0 OATA White Paper Task Force Members: Wendy J. Hampson (Chair) BPE, Dip AT&M, CAT(C) Frances Flint PhD, CAT(C), ATC FAASP James P. Laws BA, CAT(C) DC FRCCSS(C) Joseph P. Kenny BSc, MEd, CAT(C) 1 Acknowledgements The OATA White Paper Task Force would like to thank all the organizations and individuals who have assisted in the production of this document. The Task Force is grateful to all those who agreed to be interviewed as well as those who provided reference and archival material. The Task Force wants to acknowledge the active support of the OATA, the CATA, the NATA and the WFATT. The encouragement and co-operation of all past and present members of the OATA and CATA Committees and the professional staff of The CG Group are gratefully acknowledged. Photographs courtesy of Michael Boni, Wendy Hampson, Dr. Frances Flint, Joe Kenny, York Sport & Recreation and the OATA. 2 Table of Contents Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Page 4 The Future of Athletic Therapy………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Page 11 Recommendations………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….Page 16 Introduction……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………….Page 18 History of Athletic Therapy………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………….Page 20 History of the Athletic Therapy Profession……………………………………………………………………………….Page 20 Athletic Therapy in Higher Education……………………………..……………………………………………………….Page 28 Sports Injury Courses in Ontario……………………………………………………………………………………………..Page 33 Structure of the Athletic Therapy Profession…………………………………………………………………………………….Page 38 Athletic Therapy Scope of Practice………………………….……………………………………………………………....Page 38 National Certification Examination…………………………………………….…………………………………………….Page 42 Governance…………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………....Page 51 Regulation………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………….Page 52 The Role of Athletic Therapy in Society…………………………………………………………………………………………….Page 57 Practice Venues……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Page 57 Expanded Practice Venues………………………………………..………………………………………………………….…Page 74 Extended Health Benefits Insurance…………….………………………………………………………………………….Page 83 Athletic Therapists at Major Games…………..…………………………………………………………………………….Page 90 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………….Page 99 References……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Page 100 Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………..Page 1-A 3 Executive Summary What is the Athletic Therapy profession? The Athletic Therapy profession is defined by the Ontario Athletic Therapist Association as “A health care profession that specialises in the prevention, assessment and care of musculoskeletal disorders (muscles, bones, joints) especially as they relate to athletics and the pursuit of physical activity” (OATA, 2009a). What is a Certified Athletic Therapist? A Certified Athletic Therapist is a graduate of a Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA) accredited post- secondary program who has successfully completed the written and practical National Certification Examinations. A Certified Athletic Therapist uses the designation “Certified Athletic Therapist (Canada): the post-nominal initials being CAT(C). A Certified Athletic Therapist is also known as an Athletic Therapist. Who has Endorsed the Profession of Athletic Therapy? In the United States, the American Medical Association has endorsed Athletic Trainers (called "Athletic Therapists" in Canada) and their national certification body (the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification). The AMA has recommended that Athletic Trainers be hired by high schools to manage injury prevention, diagnosis and treatment for high school athletes. Athletic Trainers are licensed or registered in all but one state. Between Canada and the United States, there is mutual recognition of the educational components of the accredited programs for Athletic Therapy and Athletic Training, and the skill levels and knowledge are virtually the same. Who should consult with an Athletic Therapist? Anyone with an injury related to physical activity can benefit from evaluation and treatment by a Certified Athletic Therapist. Athletic Therapists traditionally have worked with high level athletes, but they are used to and are comfortable working with any physically active individual. Principles and techniques designed for athletes are successfully employed on a routine basis for those less physically active than a professional or national level athlete. History of Athletic Therapy In 1965, a small group of Canadians who were National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) members sought out like-minded professionals from across Canada to form a Canadian association similar to the NATA. They formed the Canadian Athletic Trainers Association (CATA). The original 10 founders of the CATA held the first convention and AGM in 1966. A 1969 Task Force on Sports for Canadians found that elite level athletes were not getting the kind of medical care that was available in other countries (Safai, 2007). After two major games (1968 Mexico Olympics and 1974 Commonwealth Games), the opportunity arose to correct this problem with additional coverage provided by ‘athletic trainers’ and sports therapists (De Conde, 1990) at the 1976 Montréal Olympics (Flint, 2012). In 1976, at the Annual General Meeting in Kingston, the name of the organization was changed to the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA). The name change was designed to convey the professionalism of Athletic Therapists in the eyes of the public, the government, and, other health care professions. This change in title from 4 ‘trainer’ to ‘therapist’ recognized the specialized role of Athletic Therapists as an integral component of a health care team. In fact, the name change was in time for the use of the title: “Athletic Therapist” at the 1976 Montréal Olympic Games. What began in 1965 as a small group of men seeking to develop an Athletic Training profession in Canada is now a strong, functioning health care profession made up of almost 1500 men and women across Canada. Athletic Therapists moved beyond the gymnasia of academia and the professional ranks to become well qualified clinical and field injury management specialists for all active Canadians. Sport Injury Courses in Ontario The OATA was a pioneer in the efforts to educate the general public in the prevention and management of sports injuries in Ontario. The Athletic First Aider program was the initial model upon which many successful government-funded and supported sports injury courses were based. The existence of the Athletic First Aider and Sports Injury Prevention and Care programs has resulted in an increased awareness within the sport community of the importance of the prevention and care of sports injuries and the role of the Certified Athletic Therapist as a health care professional. With the increased focus on mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and pediatric injuries, the OATA continues to play a significant role in the awareness, education and mitigation of sport injuries. Athletic Therapy in Higher Education Similar to the development of many professions, the first Athletic Therapists passed on their knowledge and skills via real life practice on the playing field or battlefield. With only a few formalized athletic training educational programs in Canada, the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association used Supervisory Athletic Therapists as mentors to help aspiring Athletic Therapists achieve certification after graduation from post-secondary institutions. The Canadian Athletic Therapists Association in 1997 recognized the need to develop an approved curriculum of study and required institutions from across Canada to have their Athletic Therapy programs accredited. As of September 1999, all students wishing to certify with the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association are required to have graduated from an accredited Athletic Therapy program. The quality assurance benchmark honed by Athletic Therapy students at accredited institutions is a direct result of the on-going meticulous academic reviews that occur at each institution by the Program Accreditation Committee (PAC). Further information about the PAC and the process can be found online at: www.athletictherapy.org/en/accreditation_application.aspx. National Certification Examination The Board of Certification for Athletic Therapy (CBoCAT) creates and administers the written and practical examinations based on all aspects of the CATA Scope of Practise and Competencies in Athletic Therapy. “This process ensures that successful Certification Candidates have demonstrated basic competence in Athletic Therapy and ensures the safety of the public as Certified Athletic Therapists provide Athletic Therapy services to active Canadians” (CATA, 2011). The National Certification Examination (NCE) is one of the most stringent in the Canadian health care system. It is a process that ensures that Athletic Therapy Certification Candidates have successfully met the minimum standards for a Certified Athletic Therapist as set out by the CATA Scope of Practice and Competencies in Athletic Therapy. 5 It continues to meet new challenges by changing, adapting and adopting new policies and procedures. The NCE process is fair, valid, reliable and defensible. Since Athletic Therapists treat active Canadians, a stringent and discerning examination ensures safe and effective treatment. The National Certification Examination is fair, valid,