Writing a Letter (or email) to Legislators on Behalf of Athletic Trainers:
1. The most powerful advocacy comes from individuals who have experience with the specific subject of a legislative
proposal. Parents, fellow staff members, employers, and individuals who have received the services of athletic
trainers are more compelling than that of an AT who will benefit from this legislation.
2. The tone of the letter is respectful and courteous but not obsequious. You are writing to provide information about
your personal experience with athletic trainers, so that the legislator is able to make an informed decision.
3. The letter should not be more than a page.
4. Tell the legislator in first sentence that you are writing to ask that he or she support the proposal by Sen. Crowder
and Rep. Primavera in regard to the continued regulation of athletic trainers.
5. Tell the legislator how you know about athletic trainers. Are you a parent, physician, fellow staff member, coach,
etc. who has experience with an AT? What was (or is) that experience? Examples:
* (from a parent) my daughter is part of a team with 25 members and their parents, like Bill and I, have discussed how lucky we
are to have a regulated Athletic Trainer who works with our kids.
* (from a physician) the AT I work with in caring for student/athletes in the program for which I provide orthopedic care has
prevented numerous on-field injuries from being much worse because he was at the injured athlete's side immediately and
knew what needed to be done.
* (from a coach) ATs in my program oversee the assessment of injury, the treatment protocol and the athlete's rehabilitation - I
cannot imagine leaving these tasks to an untrained, unregulated provider.
6. Relate specifics. What does the athletic trainer do that makes you support this proposal?
7. Do you think it is important that athletic trainers be required to meet specific standards of education and conduct?
Why?
8. Thank them for their consideration of your letter and for their service. They get very few people who commend
them, and it is at times a miserable job.
What is the Issue?
1. The Department of Regulator Agencies (DORA) has recommended that ATs NOT be regulated in this state, but be
authorized to practice by making them ‘exempt’ from the Medical Practices Act.
2. Only California does NOT regulate ATs at the current time. However, they continue to work on a regulatory bill.
3. ATs have been required to register in Colorado since 2009.
4. ATs have a defined scope of practice that is based upon their education.
5. ATs are subject to discipline if they fail to uphold their standards of practice.
6. ATs want to retain their regulated status.
Some of the Reasons to Support Continued Regulation of Athletic Trainers:
1. The current regulation program has not had sufficient time to prove its usefulness. The public must become aware
that when an athletic trainer does not practice according to standard, whether it is missing an important injury and
therefore not providing care, or sexually abusing a young athlete, that the AT may be reported and disciplined by DORA.
2. Adolescents who participate in school athletics may suffer lasting injury if they do not receive appropriate treatment
at the time of injury. It may be a simple injury such as a finger fracture (but with dire consequences to someone who
plans to become a surgeon or musician) to concussion and brain injury.
3. Secondary schools require nearly all professions to be regulated that deal with the health and safety of the students
(minors). School nurses, counselors, teachers, etc are all licensed or regulated. ATs often work with minors in
emergency situations and in situations where the minor can be vulnerable. Regulation needs to be in place for student
protection that is consistent with other professions. For public safety reasons, nearly all other health care professions
are regulated.
4. Regulation sets minimum standards for education and practice, as it does for nurses, physical therapists and
physicians.
5. Regulation gives an opportunity for redress for those who have been injured because the AT did not practice
according to standard.
6. Because Colorado would be one of two states without regulation, those who have been disciplined or have lost their
license in other states would have an incentive to practice here.
7. Athletic trainers are recognized health professionals with specific codes for health insurance payment. Under the
Affordable Care Act, professionals must be licensed or otherwise regulated in order to be eligible for reimbursement.
Paradoxically, the lack of regulation impairs competition and expanded choice for patients in the health care arena.
8. There is some public confusion and improper use of term “trainer” vs. “athletic trainer”. Regulation allows for title
protection to assist the public with differentiating the health care professional responsibility for providing legal athletic
training services.
9. Other states (Utah, Hawaii, Alaska, Texas) have current practice act languages that would not allow unregulated
athletic trainers to practice in their states. Therefore, any Colorado athletic trainers traveling with their assigned teams
to those states would be practicing in violation.
10. The Jake Snakenberg Youth Concussion Act states: (c) AFTER A CONCUSSED ATHLETE HAS BEEN EVALUATED AND
RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO RETURN TO PLAY FROM A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, AN ORGANIZATION OR ASSOCIATION OF
WHICH A SCHOOL OR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A MEMBER, A PRIVATE OR PUBLIC SCHOOL, A PRIVATE CLUB, A PUBLIC
RECREATION FACILITY, OR AN ATHLETIC LEAGUE MAY ALLOW REGISTERED ATHLETIC TRAINER WITH SPECIFIC
KNOWLEDGE OF THE ATHLETE'S CONDITION TO MANAGE THE ATHLETE'S GRADUATED RETURN TO PLAY.