California Athletic Trainers “Fight to be Defined” -- Unqualified Athletic Trainers Free to Practice in California
The state of California is a dumping ground for unlicensed, unqualified athletic trainers. The California Athletic Trainer’s Association has announced it will present a bill in the State Capital in April calling for a defined scope of practice for athletic training to help weed out unqualified athletic trainers working with California’s athletes and consumers.
SAN DIEGO, CA (PRWEB) April 27, 2006
The state of California is a dumping ground for unlicensed, unqualified athletic trainers. Currently, California does not regulate the practice of athletic training, meaning anyone can label themselves an “athletic trainer” without holding the proper credentials.
The California Athletic Trainer’s Association has announced it will present a bill in the State Capital in April calling for a defined scope of practice for athletic training to help weed out unqualified athletic trainers working with California’s athletes and consumers. For more information visit http://fwata. org/com_govaffairs. html (http://fwata. org/com_govaffairs. html).
Problem: a certified athletic trainer in a surrounding state that licenses athletic training loses his/her license to practice.
Solution: he/she can come to California to practice without any government regulation.
Athletes young, old, pro, collegiate and amateur are at SERIOUS risk for injury or worse, disability, working with an unqualified athletic trainer. Question is: Who’s taking care of young athletes in high school sports?
Athletic trainers are everywhere, not just with pro sports teams, but also with high schools, colleges and even in major California corporations like UPS and SDG&E. Because no standard set of regulations exist for athletic training, the proliferation of athletic trainers in California presents a serious health hazard to athletes in the state.
The American Medical Association recognizes athletic trainers as allied health professionals.
“We are more than stereotypical ankle tapers,” said Mike West, California Athletic Trainers Association Governmental Affairs chair. “Athletic trainers are there every step of the way for our athletes from performance training, injury prevention, on-site emergency care and rehabilitation. A high school quick to hire an athletic trainer, without checking his/her credentials first, may risk improper care of its athletes.”
Certified athletic trainers are fighting to be defined in the state of California!
California’s certified athletic trainers lack a clear definition for the level of expertise they offer. The athletic training bill introduced in Sacramento this month calls for a state-recognized definition and scope of practice for athletic training, making it mandatory for those who practice as an athletic trainer to register with the State. Support and passage of this bill will protect the public from unqualified practitioners - making it a crime to work as an athletic trainer, call oneself an athletic trainer or provide athletic training services without being registered.
West, also a high school athletic director in Chino Hills, California, emphasizes the importance of making sure every high school athletic team has a qualified athletic trainer on staff to properly treat student athletes – from acute to serious injuries.
“Despite limited funding, California high schools need to take the initiative to find the most qualified athletic trainer for their athletes,” said West. “Parents of young athletes need to be educated about who’s working with their children.”
About the California Athletic Trainers Association:
Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the provision of physical medicine and rehabilitation services, serving as physician extenders in the prevention, assessment and treatment of acute and chronic injuries and illnesses. The California Athletic Trainers Association http://www. cata-usa. org (http://www. cata-usa. org) represents and supports 2,200 members of the athletic training profession through communication and education.
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