CHAPTER 375a*
ATHLETIC TRAINING

      Sec. 20-65f. Definitions. As used in this chapter:

      (1) "Athletic training" means the application or provision, with the consent and under the direction of a health care provider, of (A) principles, methods and procedures of evaluation, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of athletic injuries sustained by athletes, (B) appropriate preventative and supportive devices, temporary splinting and bracing, physical modalities of heat, cold, light massage, water, electric stimulation, sound, exercise and exercise equipment, (C) the organization and administration of athletic training programs, and (D) education and counseling to athletes, coaches, medical personnel and athletic communities in the area of the prevention and care of athletic injuries. For purposes of this subdivision, "health care provider" means a person licensed to practice medicine or surgery under chapter 370, chiropractic under chapter 372, podiatry under chapter 375 or natureopathy under chapter 373;

      (2) "Athletic injury" means any injury sustained by an athlete as a result of such athlete's participation in exercises, sports, games or recreation requiring strength, agility, flexibility, range of motion, speed or stamina, or any comparable injury that prevents such athlete from participating in any such activities;

      (3) "Athlete" means any person who is a member of any professional, amateur, school or other sports team, or is a regular participant in sports or recreational activities, including, but not limited to, training and practice activities, that require strength, agility, flexibility, range of motion, speed or stamina. For purposes of this subdivision, "regular" means not less than three times per week;

      (4) "Standing orders" means written protocols, recommendations and guidelines for treatment and care, furnished and signed by a health care provider specified under subdivision (1) of this section, to be followed in the practice of athletic training that may include, but not be limited to, (A) appropriate treatments for specific athletic injuries, (B) athletic injuries or other conditions requiring immediate referral to a licensed health care provider, and (C) appropriate conditions for the immediate referral to a licensed health care provider of injured athletes of a specified age or age group;

      (5) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Public Health.

      (P.A. 00-226, S. 1, 20.)

      History: P.A. 00-226 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, i.e. April 11, 2006.

      Sec. 20-65g. License required for practice and use of title. (a) Except as provided in section 20-65i, no person may practice athletic training unless such person is licensed pursuant to section 20-65k.

      (b) No person may use the title "licensed athletic trainer" or make use of any title, words, letters or abbreviations indicating or implying that such person is licensed to practice athletic training unless such person is licensed pursuant to section 20-65k.

      (P.A. 00-226, S. 2, 20.)

      History: P.A. 00-226 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, i.e. April 11, 2006.

      Sec. 20-65h. Referral to licensed health care provider. (a) Each person who practices athletic training under standing orders shall make a written or oral referral to a licensed health care provider of any athlete who has an athletic injury whose symptoms have not improved for a period of four days from the day of onset, or who has any physical or medical condition that would constitute a medical contraindication for athletic training or that may require evaluation or treatment beyond the scope of athletic training. The injuries or conditions requiring a referral under this subsection shall include, but not be limited to, suspected medical emergencies or illnesses, physical or mental illness and significant tissue or neurological pathologies.

      (b) Each person who practices athletic training, but not under standing orders, may perform initial evaluation and temporary splinting and bracing of any athlete with an athletic injury and shall, without delay, make a written or oral referral of such athlete to a licensed health care provider. The limitations on the practice of athletic training set forth in this subsection shall not apply in the case of any athlete that is referred to such person by a licensed health care provider, provided such practice shall be limited to the scope of such referral.

      (P.A. 00-226, S. 3, 20.)

      History: P.A. 00-226 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, i.e. April 11, 2006.

      Sec. 20-65i. Exceptions to licensing requirement. A license to practice athletic training shall not be required of: (1) A practitioner who is licensed or certified by a state agency and is performing services within the scope of practice for which such person is licensed or certified; (2) a student intern or trainee pursuing a course of study in athletic training, provided the activities of such student intern or trainee are performed under the supervision of a person licensed to practice athletic training and the student intern or trainee is given the title of "athletic trainer intern", or similar designation; (3) a person employed or volunteering as a coach of amateur sports who provides first aid for athletic injuries to athletes being coached by such person; (4) a person who furnishes assistance in an emergency; or (5) a person who acts as an athletic trainer in this state for less than thirty days per calendar year and who is licensed as an athletic trainer by another state or is certified by the Board of Certification, Inc., or its successor organization.

      (P.A. 00-226, S. 4, 20; P.A. 06-195, S. 43.)

      History: P.A. 00-226 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, i.e. April 11, 2006; P.A. 06-195 changed "National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification, Inc." to "Board of Certification, Inc." in Subdiv. (5), effective June 7, 2006.

      Sec. 20-65j. Qualifications for licensure. Licensure by endorsement. (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, an applicant for a license to practice athletic training shall have: (1) A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, or from an institution of higher learning located outside of the United States that is legally chartered to grant postsecondary degrees in the country in which such institution is located; and (2) current certification as an athletic trainer by the Board of Certification, Inc., or its successor organization.

      (b) An applicant for licensure to practice athletic training by endorsement shall present evidence satisfactory to the commissioner (1) of licensure or certification as an athletic trainer, or as a person entitled to perform similar services under a different designation, in another state having requirements for practicing in such capacity that are substantially similar to or higher than the requirements in force in this state, and (2) that there is no disciplinary action or unresolved complaint pending against such applicant.

      (c) Prior to April 30, 2007, the commissioner shall grant a license as an athletic trainer to any applicant who presents evidence satisfactory to the commissioner of (1) the continuous providing of services as an athletic trainer since October 1, 1979, or (2) certification as an athletic trainer by the Board of Certification, Inc., or its successor organization.

      (P.A. 00-226, S. 5, 20; P.A. 04-221, S. 22; P.A. 06-195, S. 44.)

      History: P.A. 00-226 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, i.e. April 11, 2006; P.A. 04-221 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting former Subdiv. (3) re passage of national examination and changing Subdiv. (2) from a description of the required course of study to a requirement of certification, and amended Subsec. (c) by changing the beginning date for licensure from January 1, 2001, to "the effective date of this section" and by making a conforming change, 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, i.e. April 11, 2006; P.A. 06-195 amended Subsecs. (a) and (c) by changing "National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification, Inc." to "Board of Certification, Inc." and amended Subsec. (c) by replacing former provision re ending date for granting athletic trainer licenses to persons who meet less stringent qualifications with "Prior to April 30, 2007".

      Sec. 20-65k. License to practice athletic training. Fees. (a) The commissioner shall grant a license to practice athletic training to an applicant who presents evidence satisfactory to the commissioner of having met the requirements of section 20-65j. An application for such license shall be made on a form required by the commissioner. The fee for an initial license under this section shall be one hundred fifty dollars.

      (b) A license to practice athletic training may be renewed in accordance with the provisions of section 19a-88, provided any licensee applying for license renewal shall maintain certification as an athletic trainer by the Board of Certification, Inc., or its successor organization. The fee for such renewal shall be one hundred dollars.

      (P.A. 00-226, S. 6, 20; P.A. 04-221, S. 23; P.A. 06-195, S. 45.)

      History: P.A. 00-226 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, i.e. April 11, 2006; P.A. 04-221 amended Subsec. (b) by adding requirement that licensee maintain national certification, 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, i.e. April 11, 2006 (Revisor's note: In 2005, a reference to "providing" in Subsec. (b) was changed editorially by the Revisors to "provided" for proper form); P.A. 06-195 changed "National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification, Inc." to "Board of Certification, Inc." in Subsec. (b), effective June 7, 2006.

      Sec. 20-65l. Regulations. Administration within available appropriations. The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this chapter. The commissioner shall administer the provisions of this chapter within available appropriations.

      (P.A. 00-226, S. 7, 20.)

      History: P.A. 00-226 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, i.e. April 11, 2006.

      Sec. 20-65m. Disciplinary action. Grounds. The Department of Public Health may take any action set forth in section 19a-17 if a person issued a license pursuant to section 20-65k fails to conform to the accepted standards of the athletic trainer profession, including, but not limited to, the following: Conviction of a felony; fraud or deceit in the practice of athletic training; illegal, negligent, incompetent or wrongful conduct in professional activities; emotional disorder or mental illness; physical illness including, but not limited to, deterioration through the aging process; abuse or excessive use of drugs, including alcohol, narcotics or chemicals; wilful falsification of entries into any patient record pertaining to athletic training; misrepresentation or concealment of a material fact in the obtaining or reinstatement of an athletic trainer license; or violation of any provisions of this chapter or any regulation adopted under this chapter. The Commissioner of Public Health may order a license holder to submit to a reasonable physical or mental examination if the license holder's physical or mental capacity to practice safely is the subject of an investigation. The commissioner may petition the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford to enforce such order or any action taken pursuant to section 19a-17. Notice of any contemplated action under section 19a-17, the cause of the action and the date of a hearing on the action shall be given and an opportunity for hearing afforded in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.

      (P.A. 06-195, S. 46.)

      History: P.A. 06-195 effective June 7, 2006.