Posted: | October 12, 2021 12:01 PM |
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From: | Senator Lisa M. Boscola |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Authorizing Pennsylvania to join the National Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact |
I plan to introduce legislation which would authorize the Commonwealth to join the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OTC). To date, Pennsylvania has enacted legislation to permit us to join several medical-related licensure compacts, including the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, Nurse Licensure Compact, Psychology Compact and Physical Therapy Compact. This legislation would provide us with the opportunity to join another, with the same objective: providing ease of licensure transfers from state to state, and attracting valuable occupational therapists and therapy assistants to Pennsylvania. Under the OTC, occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants who are licensed in good standing in a compact member state can practice in other members states through the compact privilege. To date, nine states have enacted legislation to join the compact, and a tenth is currently pending. This provides enough member states for the compact to take effect and being operation. As has not been the case with other compacts, my hope is for the Commonwealth to get into the game early on this compact and have a better footing as far as retaining therapists and attracting new practitioners to our state. Pennsylvania has one of the highest concentrations of older populations in the country, and subsequently we need to continue to ensure that we foster the right opportunities for continued growth to meet the demands of those working in the health care industry. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as SB910