[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.
______