Bill Text: MI HR0050 | 2021-2022 | 101st Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: A resolution to honor the 100th anniversary of the American Physical Therapy Association.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 34-8)
Status: (Passed) 2021-03-04 - Adopted [HR0050 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2021-HR0050-Enrolled.html
house resolution no.50
Reps. Rogers, Steckloff, Puri, Sneller, Brixie, Weiss, Morse, Breen, Wozniak, Lightner, Whiteford, Beson, Cambensy, Brabec, Neeley, Aiyash, Rabhi, Young, Lasinski, Stone, Shannon, Sowerby, Garza, Hertel, Hood, Haadsma, O'Neal, Borton, Cavanagh, Scott, Slagh, LaGrand, Anthony, Manoogian, Bolden, Kuppa, Bezotte, Kahle, Hope, Liberati, Sabo and Witwer offered the following resolution:
A resolution to honor the 100th anniversary of the American Physical Therapy Association.
Whereas, Reconstruction aides, strong women who were the predecessors to current physical therapists, were integral to the recovery of many World War I soldiers and demonstrated their value as medical professionals and war heroes, showing that those who would eventually be known as physical therapists had a major role to play in the future of America’s health; and
Whereas, Mary McMillan, a reconstruction aide, was elected in 1921 as the first president of the American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association; and
Whereas, The Michigan chapter of the American Physiotherapy Association (APA) had its start in October 1923 when the Detroit Physiotherapy Group held its first meeting at which Helen King was elected as Chairman; and
Whereas, The Michigan chapter of the APA was formally established in 1930, the same year the APA convention (which was held in conjunction with the American Medical Association Convention) was held in Detroit with assistance from the Michigan Chapter; and
Whereas, Emma Vogel initiated the first War emergency training course of World War II at Walter Reed General Hospital in 1941, consisting of six months of concentrated didactic instruction followed by six months of supervised practice at a military hospital; and
Whereas, Lucy Blair was a part of Dr. Jonas Salk’s national response to the polio epidemic in the early 1950s, serving as the staff coordinator for physical therapists; and
Whereas, The first physical therapy education program in Michigan began in 1952 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and the effort to launch a two-year graduate education program for physical therapists began at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio in 1960; and
Whereas, The first two classes of physical therapist assistants entered the workforce after graduating in 1969 from education programs at Miami-Dade Community College in Florida and St. Mary’s Junior College in Minnesota (now St. Catherine University) and the first class of Michigan physical therapist assistants graduated in 1973 from Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek; and
Whereas, The first physical therapy department at a Historically Black College or University was established at Howard University in 1974; and
Whereas, APTA in 1978 launched the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy, which gained national recognition by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole entity that grants specialized accreditation status to qualified entry-level education programs for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants; and
Whereas, The first doctor of physical therapy students graduated from Creighton University in 1996. As of 2015, all physical therapists are educated at the clinical doctoral level including those who graduate from the seven physical therapy education programs in Michigan; and
Whereas, The vision of the physical therapy profession is: transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience; and
Whereas, The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services indicates that more than 80% of adults and adolescents do not get enough physical activity and that regular activity is one of the most important ways to improve health. This makes physical therapists and physical therapist assistants critical to health services teams as movement experts who improve quality of life by addressing pain or chronic conditions that limit participation in activities, and by reducing the risk for chronic diseases, enhancing fitness, and preventing injuries through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement based on rigorous research; and
Whereas, Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants treat people where they are, providing care to people in many settings, including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, homes, schools, sports teams, fitness facilities, the U.S. Armed Services, veterans’ facilities, work settings, and nursing homes; and
Whereas, Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants treat individuals across the lifespan and have clinical expertise in 18 specialty areas: Acute Care, Aquatics, Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology and Wound Management, Education, Federal, Geriatrics, Hand and Upper Extremity, Health Policy and Administration, Home Health, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Pelvic Health, Private Practice, Research, and Sports; and
Whereas, Physical therapy is effective in reducing pain, such as low back pain. This is evidenced by a growing body of research for physical therapist treatment of low back pain that includes a 2018 study published in Health Services Research showing that physical therapy as a first-line approach not only saves money but also dramatically reduces the chance of receiving a prescription for dangerous opioids; and
Whereas, Students of physical therapy are being educated to address the health care needs of Americans for another 100 years; and
Whereas, APTA has worked hard to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts for the association and the physical therapy profession; and
Whereas, Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants have faced the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic head on, treating the most vulnerable, building on their proud history of work in the polio pandemic, and playing an essential role in treating people who are beginning to recover from the most severe effects of the novel coronavirus, both during their time in the hospital and after they leave, for as long as it takes to improve function; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body honor the 100th anniversary of the American Physical Therapy Association. We honor the APTA for its dedication to improving the health of society over the past 100 years and recognize that the organization and its members in Michigan are essential partners to meeting the future health and wellness needs of our country.
