Other Ways to Engage

Our advocacy efforts rely on a network of dedicated grassroots advocates.

Key Contacts

Key Contacts are APTA members who serve as the primary contacts with their Senators or Representative in the United States Congress. There can be more than one Key Contact for a member of Congress. Key Contacts are vital in establishing valuable relationships with legislators to increase awareness of the issues that face the physical therapy profession. Key Contacts are encouraged to meet with their members throughout the year and provide feedback on the meetings to the APTA Government Affairs Department. Get started by sending an email to APTA Advocacy!

Roles and responsibilities include:

• Establishing and maintaining a relationship with members of Congress and their staff.
• Providing information on critical physical therapy issues to members of Congress.
• Developing a network of physical therapists that live in the state/congressional district who will write letters or make telephone calls to legislators in support of APTA's public policy priorities.

If you are interested in serving in this role, email APTA Advocacy.

Federal Affairs Liaisons

Federal Affairs Liaisons (FALs) serve as the link between their component and APTA's Government Affairs Department on federal issues. Each APTA chapter and section president selects one member to serve as that components' FAL for a term of one year. FALs are responsible for disseminating information to their components, maintaining connections to their members of Congress, and providing grassroots input to APTA's Government Affairs Department. FALs also encourage their states to participate in grassroots advocacy activities and leads the August Recess in-district visits for their state. 

Roles and responsibilities include:

• Providing input from the chapter/section to APTA's advocacy staff.
• Disseminating information to the grassroots membership from the APTA Board of Directors and APTA staff.
• Assisting in the identification of potential APTA key contacts from your chapter. Liaisons to APTA sections do not have this responsibility since key contacts are identified at the state level.
• Attending regular component meetings to relay legislative and regulatory information.
• Helping recruit participants for APTA advocacy events.
• Coordinating practice visits in your state by bring members of Congress into different physical therapy practice settings.
• Attending political events, with the assistance of PT-PAC in your state.
• Coordinating with the state legislative chairperson on component grassroots networks, policy development, and identification of emerging issues

If you are interested in becoming a federal affairs liaison for your chapter or section, contact your component president or e-mail APTA Advocacy.

Public Policy and Advocacy Committee

The APTA Advocacy Network is a vital link to APTA's successes on Capitol Hill. All APTA Advocacy Network members receive updates on federal legislation including action alerts, quarterly newsletters, and information bulletins. Through the alerts, members are asked to contact their members of Congress on particular issues of concern to their patients and the physical therapy profession. Any APTA member can join the APTA Advocacy Network and stay up-to-date on the latest legislative and regulatory news impacting the physical therapy profession.

Learn more about the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee.