APTANJ Pens Letter to Governor Murphy Regarding PT Services for Special Education Students

April 2, 2020 Update: APTANJ has received notification that the NJ State Board of Education voted Wednesday to allow teletherapy for special-education students in New Jersey. These temporary remote learning changes are effective immediately.  We will provide more information to our members as it becomes available to us.

You can read more in today's NJ Spotlight article "Meeting Remotely, State BOE OKs Remote Learning for Special-Needs Students"

Download the letter

March 28, 2020

The Honorable Phil Murphy, Governor
State of New Jersey
Office of the Governor PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625


Dear Governor Murphy:

The American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey (APTANJ), comprised of nearly 3,000 physical therapy professionals, respectfully requests that the State of New Jersey remove the current prohibition on telepractice for licensed physical therapists to provide physical therapy services for special education students during this time through remote related services.

The benefits of providing school-based physical therapy in the distance learning model can be justified by the following:

• For motor impaired students, skilled therapist-directed positioning strategies can maintain and prevent loss of range of motion, promote improved posture and alignment, as well as improved respiration, and even improved ability to learn.
• Skilled therapist-determined and directed exercises and activities parents can implement may prevent regression of recently acquired motor skills.
• Skilled therapist-determined and directed strategies can help maintain or improve the locomotor abilities children will need in order to navigate schools upon the resumption of in-person education.
• Activities created by a skilled physical therapist for parents to implement with children can prevent regression as well as maintain or improve strength, agility, balance, coordination, and motor planning abilities. This will enable students to achieve the goal-based motor milestones for more effective participation with their peers upon the return to school.
• For children whose goals are geared towards more independence, and improved ability to participate in PE, classroom motor activities, and recess, skilled therapist-determined and directed exercises and activities will help maintain, or improve, the skills children need to participate in the distance learning PE curriculum. In addition, maintaining these skills will be important upon the resumption of in-school instruction.
• Especially for students with Autism or ADHD, home-based activities will also support learning and promote improved focus while instruction is being carried out at home. Research has shown that movement helps these children attend more effectively.
  
  APTANJ understands that not providing or continuing to adhere to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a violation under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guaranteeing the rights of children with learning and other disabilities to a free and appropriate public education. As an advocate for both the physical therapy profession and its patients, it is our hope that the State of New Jersey can render a decision and provide guidance so that school-based physical therapists can provide the services that children and families are so desperately looking for at this critical time.
  
  The APTANJ is here to serve as a resource to you and your departments and is prepared to disseminate any information to the physical therapy profession at a moment’s notice.
  
  Thank you for your consideration.
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  Brian Mason, PT, DPT
  President, American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey
  
  
  
  cc: Lamont Repollet, EdD, Commissioner, NJ Department of Education