[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 188 (Thursday, December 8, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8462-S8463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. Coons):
  S. 1976. A bill to authorize educational assistance under the Armed 
Forces Health Professions Scholarship program for pursuit of advanced 
degrees in physical therapy and occupational therapy; to the Committee 
on Armed Services.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill to allow 
physical and occupational therapists to enroll in the Armed Forces 
Health Professionals Scholarship Program. I am pleased to be joined in 
this effort by my colleague, Senator Coons of Delaware. Our legislation 
provides tuition assistance to critical health care professionals in 
exchange for service as a commissioned medical officer.
  Unfortunately, while the need for physical therapists has grown 
during the last ten years of combat, neither the Department of Defense 
nor the military services have conducted a separate analysis of the 
current or future DoD workforce requirements for occupational and 
physical therapists, even though such an analysis was required by last 
year's Defense authorization bill.
  This legislation would allow the military services to extend the same 
kind of educational benefits to physical and occupational therapists 
that are already afforded to physicians, dentists, physician 
assistants, and even veterinarians.
  Physical and occupational therapists at the military's major medical 
centers serve approximately 600 wounded warriors every day on their 
road to recovery. More than 32,000 service members have been wounded in 
Iraq and Afghanistan, including many who have suffered very serious 
injuries and amputations. Physical and occupational therapists play a 
critical role in the prevention of injury, rehabilitation, and recovery 
of wounded warriors. They not only serve in medical facilities, but are 
also embedded with combat brigade teams on the battlefield. They use 
their medical training and skill to overcome impairments, regardless of 
the cause to enable service members to overcome disability and succeed 
in all aspects of life.
  The idea for this bill came directly from a visit I had with a 
wounded Marine from Maine at the National Military Medical Center in 
Bethesda, Maryland in November. He was severely wounded by an IED in 
Afghanistan. He lost part of one leg and his other leg contains 
shrapnel wounds. Both of his arms were wounded, and he has a traumatic 
brain injury as well. In short, he has very serious wounds that are 
going to require a very lengthy recovery period. But, his spirits are 
amazingly strong and upbeat.
  However, when I asked him if he had any concerns, while he praised 
the care he was receiving, he said there was a severe shortage of 
physical therapists and other trained clinical personnel to help him in 
what is going to be a very long recovery. He is expected to be at 
Bethesda for another nine months. It troubles me that he believes there 
are not a sufficient number of physical therapists to help him and the 
other wounded warriors who are hospitalized at Bethesda.
  While the Department of Defense reports that it does not face a 
shortage in these professions overall, both the Air Force and the Navy 
report shortages in physical therapists, physical therapy technicians, 
and occupational therapists. One out of every four physical therapist 
positions in the active duty Navy is currently unfilled. So including 
these medical professions in this existing educational program would 
help meet this need.
  This bill is also endorsed by both the American Physical Therapy 
Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association, who 
agree this effort will help curtail a possible shortage of these 
valuable professionals in the future.
  I wish to point out, we are not authorizing additional or new funding 
in

[[Page S8463]]

this bill, it is simply an important insurance policy against a 
shortfall of these medical professions that will help the Navy and the 
Air Force fill vacancies. After all, it is these talented and committed 
professionals who are helping our wounded warriors return to living 
full and independent lives.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that letters of support be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record as follows:

                                                 American Physical


                                          Therapy Association.

     Senator Susan Collins,
     Dirksen Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Collins: On behalf of the more than 77,000 
     members of the American Physical Therapy Association, I write 
     to thank you for your amendment to the National Defense 
     Authorization Act and your introduction of legislation to 
     include physical therapists in the Health Professions 
     Scholarship Program (HPSP).
       APTA commends your efforts to add physical therapists to 
     the HPSP. This legislation will enable more of these highly 
     qualified professionals to help treat our nation's wounded 
     warriors and ensure that there will be no shortage in the 
     future. There should never be any disruption in care for the 
     reason of inadequate personnel.
       As you know, physical therapists play a critical role in 
     the prevention of injury, rehabilitation, and recovery of 
     wounded warriors around the world. They not only serve at 
     medical facilities like the Walter Reed National Military 
     Medical Center (WRNMMC), but they are also found on the 
     battlefield with the Army Medical Specialist Corps and are 
     embedded with combat brigade teams. They aid in shortening 
     the recovery time of soldiers so they can return to service, 
     and are a necessary and integral part of the health care 
     structure of the armed forces.
       Thank you for your commitment to improving the 
     rehabilitation and well being of our wounded warriors. Please 
     contact Michael Hurlbut, Associate Director of Congressional 
     Affairs, at [email protected] or 703-706-3160, if you 
     have any questions or would like any additional information.
           Sincerely,
                                           R. Scott Ward, PT, PhD,
     President.
                                  ____

                                         The American Occupational


                                    Therapy Association, Inc.,

                                   Bethesda, MD, December 7, 2011.
     Hon. Susan Collins,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Collins: On behalf of the American 
     Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), the national 
     professional association representing the interests of more 
     than over 140,000 occupational therapists, occupational 
     therapy assistants and students of occupational therapy, I am 
     writing to thank you for sponsoring legislation to promote 
     occupational therapy within the United States military. This 
     legislation seeks to authorize educational assistance under 
     the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship program for 
     the pursuit of advanced degrees in occupational therapy and 
     physical therapy.
       Occupational therapy is a skilled health, wellness and 
     rehabilitation service with the goal of improving function, 
     independence and quality of life so that individuals can lead 
     more productive and rewarding lives. Occupational therapists 
     work within the military from the frontlines in Combat Stress 
     Control teams throughout the continuum of care to long-term 
     rehabilitation and stateside community reintegration. While 
     occupational therapists are present in every branch of the 
     service the Army has the largest and most prominent role for 
     occupational therapy; using the professions unique focus on 
     overcoming impairments regardless of the cause to enable 
     soldiers to overcome disability and succeed in all aspects of 
     life.
       The current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have dramatically 
     increased the demand for occupational therapy practitioners 
     within the military. The signature injuries of these 
     conflicts include traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic 
     stress disorder, traumatic amputation and poly-trauma. Within 
     both the military and the Veterans Administration 
     occupational therapists work as critical members of the 
     treatment teams to address each of these conditions.
       AOTA and our members in the civilian world and the military 
     appreciate your leadership and vision in promoting 
     occupational therapy education and training for service 
     members so that they can go on to meet the needs of fellow 
     soldiers and society as a whole. Both within the military and 
     the private sector, demand for occupational therapy is 
     expected to increase dramatically and your legislation can 
     help meet those needs.
       We look forward to working with you and your staff to enact 
     this legislation during this session of Congress so that more 
     occupational therapists are trained to meet the health care, 
     rehabilitation and reintegration needs of our service 
     members.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Tim Nanof, MSW,
                                      Director of Federal Affairs.
                                 ______