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I would like to thank all of you for your contribution of time andservice to APTA—Tennessee! We are an extremely strong component at APTA and we are only strong because of you, our members, and our leaders! I can’t wait to see all of you in April andto be part of a great event with the APTA President—Dr. SharonDunn. I would also ask all of you to keep our wonderful colleagueand friend, Dr. Danny Smith in your thoughts as he battles a cancerhealth condition. We are thinking of you Danny!Sincerely,AlanAlan Meade, PT, DScPT, MPHChapter President TPTADirector of Rehab Services HMGAdjunct Faculty ETSU DPT Program and Rehab SciencesCMS (APOE) Panel Member on Outreach & EducationBEST CUSTOMER SERVICEIN THE BUSINESSQUALITY, QUALITY, QUALITY 10% to 25% off Online Courses Serving PTs and PTAs Since 1996 In a RUSH? Certificates FAST online,by email or mail Over 80 Approved Courses Courses Approved by State BoardsONLINE PACKAGES – 20 HOURS 99CHOOSE TO TAKE YOUR COURSES:BY MAILGULAR SHIPPING WBY EMAILONLINEBY EBOOKITHIN U.S. FREE RENUAL FEES NO ANEMBERSHIP FEES NO M YDAY LOW PRICES EVERTI-COURSE DISCOUNTS MULNeed a course listing or printable order form? Visit us at PTcourses.com and click printable order form.CUSTOMER SERVICE AVAILABLE AT 1-866-257-1074 M-F 9 to 5 (CST)e-mail: info@PTcourses.com5

LEARNING WHILE SERVINGEach year, the Department of Physical Therapy at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga partners withvarious agencies to provide services to the community and learning opportunities for students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. Here are a few of our stories .“Dr. Betsy Myers, faculty in the UTC-DPT program, coordinates efforts of allied health professionalsand students to support the medical tent at the Iron Man competition in Chattanooga. As DPT students,we have the privilege of working alongside practicing clinicians to care for world-class and self-trainedathletes. In the medical tent, we stay busy from the morning until well into the night assessing the cardiovascular status, condition of the skin and the need for fluid and electrolyte replenishment. Some athletesrequire more attention and we practice our transfer skills to move them safely into more intensive treatment areas. Others need help with wound management from a bike crash, soft tissue injury from miles ofbiking and running, or help with nagging musculoskeletal issues. As we provided emotional support todiscouraged athletes who finished with slower times than they hoped or who were unable to complete thisrace for which they had trained for more than a year, I was reminded why I enjoy the profession of physical therapy. I have a unique opportunity to encourage those who have lost faith in themselves. Throughlong conversations with some athletes as they recovered from participation, I was amazed at the couragethey had to plan, train and enter this grueling event. I helped them to see that even an attempt is some sortof victory. Volunteering at this event taught me patience and empathy. I was challenged to quickly put myskills to the test, rely on others, and contribute to the team to help these dedicated participants. The overallexperience is indescribable. I am thankful for the professors that put so much time into encouraging myclassmates and me to do all we can whenever we can to contribute to community events through our education and healing hands.”Mikayla, 1st year UTC-DPT student“At the beginning of each school year, UTC-DPT students and alumni participate as counselors atCamp Horizon, a weekend-long event specifically geared to providing a camp experience to children withdisabilities. Possibly more importantly, the focus is to connect the kids with others in similar situations, allwithin a fun, engaging, outdoor environment. As a student counselor at Camp Horizon, I was assigned aspecific camper and charged with being their guide and buddy for the weekend. I encouraging my camperif they felt scared and assisted them as needed to allow them to participate in as many events as possible.Student counselors arrive early and receive information about their assigned camper, learning of theirpotential limitations along with medication and allergy concerns. From then on, the relationship buildingis left to the counselor and camper. Once the campers arrive, the counselors greet the campers and thefamilies. Then the camp begins, and the schedule is set up for a great amount of activities like ziplining,archery, and slingshot to name a few. This past year, the theme was emergency response teams, so thecampers played field games geared towards putting out fires and they got to engage with members of thelocal emergency response teams that came to visit. There was even a visit from a local hospital in theirhelicopter that touched down in the field.Throughout the camp, all the campers express their excitement in a different way, and it is amazingto get to know the kids through the many different opportunities the camp provides. Naturally, differentactivities posed different challenges to the campers such as the low ropes course. The low ropes coursefor some was easy, and when their friends had more difficulty with completing the course, they would be6

there to offer advice and suggestions on how to complete it. The pond water rocket war was especially funas campers and counselors boarded single and double kayaks and raced across the pond or sprayed eachother with pond water.Ultimately, one of the most beautiful parts of the weekend was seeing the kids interact and buildupon friendships formed during past camp years and create new friendships. Perhaps the best moment ofall was the talent show at the end of camp. Probably half the campers and counselors got up on stage todance, sing, act, and goof off as best they could, showing off how much fun they were having. This campthat was started by graduates of the UTC-DPT program with advisement from Dr. Cathie Smith, providesa unique opportunity for these kids and student physical therapists to engage and learn from each other.Camp Horizon is clearly something these kids look forward to every year and I look forward to participating next year, too!. To find out more about Camp Horizon, go to www.camp-horizon.com.”Anthony, 1st year UTC-DPT student“Being a part of the adapted skiing program at Beech Mountain was a fantastic experience for all ofus. Sponsored by Beech Mountain Resort, Disabled Sports USA Chapter-SPARC of Chattanooga, PatriciaNeal Rehabilitation Center Innovative Recreation Cooperative Program of Knoxville, Ft. Sanders Foundation, Carolinas Rehabilitation Adaptive Sports and Adventure Program of Charlotte, and others allows anexciting experience for people of various abilities.Going in, we didn’t really know what to expect, but were quickly welcomed in and learned so muchabout working with skiers with disabilities. Throughout the week, our volunteer roles consisted of fittingskiers for adaptive equipment, making repairs as needed, assisting with transfers, and serving as “slopeguardians” to maintain safe environments for skiers. We were fascinated to meet all sorts of people as wellas apply knowledge we’ve gained in PT school. What an experience! For more information, go to: https://www.beechmountainresort.com/”Tanner, Matt, Peyton, 2nd year UTC-DPT student7

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Being Hispanic in Physical Therapy: A StudentPerspectiveBy: Denise Torres, SPTTennessee State UniversityWhen deciding to attend physical therapy school, I was looking to find a program rooted in diversity. Ithought attending a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) would allow me to find the diversity I was seeking, but such was not the case. On the first day of classes, i quickly discovered that lessthan five of my classmates were minorities, including myself. Just like the PT profession in general andPT education in particular, my cohort is a clear representation of the lack of diversity that exists within thefield of physical therapy, especially when it comes to the Hispanic population.Being the only Hispanic student in my class has had its pros and cons. It has brought me distinct opportunities when it comes to my clinical rotations. Since I am one of the only Spanish-speaking students in theprogram, I am always trying to find clinical experiences that allow me to use my Spanish for the benefitof the patient. For my first clinical, I was able to go to a clinic where a lot of the patients spoke Spanishallowing me to utilize my skills to help treat the patients and better address any concerns that they had.It was always rewarding to be able to help the patients beyond physical therapy and be able to connectwith them in their native tongue. Every day I was reminded of how sometimes it is easier to connect withsomeone that has the same cultural background and speaks the same language. I am excited for my nextclinical rotation as I will once again be able to serve a diversified population which is one of my biggestpassions and reasons for being in this field.Being a minority in physical therapy is a constant motivation to keep moving forward, not only for myself, but also for my community. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to serve those that areunderrepresented as is the case with most of the minority populations. Knowing that I will always be ableto help Spanish-speaking patients gives me a sense of satisfaction and reason to work harder towards mygoals.On a closing note, I think it is important to keep opening the doors of physical therapy education to students of diverse backgrounds in order for the field to represent the diversity of the patients that are served.It is important to close the healthcare disparities that affect minorities, and one of the first steps towardsthat goal is to start diversifying the student population. It is important to reach out to minority students andget them interested in a career in physical therapy. I also think it is important for minorities in physicaltherapy and other healthcare fields to connect with each other and build a support system as we navigatethrough the changing health care world.10

TPTA 2020 Delegates are ready to serve you!The APTA House of Delegates will meet in Phoenix in June 1-3 2020. The TN Delegation is alreadypreparing to serve and represent when the House of Delegates convenes. The delegates will cast votes forTN to elect a new Speaker of the House, Treasurer, 3 new Directors and 2 new Nominating Committeemembers. Members are encouraged to visit the APTA candidate page and communicate with your delegates about the elections—here’s the link: https://www.apta.org/Nominations/Delegates will discuss several issues that affect our profession both locally and nationally when wemeet in Phoenix. We encourage TPTA members to visit the House of Delegates Community page on theAPTA website and read our current motion discussions—we would love to her your opinions and questions! http://communities.apta.org/p/co/ly/gid 16Stay tuned for a report from your delegation at the TPTA Annual Meeting in Nashville April 4-5.ALSO, look for it, we will soon launch a House of Delegates page on the TPTA website for you to hearfrom and communicate with your delegates. The page will have ongoing updates about national issuesand elections and other notes from your delegates. Meantime, check out the list of your TN Delegates andPTA Caucus Representatives below. Let us hear from you!Trish King, Chief ’212020 Delegates-TN Chapterkingpm@etsu.eduJoe Black, East ’20Karen Smith Middle’20Carol Likens West s@uthsc.eduAndy Gean, At Large ’20Drew Tucker, At Large ’20Caroline Rogers At Large ‘20Allie Bourassa At Large ’20Alan Meade Alternate ’20Allison Stowers Alternate ’20David Lehman Alternate ’20andygean@hotmail.comdrew owers@gmail.comdlehman@tnstate.eduTiffany Holt, PTA Caucus RepRhonda Haley, PTA AlternateTN PTA Caucus @gmail.com14615-268-8922 C423-439-8794 W423-477-0533 H865-216-5404615-430-6260 W901.448.5888 W901.270.8135C423 762 16404-991-4553904-501-7737423-421-9736423-802-3438

Photo: Tennessee hosted the Chief Delegates of the Southern Regional Caucus on the ETSU campus inNovember 2019Awards Committee InformationNominations for awards can be found HERE. Go to this link to see detailed information,links to each award description/winners & the electronic form they must complete online tonominate someone.15

The Nashville District NewsThe Nashville District invites you to attend the Day on the Hill on February 5, 2020. You are also invitedto the Fall State Meeting in Nashville on October 9-10 with the Nashville District hosting Ethics and Jurisprudence on October 11, 2020.The Nashville District’s next meeting is May 12, 2020, via ZOOM, with Dr. Al Kassis speaking onMigraine Surgery and Physical Therapy Implications. Executive Committee elections for the NashvilleDistrict will occur at the May meeting pending a full slate and attendance at the meeting. Offices includedin the election include Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, PTA Liaison, and Legislative Liaison. Alsothe Middle District Delegate position for the APTA House of Delegates will be voted on prior to the FallMeeting. Interested members in the Nashville District positions may submit their names and contactinformation to Karen Smith.PT/PTAs and students attended district meetings with standing room only for business meetings andspeakers. Each meeting begins with a hot delicious meal and time to network. At the January 23, 2020meeting, the topic of Narcan/Opioid Epidemic Education for PT/PTA’s was presented by Monti Herring,Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist. At the November 7, 2019 meeting, Ryan McConnell, PT, DPTshared Psychosocial Considerations for Physical Therapists. On September 10, 2019 Spine Surgery Past,Present, and Future: Lessons Learned for the Benefit of our Patients was presented by Dr. Ernest Wright.December 13, 2019 Ethics and Jurisprudence was presented by Karen Smith, PT DPT at TennesseeState University for the Nashville District.Scholarships will be provided to assist with expenses for two Nashville District Physical Therapy students to attend CSM or NEXT in 2020. We want to support students to be involved in the District, State,and National level. Interested students may contact Karen Smith.The Nashville District participated in the Global Physical Therapy Day of Service (PTDOS) on October12, 2019 with 35 volunteers at the Nashville Zoo for the Boo at the Zoo event. Volunteers served as gameand bouncy workers, hayride helpers, and support for thousands of children and families in the Nashvillecommunity.Karen Smith, PT, DPT kcoker@tnstate.edu.Advocacy-Inspirational BlogPlease check out this inspirational message from a NY colleague on advocacy. Theresa andI serve on the AAOMPT Practice Affairs Committee, she is as energetic and passionate inperson as she appears in print! This is a great message, perhaps something to share withour membership. CLICK HERE.16

Submitted by: Bertie Gatlin, PT, DScPT, PCS Secretary APTA Tennessee ChapterAs I write this note, many of use are sheltered in place and or mandatory stay at home watching ourfamilies, friends and our nation be forever changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a pediatricphysical therapist our profession provides serves across many environments of which all have beenheavily impacted. As the APTA Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy Chair of Neonatology SpecialInterest Groups and the Secretary of ATPA Tennessee I am been working together with manyoutstanding colleagues to keep our profession up to date for providing services to our pediatricpopulations.I want to provide a list of links to assist physical therapist working with pediatrics across allages from birth -21. These resources are open to members and potential members to assist with yourcurrent interventions, being tele- health or tele-intervention.The APTA Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy has many resources available for the practicingpediatric PT to utilize during these unprecedented times. I have provided links here:https://pediatricapta.org/news/#n1297In our own state the APTA Tennessee has worked diligently with AOTA and ASHA as well as theTennessee Disability Coalition to provide information to our legislative representatives to ensureour pediatric clients therapeutic interventions are minimally disrupted during this time. While weremain to not have definitive answers regarding, will we be reimbursed for our tele-health,tele-intervention services across all payor sources, I can tell you we are working together to getour voices heard. Letters have been sent to Dr. Penny Schwinn, Commissioner, Tennessee Departmentof Education to help provide an understanding of specific challenges our therapists within theearly intervention and school systems.In another effort to assist with reimbursement we have provided information to Ms. Hodgen Mainda,within the Department of Commerce and Insurance the common CPT codes used by pediatric therapists,PTs, OTs and SLPs.These are just a few items your leadership has been working on regarding this current state ofemergency with the COVID-19 pandemic. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or our ATPATennessee office for any questions.Links for support under Tennessee government and APTA Tennessee tele-health/tele-intervention forpediatric rehabilitation sbpt.org/Portals/0/document

Allison Stowers, PT,DPT allisonstowers@gmail.com Jackson Felicia Ingram, DPT W: 731-855-7983 H: 731-217-1750 F: 731-855-7779 fcingram112492@gmail.com Knoxville Don Reagan, PT, DPT . their Attorney, Scott Newton, Cathy Hinton, David Finch, and me. Day on the Hill February 5th, 2020 was an absolute success meeting with the Senate Health .