In this News Brief:
Prepare for the Annual Education Meeting
The 2025 Annual Education Meeting is just around the corner! It will be held in Spokane, Washington, October 23-25. Registration opens soon in early September. More communications will follow. Funded attendees should have received a Travel Authorization from meetingplanner@fsbpt.org. Please note that funded attendees will be required to use a unique registration URL to secure their place at the conference. This URL will be sent directly via an email from communications@fsbpt.org. Please take a moment to add this email address to your safe-sender list to ensure delivery of the registration link. In the meantime, visit the FSBPT website for FAQs and more information! Please reach out with any questions.
The Slate for the 2025 Elections
The Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the slate for this year’s elections, to take place virtually during the Annual Education Meeting, October 23-25. Please read the Candidate Statements to learn more about the candidates.
The Nominating Committee held a Candidate Forum on July 14 in conjunction with the 2025 Leadership Issues Forum to introduce the 2025 candidates for the Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee. A second Candidate Forum will also be held in the fall during the Annual Education Meeting.
Please join FSBPT in thanking the 2025 Nominating Committee Members, Robert Friberg (chair), Adrienne (Stacy) Price, and Bernardine Evans, for their work this year.
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| David Relling, ND President |
Ruggie Canizares, OR President |
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| Michele Thorman, WI Vice President |
Deanne Yates, KS Vice President |
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| Mario Baker, OH Nominating Committee |
Anne Thompson, GA Nominating Committee |
2025 Candidate Statement for the Council of Board Administrators (CBA)
We are pleased to announce that Missy Anthony (OH) will be running for this year’s 2025 CBA Chair. We encourage you to read her candidate statement:
I have enjoyed the challenge of working to grow the Council of Board Administrators over the past two years, and I feel as if the work has only started. One thing I have learned in over 26 years of state government experience is that networking is key. One of the best ways to find answers to problems is to collaborate and exchange ideas with someone else—especially those in similar positions.
I would love to continue as CBA chair for another term. I will listen to the membership and foster a dialogue that will help us all be able to access the resources we need to continue the goal of excellence in regulation. Another priority is to work with members of the CBA to support growing leaders among the CBA ranks. I am happy to be able to bring a cross-profession point of view to the CBA as the Executive Director of an agency that regulates a total of ten professions and is always aiming to do it as efficiently as possible. I look forward to hearing from everyone and working together!
Share Your Webinar and Annual Education Meeting Ideas!
We are accepting presentation ideas and proposals for 2025 webinars and in-person sessions at the 2025 Annual Education Meeting in Spokane, Washington.
If you have a specific idea, please submit a proposal. However, we are also interested in learning about jurisdictions' experiences with regulatory topics and your general ideas on what issues we should examine. We encourage all board members, administrators, and other stakeholders to share topics and ideas with us. You can also watch webinars and meeting sessions on FSBPT's YouTube Channel to learn what we've recently covered.
Model Practice Act Moment
Each month, we will focus on a different statute section from the Model Practice Act and its accompanying commentary. Learn more by reading the Model Practice Act.
Article 4: Regulation of Physical Therapy
4.08 Procedural Due Process
Actions of the board shall be taken subject to the right of notice, opportunity to be heard, and the right of appeal in accordance with [specify the jurisdiction] law relating to administrative law and procedure.
Commentary
This provision ensures the licensee or certificate holder due process of law. Most jurisdictions have separate statutory provisions related to this right that should be referred to under this paragraph.
Available Funding Opportunities
The FSBPT Board is committed to supporting its member jurisdictions in their mission to protect the public. Join the ranks of states, including Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, and the Virgin Islands, that have all taken a big step toward both administrative efficiency and protecting the public. They are currently leveraging FSBPT Grants to enhance the ELDD, improve compact privilege implementation, and collect workforce data.
Your state should be next! Learn more about our available grants to help jurisdictions with enhancing your participation in or communication with our Examination, Licensure, and Disciplinary Database (ELDD), improving compact privilege implementation, or collecting workforce data.
FSBPT offers grant funding to support its member jurisdictions in their mission to protect the public. If you are interested in receiving a grant, please send an email to FSBPT's CEO, William A. Hatherill summarizing what you would like to have funded and why it is important or how it can improve efficiencies for your board.
Upcoming Webinars
We are hosting multiple upcoming webinars within the FSBPT Portal, allowing you to easily access member resources, groups, and events all in one place! Be sure to register for these upcoming webinars:
Regulatory Hour with Amigo Wade: First Amendment Applicability to State Boards September 24, 4:00 p.m. ET Regulatory Hour with Jennifer Semko: Legal Landscape Related to Artificial Intelligence September 30, 4:00 p.m. ET Regulatory Hour with Dale Atkinson: Final Orders October 15, 4:00 p.m. ET Regulatory Hour with Paul Welk: Expanding PT Practice into Health and Wellness Services November 18, 4:00 p.m. ET Regulatory Hour with Dale Atkinson: A Year in Review December 17, 4:00 p.m. ET To register, please log in to the FSBPT Portal, select "Events," and click on the event you'd like to register for.
Send Us Additional Recipients
Do you know of any individuals or groups that would be interested in receiving our monthly News Brief? Do you have new board members or staff starting in 2025? Or did someone forward this to you, and you'd like to be on our list?
Please send any referrals our way! Contact us via email at communications@fsbpt.org with information, ideas, or suggestions.
We appreciate your collaboration in our effort to further our mission to protect the public.
FSBPT Forum: Close Encounters of the Unprofessional Kind: Advancing Boundaries Education in Physical Therapy
Regulators need to understand sexual misconduct and boundary violations in physical therapy, including power dynamics, informed consent, and cultural competency, to ensure ethical practices and patient well-being. This article is based on a 2024 Annual Education Meeting session presented by Sherri Paru, Mira Mariano, Samantha Mohn-Johnsen, and Michael Noonan.
Spotlight on Member Resources: Leadership Issues Forum Report
The Leadership Issues Forum took place in July in Arlington, Virginia. The official report is now available in the Members Area.
Many Thanks to Our Volunteers
This month, we thank our generous volunteer members for their support of our mission.
- Item Writer Coordinator
- Item Writers
- Exam Development Committee - PTA
In the News
FSBPT provides the following links for your education and awareness but does not endorse the content.
"Dropping invasive questions: More boards, hospitals stop asking clinicians about mental health," Ron Southwick, Chief Healthcare Executive, June 16, 2025
"More people may be comfortable with the idea of seeking help for their mental health, but some doctors and nurses won’t do it for a simple, heartbreaking reason. They worry they will have to acknowledge that they sought help, and that it could hurt their chance of being licensed, or getting a job."
"Nurse imposter arrested after treating 4,000 patients without a license," Megan Forrester, ABC News, August 6, 2025
"A woman in Florida was arrested after posing as a nurse and treating over 4,000 patients without a license, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office."
"DOJ announces 324 arrests in $14.6B healthcare fraud crackdown," Chad Van Alstin, Health Exec, June 30, 2025
"The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Monday that it has undertaken the largest healthcare fraud takedown in history, with 324 people charged in schemes that could have cost taxpayers $14.6 billion."
"Doctor arrested for $5.2M fraud linked to using medical ozone gas on patients," Chad Van Alstin, Health Exec, July 8, 2025
A pain doctor in Virginia has been indicted on 26 counts of healthcare fraud after he allegedly used unapproved medical ozone gas as a treatment for a number of patients, then billed government insurance programs for $5.2 million in reimbursement.
"Fast-track med schools aim to ease doctor shortage," Meg Oliver and Andrew Wolff, CBS News, July 29, 2025
"Diego Marroquin and Jason Denoncourt are students on the "Accelerated MD" track at UMass Chan Medical School — one of 33 programs that offers the option to compress four years of medical school into three for students who know they want to go into general medicine."
"Popular AI Chatbots Are Spreading False Medical Info, Mount Sinai Researchers Say," Katie Adams, MedCity News, August 11, 2025
"Mount Sinai researchers found that popular AI chatbots like ChatGPT and DeepSeek R1 can generate convincing but false medical information when given even a single fabricated term in a prompt. While the study underscored the need for stronger safeguards, its lead author noted that generative AI still holds major promise for reducing clinician workload if used responsibly."
Board Report
Recently, to advance the business of FSBPT, the board approved the motions listed. Please contact your jurisdiction board liaison if you have any questions or would like additional information.
25-08-01 Approve Academy of Advanced item writer inductees
To induct the following people into the Academy of Advanced Item Writers
- Larisa Hoffman Colorado
- Daniela Farro, New York
- John Myers, Ohio
- Lisa Joranlien, Florida
- Marc Duyck, Oregon
25-08-02 Accept Animal PT Model Regulations Report and place on the Members Only section of the FSBPT website
25-08-03 Approve LIF Report
25-08-04 To appoint the following individuals to the task force for reference expansion
- Jill Bugner, Georgia
- Andrea Constandis, Florida (Exam Development Committee)
- Paul-Neil Czujko, New York (Exam Development Committee)
- LaVerene Garner, Kansas (Item Writing Task Force)
- Diane Heislein, Massachusetts
- Jessica Johnson, Minnesota
- Brandi Lipovsky, North Carolina
- Mary Elizabeth Parker, Texas
- Lindsey Robinson, Louisiana
- Byron Russell, Arizona
- Govindaraj Srinivasan Manivannan, California
- William Stoddart, Pennsylvania
- Amanda Storer, Texas
- Eddie Traylor, North Carolina
- Jackie Underwood, Texas
- Molly Watkins, Minnesota (Item Writing Task Force)
FSBPT Board of Directors
Members of the board of directors serve as liaisons to multiple jurisdictions.
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Stephen Curley Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia
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Craig Miller Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Utah
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David Relling Hawaii, New Jersey, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, and Virgin Islands
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Steven Scherger Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas
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Michelle Sigmund-Gaines Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming
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Michele Thorman Delaware, District of Columbia, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, Virginia, and Wisconsin
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Krista Wolfe Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont
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Charles E. Reiter The public member of the board does not serve as a liaison to jurisdictions
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Did you know...?
FSBPT’s Board of Directors wants members to know staff is available to assist any jurisdiction with writing statutory or regulatory language. When you are crafting new laws or regulations/rules, especially involving FSBPT products such as the NPTE or Coursework Tool, or controversial topics such as dry needling, FSBPT is a resource to remember!
Staff Contact Information
Staff Contact Information
If you have questions, challenges or ideas, we want to hear from you!
(703) 299-3100
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Point of Contact/Email Address
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ADA accommodations
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Christine Sousa
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Assessment or examination development questions
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Lorin Mueller npte@fsbpt.org
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Continuing competence
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Jeffrey M. Rosa
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Credentials review
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Jaime Nolan, FCCPT
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ELDD- Exam, Licensure and Disciplinary Database participation
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eldd@fsbpt.org
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Exam registration processing
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Christine Sousa
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Foreign educated issues
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Leslie Adrian
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Immigration
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Jamie Nolan
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JAM- Jurisprudence Assessment Module
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JAM@fsbpt.org
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Legislation or Model Practice Act
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Leslie Adrian
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Meeting arrangements
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Paul Delaney
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NPDB reports/questions
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Angela Burnham
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PTC- Physical Therapy Compact
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compact@fsbpt.org
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PEAT®- Practice Exam & Assessment Tool
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peat@fsbpt.org
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Reimbursement of expenses and other financial matters
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David Sigman, ext. 226
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School reports
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schoolreports@fsbpt.org
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Score transfer & reporting
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Christine Sousa
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SCP PET- Supervised Clinical Practice Performance Evaluation Tool
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scppet@fsbpt.org
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Security issues
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Susan Newman security@fsbpt.org
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Anything else, including news to share with members
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William A. Hatherill Caitlin Jennings Communications@fsbpt.org
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From the Autauga crape myrtle-covered banks of the Potomac, where the fish are faster, the fishing boats are longer, and the fishermen are still full of stories.
- William A. Hatherill, CEO
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