Continuing Competence is Coming!
By Outgoing Chairman J. Herman Bunch, Jr., PT
Last year the North Carolina Physical
Therapy Association (NCPTA)
requested the legislature to add a con¬
tinuing competence section to the
North Carolina Physical Therapy
Practice Act, which was adopted on
July 11, 2006 (House Bill 1301).
In response to this new legislation,
on September 19, 2006 the North
Carolina Board of Physical Therapy
Examiners (Board) adopted a motion
to appoint a seven (7) member
Advisory Panel to study the various
options available for Continuing
Competence and make recommenda¬
tions to the Board regarding proposed
rules for implementation. The follow¬
ing licensees were appointed and have
graciously agreed to serve: NCPTA
members Kathy Amey, PT, MA,
Certified Peer Reviewer; Karen
McCulloch, PT, PhD, NCS; and Roger
Meade, PT, MPH; and Board mem¬
bers: JoDell King, PTA; Stuail
MacRoberts, PT; Joanna Nicholson,
РТА,
MA; and Paula Schrum, PT,
MBA. Staff who will assist the
Advisory Panel are John M.
Silverstein, Board Attorney and Ben F.
Massey, Jr., PT, Executive Director.
In addition, in order to obtain input
from licensees regarding the new
Continuing Competence requirements,
the Board agreed to fund twelve (12)
forums across North Carolina so that
all Physical Therapists and Physical
Therapist Assistants would be able to
voice their opinions on how this addi¬
tion to our Practice Act could best be
accomplished. Most forums will be
conducted from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
and there will be no charge to attend.
It is important for licensees to attend to
let their voices be heard.
A list of tentative meeting dates and
locations are as follows (see the
Board’s web page for finalized dates,
specific locations, directions, etc.):
• January 24, 2007 - Ahoskie
(3:00 pm - 5:00 pm)
• January 24, 2007 - Elizabeth City
• February 6, 2007 - Wilmington
• February 20, 2007 - Fayetteville
• March 22, 2007 - Greensboro
• April 10, 2007 - Greenville
• April 21, 2007 - Raleigh
(1:00 pm - 3:00 pm)
• April 24, 2007 - Boone
• May 17, 2007 - Hickory
• September 6, 2007 - Asheville
• September TBD - Char lotte
• October TBD - Greensboro
We do not expect these rules to be
adopted before the latter part of 2008.
A tentative timeline follows (updates
will be posted on the Board’s web
page):
A. Sponsoring of statewide forums
in 2007.
B. Interim Report to the Board in
December 2007.
C. Final report to the Board in
March 2008 with recommenda¬
tions for changes in the Board’s
rules.
D. Following the March 2008
Board meeting, staff to begin
the “Rules Process” with effec¬
tive date of February 1, 2009.
E. Upon adoption of the Board’s
rules (probably in the 3rd
quarter of 2008), staff will
begin an education program
for licensees.
A number of licensees have talked to
me about the Continuing Competence.
The forums provide the opportunity for
all licensees to express their views on
this important new element of profes¬
sional practice in North Carolina. We
have scheduled twelve (12) forms
because we hope to hear from you.
