With a new year upon us (and new decade even!), we’re offered the opportunity to reflect on the previous year and to look forward to the year ahead.

I want to thank you for your membership and your commitment to our profession. As Marilyn Williams, past APTA Vermont President, shared with us at our 2019 Annual Conference, “The profession of physical therapy would not exist without the APTA.”  The APTA is really YOU. You hold the key to the growth and development of our profession not only through your service to the patients and clients you treat, but through your commitment to membership. You recognize that without our collective efforts, PT in Vermont would look completely different than it does today. Despite challenges, Vermont is a great place to practice!

As a result of your membership, Vermonters can now directly access our services without referral and the PT practice act allows us the flexibility to advance the practice of physical therapy by taking advantage of new methods and technologies to improve the health of the communities we serve. Your membership puts you at the forefront of advocating for the health of our community and keeps you informed with the latest developments in the ever-changing healthcare environment.

APTA Vermont has been busy this past year building on our recent work in developing a greater sense of mission and vision for the chapter. We have committed to fostering increased engagement in the chapter and improving our visibility among members so we might better serve members and the profession as a whole. We continue to identify the key areas of responsibility and need, so we might better direct our limited resources toward those efforts with the greatest potential impact on our profession and on the health of those we serve.

One component of our limited resources is limited human resources which makes fostering a more engaged membership a key priority for the chapter. We have, what I believe to be, a vibrant and inspiring mission and vision, but we can only achieve these through the dedicated efforts of membership. And so, I want to acknowledge and thank those members who step up and serve the chapter on the Board of Directors, as Committee Chairs and those serving on the various committees. We could achieve nothing without those willing to volunteer their time, effort, expertise, energy, and inspiration.

There are many ways to be an engaged member, so as the new year begins, I challenge you to reflect on the ways that you may already engage and/or reflect on the ways you might want to start engaging. I can honestly say whatever you are most passionate about in your profession, there are ways you can be actively involved for the benefit of all members. I invite you to reach out and take the first step!  Contact us and we can help you explore the opportunities!!  email us at:  vtapta@gmail.com