APTA New York Members Share Their Experiences at Advocacy Day By: Theresa Marko PT, DPT, MS, New York Federal Affairs Liaison
APTA wrapped up its centennial celebration with an in-person advocacy day in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 14th. More than 450 PTs, PTAs, students, and supporters turned out for the event, which was preceded by a training session on Sept. 13th. This year was a little different as it was a hybrid meeting, with some people having in person meetings and some having virtual. No matter though, we were all at Capitol Hill to fight for the profession and our patients. Our asks included: • Stopping the Medicare cuts! • Making Telehealth Permanent • Adding PTs and our rehab friends to the National Health Service Corp • Funding diversity in higher Ed programs for PT and our rehab colleagues We had a great group this year with 14 people, which is bigger than normal! Clinician members from APTA New York Included: • Mark Herbrich, PT • Roger Herr, PT, MPA, APTA President-Elect • Peggy Lynam, PT, DPT, APTA New York President • Theresa Marko, PT, DPT, MS • Gretchen Roman, PT, DPT, PhD, APTA New York Centennial Scholar • Jim Smith, PT, DPT, MA Students Included: Tom Ammirati, SPT Alvernia University Sabrina Basile, SPT Daemen College, APTA New York SSIG Advocacy Chair Gabriella DeVito, SPT Alvernia University Angelica Maldonado, SPT Mercy College Zaryna Sanchez, SPT Mercy College Joseph Santangelo, SPT George Washington University Justina Snyder, SPT, Ithaca College, APTA New York SSIG President Emily Yong, SPT George Washington University The following article captures my experience as the Federal Affairs Liaison, attending APTA’s Federal Advocacy Day. (This originally appeared as “We Went to D.C. to Advocate for Our Profession. Here’s What It Was Like” on September 29, 2021, as a perspective piece on apta.org, republished with permission from the American Physical Therapy Association.) So what happens during an APTA advocacy event? We asked Theresa Marko, PT, DPT, the New York Physical Therapy Association’s; federal affairs liaison, to chronicle her experience. She was joined in the project by Sabrina Basile, SPT, a student at Daemen College and advocacy chair of the NYPTA student special interest group; and Zaryna Sanchez, SPT, from Mercy College.
Monday Sept. 13, 2021: Getting Our Footing (and Getting Fired Up) THERESA: Everyone got together at the Omni Shoreham hotel ballroom, grouped by state delegation, to meet and get trained on all the advocacy asks we would be taking to Capitol Hill. This was my first time acting as the Federal Affairs Liaison for New York. (Continues on pages 20-26) APTA New York | November/December, 2021
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