Apr 9, 2015 - DPT, OCS, CWS, president of the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association. âTPTA immediately rolled up its
APTA Brief on State Government Affairs
State: Tennessee Issue(s): Dry needling, DPT title protection Bill number: House Bill 25 Text of legislation: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/109/Bill/HB0025.pdf
On April 9, 2015, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (R) signed legislation that impacts the issues of dry needling and title protection for DPT. The legislation was sponsored by Tennessee state Rep Ryan Williams and advocated for by the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association (TPTA). The senate companion, SB 385, was sponsored by state Sen Bo Watson. Dry needling for PTs HB 25 amends the Tennessee physical therapy act to clarify that dry needling is part of the physical therapist scope of practice. The dry needling legislation was needed after an adverse opinion issued by the Tennessee attorney general in 2014 stated that dry needling was not within the current legal scope of practice. House Bill 25 defines dry needling in the physical therapy act as "a skilled intervention that uses a thin filiform needle to penetrate the skin and stimulate underlying neural, muscular, and connective tissues for the management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions, pain, and movement impairments." The legislation mandates the Tennessee State Board of Physical Therapy to establish minimum competency requirements that physical therapists must demonstrate in order to practice dry needling. Once the licensure board adopts such requirements, physical therapists who meet them will be able to perform dry needling. DPT title protection The title “DPT” is protected, thus preventing nonlicensees from using the title initials “DPT” in connection with their names. Statement From the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association “The impact of the 2014 adverse AG opinion was far‐reaching, not only to our members who perform dry needling, but more important, to the patients we serve,” said Scott Newton, PT, DPT, OCS, CWS, president of the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association. “TPTA immediately rolled up its collective sleeves and began working on a solution. I want to acknowledge and thank all those TPTA members, patients, and our bill sponsors who were part of this advocacy
effort. Membership in TPTA and APTA matters, and this success is a great example of what we can do when we work together.” Of note ‐ 2015 has been a busy year for statehouses on the issue of dry needling. In addition to the win for PTs in Tennessee, PTs in Washington and Maryland helped to fight off challenges to dry needling for the profession. New Jersey PTs are advocating in support of legislation that clarifies dry needling is part of the scope of PT practice in that state, while Louisiana's attorney general issued a positive opinion on dry needling as being within PT scope of practice.