2005 California Business and Professions Code Sections 2655-2655.93 Article 4.5. Physical Therapist Assistant

2655.  As used in this article:
   (a) "Physical therapist" means a physical therapist licensed by
the board.
   (b) "Physical therapist assistant" means a person who meets the
qualifications stated in Section 2655.3 and who is approved by the
board to assist in the provision of physical therapy under the
supervision of a physical therapist who shall be responsible for the
extent, kind, and quality of the services provided by the physical
therapist assistant.
   (c) "Physical therapist assistant" and "physical therapy assistant"
shall be deemed identical and interchangeable.
2655.1.  The board shall adopt regulations that set forth standards
and requirements for the adequate supervision of physical therapist
assistants.
2655.11.  A person holding an approval as a physical therapist
assistant issued by the board may use the title "physical therapist
assistant" or "physical therapy assistant" or the letters "P.T.A." or
any other words, letters, or figures that indicate that the person
is an approved physical therapist assistant.  No other person shall
be so designated or shall use the term "physical therapist assistant"
or "P.T.A."  The approval as a physical therapist assistant shall
not authorize the use of the prefix "L.P.T.," "R.P.T.," "P.T.," or
"Dr." or the title "physical therapist," "doctor," or any suffix or
affix indicating or implying that the physical therapist assistant is
a physical therapist or a doctor.
2655.2.  A physical therapist shall not supervise more physical
therapist assistants at any one time than in the opinion of the board
can be adequately supervised.  Two physical therapist assistants
shall be the maximum number of physical therapist assistants
supervised by a physical therapist at any one time, but the board may
permit the supervision of a greater number by a physical therapist
if, in the opinion of the board, there would be adequate supervision
and the public's health and safety would be served.  In no case,
however, shall the total number of physical therapist assistants
exceed twice the number of physical therapists regularly employed by
a facility at any one time.
2655.3.  A person seeking approval as a physical therapist assistant
shall make application to the board for that approval.  Every person
applying for approval as a physical therapist assistant shall have
all of the following qualifications:
   (a) Have graduated from a physical therapist assistant education
program approved by the board pursuant to Section 2655.9, or have
training or experience or a combination of training and experience
which in the opinion of the board is equivalent to that obtained in
an approved physical therapist assistant education program.
   (b) Successfully pass the examination required under this article.
   (c) Not be addicted to alcohol or any controlled substance.
   (d) Not have committed acts or crimes constituting grounds for
denial of approval under Section 480.
2655.4.  Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person
shall receive approval as a physical therapist assistant without
first successfully passing an examination given under the direction
of the board.  The examination shall be in writing and shall be
conducted by those persons and in the manner and under regulations as
shall be prescribed by the board, but shall be so conducted that the
identity of each applicant taking an examination will be unknown to
all of the examiners until all of the papers have been graded.
   Applicants for approval as a physical therapist assistant shall be
required to demonstrate knowledge of the laws and regulations
related to the practice of physical therapy in California by
successfully passing an examination that reasonably tests the
applicant's knowledge of these laws and regulations.
2655.5.  Every applicant for approval as a physical therapist
assistant who is otherwise qualified as provided in this chapter, and
who receives a passing grade, as established by the board, on the
examination shall be issued a certificate of approval.
2655.6.  Any applicant for approval as a physical therapist
assistant who fails to pass the examination given by the board may
take another examination and shall pay the reexamination fee.
2655.7.  Notwithstanding Section 2630, a physical therapist
assistant may assist in the provision of physical therapy service
provided the assistance is rendered under the supervision of a
physical therapist licensed by the board.
2655.71.  (a) An applicant may be issued an approval as a physical
therapist assistant without written examination if he or she meets
all of the following requirements:
   (1) He or she is at the time of application approved, licensed, or
registered as a physical therapist assistant in a state, district,
or territory of the United States having, in the opinion of the
board, requirements for approval, licensing, or registration equal to
or higher than those in California, and he or she has passed, to the
satisfaction of the board, an examination for that approval,
licensing or registration that is, in the opinion of the board,
comparable to the examination used in this state.
   (2) He or she is a graduate of a physical therapist assistant
education program approved by the board or has graduated from a
program determined by the board to be equivalent, or as meeting the
evaluative criteria for accreditation by the Commission on
Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical
Therapy Association.
   (3) He or she files an application as provided in Section 2655.3.
   (b) An applicant who has filed a physical therapist assistant
application for the first time may assist in the provision of
physical therapy in accordance with Section 2655.91.
2655.75.  Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a
regularly matriculated student undertaking a course of instruction in
an approved physical therapist assistant education program or a
student enrolled in a program of supervised clinical training under
the direction of an approved physical therapist assistant education
program pursuant to Section 2655.9, as part of his or her course of
study, from performing physical therapy techniques in preparing the
student to be approved to assist a physical therapist in his or her
practice of physical therapy.
2655.8.  Any person, other than one who has been approved by the
board, who holds himself or herself out as a "physical therapist
assistant" or who uses any other term indicating or implying that he
or she is a physical therapist assistant, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
2655.9.  (a) The board shall approve each physical therapist
assistant education program that proves to the satisfaction of the
board that it complies with criteria for approval of those programs
set forth in this section and established by the board.  These
criteria may be based upon the standards and curriculum guidelines
for a physical therapist assistant education program as promulgated
by the American Physical Therapy Association or an essentially
equivalent organization.
   (b) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, each applicant
for approval as a physical therapist assistant shall be a graduate of
an accredited postsecondary institution or institutions and shall
have completed both the academic and clinical experience required by
the physical therapist assistant program, and have been awarded the
associate degree.
   (c) The curriculum shall consist of a combination of basic
sciences, applied clinical sciences, and progressive application
through clinical experience.  The curriculum shall reflect education
in the skills and judgment required of the physical therapist
assistant in the contemporary performance of physical therapy through
an organized sequence of integrated learning experiences.
   (1) The basic sciences shall include, at a minimum, human anatomy
and physiology, physical or health sciences, and social or behavioral
sciences.
   (2) The applied clinical sciences shall include neurology, normal
and pathological kinesiology, normal and abnormal growth and
development, gerontology, orthopedic disorders, and fundamentals of
physical therapy including the economic, legal, and ethical aspects
of practice.  Clinical studies shall also provide laboratory
experiences in simulated patient treatment including the observation,
measurement, and reporting of a patient's physiologic state and
effectiveness of the treatment relative to the goals established by
the physical therapist's evaluation.
   (3) The clinical experience shall include physical therapy
treatments of patients of varying ages, disabilities, and diseases.
This experience shall occur in a variety of practice settings
allowing for interaction with health care professionals.  Clinical
experience shall include daily written and verbal communication with
the supervising physical therapist to report each patient's treatment
program relative to the treatment goals and to discuss adjustments
in the treatment program and discharge plan.
2655.91.  Every graduate of an approved physical therapist assistant
education program who has filed a complete physical therapist
assistant application with the board for the first time may,
following receipt of a letter of authorization to perform as a
"physical therapist assistant applicant" from the board, assist in
the provision of physical therapy under the direct and immediate
supervision of a licensed physical therapist pending the results of
the first examination administered for which he or she is eligible
following graduation from an approved physical therapist assistant
education program.  If the applicant passes the examination, the
physical therapist assistant applicant status shall remain in effect
until a regular renewable approval is issued, or approval is denied,
by the board.  If the applicant fails the examination, or if he or
she passes the examination but approval is denied, the applicant
shall be prohibited from performing as a physical therapist assistant
applicant at any time in the future.
   During this period the applicant shall identify himself or herself
only as a "physical therapist assistant applicant."
   If a person assisting in the provision of physical therapy
pursuant to this section fails to take the next succeeding
examination without due cause or fails to pass the examination or
receive approval, all privileges under this section shall terminate
upon notice by certified mail, return receipt requested.  An
applicant may only qualify once to perform as a physical therapist
assistant applicant.
   A student is not eligible to work as a physical therapist
assistant applicant until successful completion of the clinical
experience required for graduation from the program.
2655.92.  The board may adopt regulations as reasonably necessary to
carry out the purposes of this article.  The board shall adopt a
regulation formulating a definition of the term "adequate supervision"
as used in this article.
2655.93.  (a) If the committee uses computer administered testing
for the administration of the examination, this section shall apply
and Section 2655.91 shall not apply.
   (b) Every graduate of an approved physical therapist assistant
education program who has filed a complete application with the
committee for the first time, may, following receipt of a letter of
authorization to take the examination and perform as a "physical
therapist assistant applicant," assist in the provision of physical
therapy under the direct and immediate supervision of a physical
therapist licensed in this state, for 90 days pending the results of
the first examination administered.  During this period, the
applicant shall identify himself or herself only as a "physical
therapist assistant applicant."  If the applicant passes the
examination, the physical therapist assistant applicant status shall
remain in effect until a regular renewable approval is issued, or
approval is denied, by the committee.
   (c) A person shall not be considered a graduate unless he or she
has successfully completed all the clinical training and internships
required for graduation from the program.
   (d) If the applicant fails to take the examination within 90 days
or fails to pass the examination or receive approval, all privileges
under this section shall terminate.  An applicant may only qualify
once to perform as a physical therapist assistant applicant.