Announcement:

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August 31st, 2023

IATS Call to Keep Board of Athletic Training 

Yesterday, our lobbyist attended the second meeting of the Boards and Commissions Review Committee.  This Committee was tasked by the legislature in the large government reorganization bill enacted this year to review all of Iowa’s Board and Commissions to determine if boards should continue as is, be reorganized, be combined with other boards, or be eliminated.  Since its first meeting June 26th, the Committee’s six subcommittees have reviewed all of Iowa’s 259 boards and commissions. Larry Johnson is the Director of DIAL (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensure) and recommended eliminating the Board of Athletic Training.  

Please contact your state representatives: If you do not know who your reps are, please use this website to find out their contact info: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find.

You should also consider submitting a public comment by emailing bcrccomments@iowa.gov

Our lobbyists are also encouraging us to share that public comment email with other stakeholders, because non-licensed individuals advocating for the need for ATs to be licensed can be very helpful.  If you work closely with your team physician, athletic director, coaches, or other members of the community, please communicate this to them and see if they would be willing to submit a comment in support of ATs maintaining licensure.

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Here are some talking points that you can consider when writing your legislator or submitting a public comment.

• We currently have 1,129 ATs who are licensed and countless students who rely on licensing.

• That licensure protects the public and lets clients and employers easily know an AT is properly trained, taking continuing education, and monitored.

• The Board helps provide scope of practice guidance and protects the public from untrained persons

• There is no expense associated with the Board of Athletic Training.  The fees that ATs pay to renew their license cover all costs.  They are cost-effective and are consistently in the black each year.

• Every state and Washington D.C require licensure for ATs, except for Hawaii (which requires registration) and California (who has pending legislation).

• Athletic trainers are healthcare professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis and intervention of emergent, acute and chronic medical conditions involving impairment, functional limitations and disabilities. (you could include your educational requirements here)

• Athletic trainers provide medical services to all types of patients. Across the United States, in addition to practicing in traditional sports team settings, athletic trainers work in performing arts, public safety, occupational health, and with the armed forces. (Here is some statistical data on AT settings: https://members.nata.org/members1/documents/membstats/index.cfm. You will need to be logged into the website to access this page. Click on the July 2023 link, and “JobSettingCertified” at the very bottom of the page.)

• Licensure provides the highest level of patient protection for the public’s safety, and it is the standard form of regulation for health care professions. Athletic trainers are included under the allied health professions category, as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and are assigned National Provider Identifier numbers (NPIs). The American Medical Association also recognizes athletic training as an allied health care profession.

• Eliminating licensure in IA could potentially impact an AT’s ability to practice across state lines (travel with their team), depending on regulatory requirements in other states. (ex. some states allow you to practice in their state temporarily, provided your home state maintains the same regulatory requirements)

Please reach out to stakeholders and encourage them to submit a public comment.  Please use the talking points above to submit your own public comment and reach out to your legislator.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions to IATS Executive Committee members or if you hear any response from your legislator (please forward those to IATS EC).

If you know ATs who are not members of the NATA, please spread the word to them and encourage them to follow these steps.  

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IATS Executive Committee

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AT Call to Action:

Find your Elected Officials

Below is a link to find your State Senator and State Representative.  Please take some time to introduce yourself to your elected officials if you have not already.  There are elections coming up this fall, so just a friendly reminder to register to vote.

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find