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APTA National - Ethics and Judicial Committee 2025

Signup Deadline: 08-16-2024

Starts: 01-01-2025

Ends: 12-31-2029

Description:

Note for applicants:

APTA's Ethics and Judicial Committee is seeking one member to serve a five-year term.
Applications will be de-identified by name.
CV/resumes should not exceed five pages. Anything beyond five pages will not be reviewed.
Applicants are encouraged to thoroughly complete all sections of the application.

Charge

The Bylaws of the American Physical Therapy Association (Article VII., Section I., C) provide that -“

[t]he committee shall collaborate with and be a resource to members and member groups, and to the Board regarding ethical and judicial matters, and to the House regarding ethical matters.

(1) With respect to ethical matters the committee shall:

a. Interpret the Binding Ethical Documents.

b. Propose revisions of Binding Ethical Documents.

c. Make revisions, as necessary, to the documents that interpret the Binding Ethical Documents and disseminate these documents for the management of judicial affairs.

d. Review and comment on matters pertaining to ethics in existing and proposed Association policies and positions adopted by the House and Board and other initiatives or activities of the Association.

e. Publish opinions and other materials that address current and emerging ethical situations.

f. Promote activities for the dissemination of information and educational materials related to Binding Ethical Documents and interpretive documents.

g. Collaborate with and be a resource to component ethics committees or liaisons.

(2) With respect to judicial matters the committee shall:

a. Consult with the Board on development of Association policy adopted by the Board related to disciplinary action as a result of ethical complaints.

b. Process reported violations of relevant provisions of Binding Ethical Documents in accordance with Association policy adopted by the Board.

c. Make final decisions in disciplinary proceedings against a member, subject to appeal to the Board by the member.

d. Publish sanctions against members who are determined to have engaged in unethical conduct.

The APTA bylaws (Article V. Section VII, C) further provide that two members of the EJC shall serve as non-voting members of the APTA House of Delegates and shall be selected by the committee.

In addition to the directives as indicated in the APTA bylaws, the Board of Directors’ determined charge for the Ethics and Judicial Committee is to:

Actively promote activities for the dissemination of information on ethics, including building on the work already done to provide education on the Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist (“Code”) and Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant (“Standards”).
Promote activities for the dissemination of information and educational materials related to integration of best practice of ethical behaviors within clinical practice.

The committee should undertake to complete during this term publishing written material and/or making oral presentations on the topic of ethics.
Continue education on revisions to the Disciplinary Action Procedural Document.
Advise and counsel the APTA Board of Directors on proposed and existing Association policies, positions, and binding ethical documents, as requested. Coordinate and collaborate with other APTA appointed groups and stakeholders, when doing so can further the work of the committee.
Submit an annual report to the Board of Directors.

All APTA appointed groups will conduct their work with the American Physical Therapy Association’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in mind and in the context of (1) APTA's Mission, Vision, Strategic Plan and House of Delegates and Board of Directors adopted positions and policies; and (2) the potential for their work to have implications related to physical therapist assistants, women, diversity, and risk management.

Qualifications for Appointees

Candidates must be:

A Physical Therapist member in good standing.

In order to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest or impropriety, there are restrictions placed on EJC members. Specifically, EJC members may not serve concurrently on any other national association committee. In addition, an EJC member shall not serve concurrently as a chapter president or on a chapter committee charged with processing judicial complaints in that chapter, and no member of the APTA Board of Directors shall be appointed to serve as an EJC member.

Meetings

This committee holds one annual funded in-person meeting and meets virtually on a monthly basis, as needed.

Size of Appointed Group

One Board liaison, selected by the APTA President, and five Physical Therapist members (APTA bylaws, Article VII, Section I., C).

Terms of Appointees

Per APTA bylaws, Article VII., Section 1., C., “Members shall serve a term of five years. At least one member shall be appointed annually. No member shall be appointed to successive complete terms.”

Committee members will serve five-year terms; no appointed committee member will serve longer than one term per group.

Volunteers Needed:

1 (1 open slot)

Experience Required:

No experience

Contact:

Amelia Fernandez