(Source: PT in Motion News)
In the largest grassroots effort on concussions in APTA history, members, students, and patients sent a loud-and-clear message to members of Congress: greater attention needs to be paid to youth sports concussion, and physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) can play an important role in managing these injuries.
The concussion message was the focus of this year’s Flash Action Strategy FAS), a student-led advocacy campaign that took place September 8-10. In the span of 72 hours, FAS participants sent letters to every member of Congress through APTA’s Legislative Action Center (LAC) and Patient Action Center (PAC) asking them to support the Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act (H.R. 3532) and the Supporting Athletes, Families, and Educators to Protect the Lives of Athletic Youth Act (SAFE PLAY Act) (S. 2718/H.R. 5324). Organizers estimate that the FAS required about a minute of a participant’s time.
Although the official FAS wrapped up on September 10, members and others interested in delivering messages to legislators can still get in the game by contacting legislators through the LAC and PAC.
“Once again the partnership between APTA and the APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors set the stage for a great advocacy effort,” said Justin Moore, DPT, vice president, public policy, practice, and professional affairs at APTA. “We are grateful to all of the members, patients, and others who spoke out on this important issue. We’ve moved the ball down the field on concussion awareness.”