US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

      Sec. 20-73. *(See end of section for amended version and effective date.) Use of title "Registered Physical Therapist" or "Licensed Physical Therapist". Fraud in obtaining licensure. Practice regulated. Revocation of license. Physical therapy assistant registration. (a)(1) No person may practice as a physical therapist unless licensed pursuant to this chapter. No person may use the term "Registered Physical Therapist", "Licensed Physical Therapist" or "Physical Therapist" or the letters "R.P.T.", "L.P.T." or any other letters, words or insignia indicating or implying licensure as a physical therapist in this state unless the person is so licensed.

      (2) The treatment of human ailments by physical therapy shall only be performed by a person licensed under the provisions of this chapter as a physical therapist upon the oral or written referral of a person licensed in this state or in a bordering state having licensing requirements meeting the approval of the appropriate examining board in this state to practice medicine and surgery, podiatry, natureopathy, chiropractic or dentistry, or an advanced practice registered nurse licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 20-94a or a physician assistant licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 20-12d. Nothing in this section shall prevent a physical therapist from providing wellness care within the scope of physical therapy practice to asymptomatic persons without a referral. Nothing in this section shall require an employer or insurer to pay for such wellness care.

      (3) Any person who violates the provisions of this section or who obtains or attempts to obtain licensure as a physical therapist by any wilful misrepresentation or any fraudulent representation shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. A physical therapist or dentist who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to licensure revocation in the same manner as is provided under section 19a-17, or in the case of a healing arts practitioner, section 20-45. For purposes of this section each instance of patient contact or consultation in violation of any provision of this section shall constitute a separate offense. Failure to renew a license in a timely manner shall not constitute a violation for the purposes of this section.

      (b) Each physical therapist assistant who is assisting in the practice of physical therapy under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist, as defined in section 20-66, shall, upon payment of an application fee of twenty-five dollars, register with the Department of Public Health on a form furnished by the department, giving the physical therapist assistant's name in full, the physical therapist assistant's residence and business addresses and such other information as the department requests. Each physical therapist assistant shall notify the department in writing no later than thirty days after the date of any change in such name or residence or business addresses. A physical therapist assistant shall not practice physical therapy assisting without registering with the department pursuant to this section. The commissioner may, upon receipt of notification and investigation, assess a civil penalty of not more than one hundred dollars against any physical therapist assistant who has practiced physical therapy assisting without first registering with the department.

      (c) Nothing in this section shall prohibit or limit the ability of a person licensed or certified in a field other than physical therapy from providing wellness care that is within the scope of such person's practice.

      (1949 Rev., S. 4407, 4409; 1953, S. 2209d, 2210d; 1959, P.A. 575, S. 5; P.A. 73-579, S. 3; P.A. 76-276, S. 18, 22; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 80-336, S. 3; P.A. 81-473, S. 19, 43; P.A. 84-526, S. 6; P.A. 93-55, S. 2; 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 94-213, S. 3; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-299, S. 3; P.A. 99-102, S. 24; P.A. 03-209, S. 3.)

      *Note: On and after the later of October 1, 2000, or the date notice is published by the Commissioner of Public Health in the Connecticut Law Journal indicating that the licensing of athletic trainers and physical therapist assistants is being implemented by the commissioner, this section, as amended by section 15 of public act 00-226, is to read as follows:

      "Sec. 20-73. Licensure required for practice and use of title. Practice regulated. Fraud in obtaining licensure. Revocation of license. (a)(1) No person may practice as a physical therapist unless licensed pursuant to this chapter. No person may use the term "Registered Physical Therapist", "Licensed Physical Therapist" or "Physical Therapist" or the letters "R.P.T.", "L.P.T." or any other letters, words or insignia indicating or implying licensure as a physical therapist in this state unless the person is so licensed.

      (2) No person may practice as a physical therapist assistant unless such person is licensed pursuant to this chapter and is under the supervision of a physical therapist licensed pursuant to this chapter. No person may use the term "Registered Physical Therapist Assistant", "Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant" or "Physical Therapist Assistant", or the letters "P.T.A." to represent or imply the term "Physical Therapist Assistant", or any other letters, words or insignia indicating or implying licensure as a physical therapist assistant in this state unless the person is so licensed.

      (b) The treatment of human ailments by physical therapy shall only be performed by a person licensed under the provisions of this chapter as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant upon the oral or written referral of a person licensed in this state, or in a bordering state having licensing requirements meeting the approval of the appropriate examining board in this state, to practice medicine and surgery, podiatry, natureopathy, chiropractic or dentistry, or an advanced practice registered nurse licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 20-94a or a physician assistant licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 20-12d. Nothing in this section shall prevent a physical therapist from providing wellness care within the scope of physical therapy practice to asymptomatic persons without a referral. Nothing in this section shall require an employer or insurer to pay for such wellness care.

      (c) Any person who violates the provisions of this section or who obtains or attempts to obtain licensure as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant by any wilful misrepresentation or any fraudulent representation shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. A physical therapist, physical therapist assistant or dentist who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to licensure revocation in the same manner as is provided under section 19a-17, or in the case of a healing arts practitioner, section 20-45. For purposes of this section each instance of patient contact or consultation in violation of any provision of this section shall constitute a separate offense. Failure to renew a license in a timely manner shall not constitute a violation for the purposes of this section.

      (d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit or limit the ability of a person licensed or certified in a field other than physical therapy from providing wellness care that is within the scope of such person's practice."

      (1949 Rev., S. 4407, 4409; 1953, S. 2209d, 2210d; 1959, P.A. 575, S. 5; P.A. 73-579, S. 3; P.A. 76-276, S. 18, 22; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 80-336, S. 3; P.A. 81-473, S. 19, 43; P.A. 84-526, S. 6; P.A. 93-55, S. 2; 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 94-213, S. 3; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-299, S. 3; P.A. 99-102, S. 24; P.A. 00-226, S. 15, 20; P.A. 03-209, S. 3, 4.)

      History: 1959 act changed technical language, added provision which refers to Sec. 20-66 and reference to "Physical Therapist" and deleted stipulation that persons who are registered may so hold themselves out; P.A. 73-579 allowed therapist to practice under direction of person licensed to practice osteopathy; P.A. 76-276 substituted reference to Sec. 20-48 for repealed Sec. 20-48a and added reference to sections specifically applicable to revocation of physician's license; P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-336 rephrased provision setting forth conditions for practice of physical therapy and allowed practice under order or referral of practitioners in bordering states if licensure requirements of such state are approved and included podiatry, natureopathy, chiropractic and dentistry practitioners among those who may supervise therapists; P.A. 81-473 amended section to reflect change from registration to licensure; P.A. 84-526 amended section by changing penalty for violation of any provision of section to a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or imprisonment of not more than five years, and added provisions that each instance of patient contact or consultation shall constitute a separate offense and failure to renew license in timely manner is not a violation for purposes of section; P.A. 93-55 made technical changes; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-213 added reference to prescriptions by advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-299 divided section into Subdivs. and added provisions to allow the registration of physical therapy assistants; P.A. 99-102 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting obsolete reference to osteopathy and making technical changes; P.A. 00-226 divided existing Subsec. (a) into Subsecs. (a)(1), (b) and (c), added Subsec. (a)(2) and made conforming changes in Subsecs. (b) and (c) re physical therapist assistants and deleted former Subsec. (b), effective the later of October 1, 2000, or the date notice is published by the Commissioner of Public Health in the Connecticut Law Journal indicating that the licensing of athletic trainers and physical therapist assistants is being implemented by the commissioner; P.A. 03-209 added provisions re providing wellness care without a referral and payment for such wellness care, added new Subsec. re provision of wellness care by persons licensed or certified in field other than physical therapy if within their scope of practice and made technical changes.

      Former statute cited. 141 C. 288.