had determined that the Commission on Graduates of

Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) and the National Board for Certification in Occupational

Therapy (NBCOT) had met these requirements and were granted authority, on a temporary basis,

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to issue certificates to foreign-educated nurses and occupational therapists, respectively. This

interim rule became effective on December 14, 1998.

Again on April 27, 1999, the INS published a new interim rule for Section 343 authorizing

FCCPT and CGFNS to issue prescreening certificates to FEPTs seeking admission as permanent

immigrants to the United States. This includes the FEPT who holds a temporary visa and is

seeking a change in status to permanent immigrant. Those seeking temporary admission as non-

immigrants to the United States are not covered by this interim rule. This new INS interim rule

became effective on June 29, 1999.

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PREPARATION PROCESS FOR ALL APPLICANTS

Before any one apply for a service with FCCPT, follow the steps outlined below:

 Use the Service Guide to assist you in selecting the service that meets your needs.

 Review the specific "Do’s and Don’ts" section of the page for your selected primary service.

 Important: Each primary service has its own specific instructions that must be

followed.

 Review the entire "How to Apply" section, including the following subsections:

 Submitting Documents

 Foreign Language Requirements

 TOEFL Requirements

 Application Fee Schedule

 All applications are completed online. FCCPT no longer accepts paper applications.

 Important: Full payment is due at the time of application.

 Once the application and online payment are submitted, you will be given a file number.

 Please record your file number, as this is required to access your file.

 You must maintain accurate email and mailing addresses in your file at all times.

 Gather required documentation.

 Important: FCCPT will not begin the review process until all required documents have

been received by FCCPT and verified.

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  Review the Submitting Documents section of the website for instructions. The

collection of documents from the original source may take several weeks to

complete.

 You may use your file number to log in and "View Progress" to determine what

documents need to be requested and sent directly to FCCPT by the issuing institutions.

 Note: Each primary service has different documentation requirements. Please refer to

the specific primary service page for documentation requirements for that service.

Payment for all Applicants

 Full payment using a credit card or debit card is due at time of application.

 FCCPT accepts Master card and Visa only.

 Please have your payment ready at the time of application. If a payment is not made at the

time of application, you will have to restart the application. We do not create a file or save

information from incomplete applications.

Service Timeline

FCCPT allows twelve (12) months from the time of application to receive all required documents

for a selected service. If all documents are not received within twelve (12) months of the

application date, FCCPT will close the service, and you must apply for Reactivation to resume

the service.

Note: New York Credentials Verification timeline may vary from the standard twelve (12) month

timeline, as the document collection process for this service is different than our other services.

Refer to New York Credentials Verification service for details.

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The following timeframes are for services in review (paid-in-full and all required documents

have been received); these timeframes do not include the time necessary to request and receive

documents from their appropriate source(s).

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 3. Federation of State Board of Physical Therapy

Introduction & Foundation

In the early 80’s, several members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) began

to discuss the idea of creating a separate organization—one that would eliminate any potential

conflict of interest between promotion of the profession and ownership of the National Physical

Therapy Exam (NPTE). These visionaries also had the foresight to recognize that a coalescence of

member licensing authorities could serve a meaningful purpose: working together to protect the

American public by promoting safe and competent physical therapy care. From these humble

beginnings, FSBPT was born.

Task Force set in Motion

On June 9, 1986, a task force met in Chicago with one purpose in mind: to begin the

development of a Federation. Bylaws were presented and adopted. No less than 25 potential

objectives were discussed and prioritized. Step by step, the Federation was coming to life.

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Federation was borne. In Febraury 1987 the culmination of its efforts was realized: 22 states

committed to the formation of a federation of State Boards of physical therapy (FSBPT). On April

22, the Federation was incorporated as a non-profit in the state of Alabama

1987 MEMBERS HONORED

From the beginning, there were seven individuals who worked tirelessly to bring the Federation to

life. In 1987, these founding members were officially recognized as “Honorary Members.”

Carolyn Bloom, PT KansasQuote

Donna Borden, PT ArizonaQuote

Robert Harden, PT Alabama

Richard McDougall, PT KentuckyQuote

Susan Rush, PT Tennessee

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 . Scott Stephens, PT North CarolinaQuote

Patricia Van Wagner, PT Washington

A FINAL HONORARY MEMBER

In 1997, Eugene R. Lambert, PT Massachusetts, became the last Honorary Member of

the Federation for his outstanding work as president.

“They are a remarkable bunch who have been uniquely NOT self-serving, but who
sacrificed and dedicated countless hours to public protection and to the development of an organization
that was second to none.”
-Blair Packard, PT, president, Board of Directors, 1999-2004
Honorary Members envisioned a Federation that would:

 Develop licensing examinations for the practitioners in the field

 Identify and promote reasonable and uniform standards for licensing procedures
 Provide continuing education programs for individual board members
 Create a centralized source of information on physical therapists nationwide
 Establish a clearinghouse for disciplinary actions taken by member boards against licensees

To this day, their determination serves as our inspiration, their integrity is reflected in our
decision-making and their original vision guides our actions.

Transfer of Exam Ownership Begins In 1988

The biggest hurdle—forming the Federation—was behind us. But many challenges awaited us,

beginning with the transfer of ownership of the NPTE from the APTA to the Federation.

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At the March 1988 FSBPT Board of Directors meeting, two key elements were discussed that

paved the way for the transfer of NPTE ownership to happen: 1) the APTA would provide

“continuing professional input” into the examination development process and receive “fair

compensation” for the transfer of ownership, and; 2) the Federation would be “capable of assuming

responsibility for the examination program.”

“The people that made up the Federation were special, but as important was the purpose of the

Federation which was about the public, the recipients of care and not the profession. It drew a

different group, a special group, of people to the Federation. Sure, all of us were active in APTA,

but the Federation Volunteers were unique.” –Richard “Mac” McDougall, PT, treasurer, Board of

Directors, 1987-2000

1996 FIRST MODEL PRACTICE ACT

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Blair Packard presents the three-legged stool to the MPA Task Force. The three legs represent

PT profession's "scope of practice" determination:

1) Education and training

2) Established practice

3) Statutory authority

The Federation publishes the first “Model Practice Act for Physical Therapy,” an invaluable tool

used by many jurisdictions to update their practice acts, rules and regulations.

“The opportunity to serve on the Model Practice Act Task Force with Blair Packard as our chair

was a tremendous opportunity. Committee members would have never complained of the long

hours in closed meeting rooms or homework, as Blair spent the nights reviewing and summarizing

topics of the day. The practice act started with a comprehensive review of all jurisdictions’ laws

and regulations to glean best language. It remains a living document today with annual reviews for

updates and modifications. The MPA has been utilized by most of the jurisdictions as they modify

their acts to provide legal authority for consumer protection and efficiency for regulation of the

profession. Serving on that committee taught me the value of group think minus ego.” –Deborah

Tharp Hatherill, PT, secretary, Board of Directors, 2000-2003

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The original Model Practice Act (MPA) Task Force:

Standing: Mark Lane, Deb Tharp Hatherill, Ron Hruska, Blair Packard, Mary Sheid

Sitting: Anne Harrison Petty, Kent Culley, Chris Larson. (Not pictured: Ann Giffin)

For more than thirty years, FSBPT has been paving the way for public protection.

VISION

FSBPT’s vision is that state licensing boards and FSBPT will achieve a high level of public

protection based upon a strong foundation of laws and regulatory standards in physical therapy,

effective tools and systems to assess entry-level and continuing competence, and public and

professional awareness of resources for public protection.

FSBPT develops, maintains, and administers the National Physical Therapy Examination®

(NPTE®) for physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs).

MISSION

The mission of FSBPT is to protect the public by providing service and leadership that promote

safe and competent physical therapy practice.

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 AREAS OF FOCUS

FSBPT's areas of focus guide us in the planning and budgeting process by keeping us focused on

what is essential to forwarding FSBPT's mission. The Areas of Focus were developed over time

through our membership surveys, two FSBPT summits, strategic planning sessions of the board of

directors, and additional feedback from committees and staff.

The areas of focus are reviewed and approved at each meeting of the FSBPT delegate assembly.

They are guided by the vision of FSBPT, which was approved by the 2003 Delegate Assembly:

“State licensing boards and their Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy will achieve a

high level of public protection through a strong foundation of laws and regulatory standards in

physical therapy, effective tools and systems to assess entry-level and continuing competence, and

public and professional awareness of resources for public protection.”

SIX AREAS OF FOCUS:

1. Examinations

Ensure the ongoing excellence, reliability, defensibility, security and validity of the NPTE® and

related examinations.

2. Membership

Enhance the Federation's value to its membership by developing and maintaining programs and

services responsive to membership needs.

3. States' Rights, States' Responsibilities and Professional Standards

Identify and promote effective regulation in physical therapy that ensures the delivery of safe and

competent physical therapy care, while respecting states’ rights and responsibilities.

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4. Education

Provide and promote educational programs and products for board members, administrators, the

public and other stakeholders.

5. Leadership

To broaden the Federation's leadership role and recognition within the regulatory, professional

and related communities.

6. Organizational and Financial Stability

Ensure the long-term organizational and financial stability and viability of the Federation.

PURPOSE OF THE NPTE PROGRAM

The PT and PTA exams are designed to assess a candidate’s basic entry-level competence after

graduation from a PT or PTA program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical

Therapy Education (CAPTE) or from an equivalent non-accredited program. The exams have two

main purposes:

1. To help ensure that only those individuals who have the requisite knowledge of physical

therapy are licensed in the physical therapy field

2. To help regulatory authorities evaluate candidates and provide standards that are comparable

from jurisdiction to jurisdiction

The national exams are only one part of the evaluation process used by licensing authorities. In

some jurisdictions, the national exam is supplemented by other means of assessing candidates'

ability to practice physical therapy. For more information on each jurisdiction’s licensure

requirements, see the Licensing Authorities Contact Information page on FSBPT’s website.

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EXAM DEVELOPMENT

Questions (also known as items) appearing on the NPTE are developed by volunteer item writers.

These volunteers are PTs and PTAs who represent a broad range of practice settings from across

the country. Item writers attend workshops and receive instruction to enable them to write high-

quality, job-related examination items.

Once items have been developed and submitted to FSBPT, the Exam Development Committee

(EDC) reviews the items and determines if the item is entry-level, tests current content, and

contains only one correct answer. The EDC also reviews entire test forms to ensure each item does

not overlap content or cue the answer for other items on the examination form. These items will

later become pre-test questions on exams to determine fairness before appearing on the NPTE as

actual scored items. There are fifty pretest items on each level of examination.

Examinations are built based on an examination outline or blueprint. This outline identifies the

content areas that must be on the examination and the number of questions to be included from

each content area. The outline is developed from a job analysis, which identifies the activities and

tasks that comprise the entry-level practice of physical therapy. The job analysis is based on survey

data and expert judgments.

The involvement of a representative group of practicing physical therapists, physical therapist

assistants, and other professionals during examination development ensures that the examinations

are relevant to the current practice of physical therapy. Additionally, staff and technical advisors

work to maintain the examinations and ensure compliance with established testing standards.

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FSBPT FORUM

1. STAY CURRENT WITH REGULATORY ISSUES

The FSBPT Forum provides insight into the issues, needs, and interests of our members and

stakeholders. Articles in the FSBPT Forum reflect our commitment to our mission by increasing

awareness and knowledge of regulatory healthcare issues and solutions.

2. ACCESS RECENT ISSUES

 Forum 2020

 Forum - Winter 2019

 Forum - Spring 2019

ARCHIVES

The FSBPT Forum is available on the website for five years. Prior years are available on request

by contacting communications@fsbpt.org.

 Volume 33, Number 2 - Winter 2018

 Volume 33, Number 1 - Spring 2018

 Volume 32, Number 2 - Winter 2017

 Volume 32, Number 1 - Spring 2017

 Volume 31, Number 2 - Winter 2016

 Volume 31, Number 1 - Spring 2016

 Volume 30, Number 2 - Winter 2015

 Volume 30, Number 1 - Fall 2015

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FSBPT is a dynamic organization that promotes collaboration and teamwork between its various

constituencies to ensure the best possible outcomes.

MEMBER BOARDS

FSBPT is a member-driven organization comprised of fifty-three regulatory bodies charged with

the regulation of physical therapy in their respective jurisdictions. Member boards have a variety

of decision-making and support structures. The boards themselves typically include professionals

and public members.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Through the leadership of our previous board members, FSBPT has developed a firm foundation

for the future. Today, our board of directors helps provide the overall direction and continued

growth for FSBPT.

CEO and board of directors consist of diverse, dedicated professionals who bring a range of

insights and perspectives. They include educators, practitioners, state licensure board members,

and a public representative.

Nancy R. Kirsch, New Jersey, President

David Relling, North Dakota, Vice President

Thomas J. Caldwell, Texas, Secretary

Ruggie Canizares, Oregon, Treasurer

Ellen Kroog Donald, Florida, Director

Joni Kalis, PT, MS, Oregon, Director

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Adrienne D. Price, Georgia, Director

John M. Young, Washington, DC, Public Member

William A. Hatherill, Chief Executive Officer

IGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS

MODEL PRACTICE ACT

In working to achieve a strong foundation of laws and regulatory standards in physical therapy,

FSBPT developed the Model Practice Act for Physical Therapy. This tool is used by jurisdictions

to help them review and update their practice acts, rules and regulations.

NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY EXAMINATION (NPTE®)

We develop, maintain and administer the NPTE for physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist

assistants (PTAs). FSBPT continually researches and uses the best examination methodology

available to ensure validity.

CONTINUING COMPETENCE PROGRAM

FSBPT’s Continuing Competence Committee has developed Guidelines for Continuing

Professional Development with three primary actions to complete: 1. Jurisprudence & Ethics

Assessment, 2. Practice/Work (Skills and Knowledge) Self-Inventory, and 3. A Healthy Practice

Self-Inventory.

FSBPT also develop Jurisprudence Tools to ensure that PTs and PTAs know their legal scope of

practice.

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COURSEWORK TOOLS (CWT)

FSBPT developed and validated CWTs for use by member boards and the credentialing agencies

they use. The CWTs have been validated as reliable tools for evaluating whether a foreign educated

PT or PTA’s education is substantially equivalent to that of a graduate of a U.S. CAPTE-accredited

school.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

FSBPT develops educational programs for our member boards and other bodies regarding

effective licensure, regulation and enforcement in the practice of healthcare professions.

THE END

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