NCOPE, ABC, and the Academy Issue Call to Action

The National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE), the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC), and the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (the Academy) have issued a call to action regarding the potential encroachment and infringement on O&P by the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), as follows:

We need you to make public comments about a proposed set of Assistive Technology education standards that are currently being reviewed by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Professions (CAAHEP). The Assistive Technology profession, sponsored by the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), has published proposed education accreditation standards that we believe would be detrimental to O&P practitioners (see lines 493 and 566).

The Domains/Knowledge/Tasks section of the proposed ATP standards includes O&P in several key areas. We believe that approval of these standards would allow an individual with very little education and training in O&P to assess a patient, develop a treatment plan and implement that plan (including fitting, delivery, patient education, and follow-up services). In short, an ATP would be qualified to evaluate for, fit, and deliver any off-the-shelf or custom orthosis or prosthesis. Additionally, marketing materials already developed by RESNA imply that these professionals are qualified to provide these services.

To submit comments for the removal of O&P from these proposed standards, NCOPE, ABC, and the Academy have requested that these instructions be followed:

1. Click on Survey link: Survey for Assistive Technology Standards
2. Click Next
3. Click on Appendix B-Curriculum
4. Click Next
5. Type 493 in the box (that is the line number)
6. Type in comment box: Remove orthotics and prosthetics from this standard.
7. Click Next (this returns you to the previous page; make sure the Appendix B-Curriculum box is still checked)
8. Click Next
9. Replace 493 in the box with 566 (that is the line number)
10. Type in comment box: Remove orthotics and prosthetics from this standard.
11. Click Next
12. Click I have completed my comments (at the bottom right of the page)
13. Click Next
14. Click Done

The deadline for public comments is July 1.