As used in this chapter:

(1) “Athletic training” means (A) the application, with the consent and under the direction of a health care provider, of care for an athletic injury, including the application or provision of (i) principles, methods and procedures of clinical evaluation, prevention, management, emergency care, treatment, disposition and rehabilitation of athletic injuries, (ii) appropriate preventative and supportive devices, (iii) physical agents, including, but not limited to, heat, cold, light, electric stimulation, manual therapy techniques, aquatic therapy, sound and therapeutic exercise, and (iv) any other physical agent prescribed by a health care provider, (B) the recognition of potential illness and referrals to a health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, (C) the organization and administration of athletic training programs, (D) education and counseling to physically active individuals, coaches, medical personnel and the community in the area of the prevention and care of athletic injuries, and (E) the provision of wellness care services developed for physically active individuals who are free of any underlying pathologies that are beyond the scope of practice of a person who practices athletic training;

(2) “Athletic injury” means any injury sustained as a result of participation in an exercise, a sport, a game, a recreational activity or any other activity that requires a level of strength, flexibility or agility that is comparable to the level of strength, flexibility or agility required for an exercise, a sport, a game or a recreational activity;

(3) “Illness” means any disease, disorder, sickness or affliction that arises from or is a manifestation of a physically active individual’s participation in an exercise, a sport, a game, a recreational activity or other activity, or any other condition, that may require immediate intervention by an athletic trainer, acting with the consent and under the direction of a health care provider, during, prior to or following the physically active individual’s participation in such exercise, a sport, a game, a recreational activity or other activity, including, but not limited to, the emergent and acute manifestations of exertion related illness, including an affliction of the physically active individual’s cardiorespiratory, thermoregulation, musculoskeletal, neurovascular or endocrine system. “Illness” does not include any disease, disorder, sickness or affliction of a physically active individual the treatment of which is beyond the scope of practice, education or training of an athletic trainer;

(4) “Wellness care” means care related to risk management and injury prevention, including biomechanics, conditioning, flexibility, nutrition, strength training and fitness;

(5) “Physically active individual” means any person who is (A) (i) a member of any professional, amateur, school, collegiate or other sports organization, (ii) a regular participant in a sports activity, or (iii) a participant in an exercise, recreational or employment activity that requires strength, agility, flexibility, range of motion, speed or stamina that is comparable to the strength, agility, flexibility, range or motion, speed or stamina required of a regular participant in a sports activity, and (B) deemed healthy by a health care provider;

(6) “With the consent and under the direction of a health care provider” means athletic training provided (A) under a written prescription issued by a health care provider that specifies the plan of care or treatment of a musculoskeletal injury or illness, or (B) with regard to a physically active individual’s participation with a professional, amateur, school collegiate or other sports organization, under a standing order issued by a health care provider;

(7) “Standing orders” means written protocols, recommendations or guidelines for treatment and care of a physically active individual who is a member of a professional, amateur, school, collegiate or other sports organization, or of a physically active individual who requires treatment, first aid or care in an emergency situation, that (A) are furnished and signed by a health care provider, (B) are followed by an athletic trainer while performing athletic training with the consent and under the direction of a health care provider, (C) are annually reviewed and renewed by the health care provider and athletic trainer to ensure quality care of a physically active individual, (D) require the availability of ongoing communication between the health care provider and the athletic trainer, and (E) include (i) a plan for emergency situations, (ii) appropriate treatments for specific injuries or illnesses, (iii) instructions for the treatment and management of concussions, (iv) a list of conditions necessitating the immediate referral of a physically active individual to a health care provider under section 20-65h, and (v) a list of conditions that are beyond the scope of practice, education or training of the athletic trainer;

(8) “Health care provider” means any person licensed to practice medicine or surgery under chapter 370, chiropractic under chapter 372, podiatry under chapter 375, naturopathy under chapter 373 or nursing under section 20-94a; and

(9) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Public Health.

(P.A. 00-226, S. 1, 20; P.A. 17-195, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 00-226 effective the later of October 1, 2000, or the date notice is published by the Commissioner of Public Health in the Connecticut Law Journal indicating that the licensing of athletic trainers and physical therapist assistants is being implemented by the commissioner, i.e. April 11, 2006; P.A. 17-195 redefined “athletic training” in Subdiv. (1), redefined “athletic injury” in Subdiv. (2), added new Subdiv. (3) defining “illness”, added new Subdiv. (4) defining “wellness care”, redesignated existing Subdiv. (3) as Subdiv. (5) and amended same by replacing provisions re definition of athlete with provisions re physically active individual, added Subdiv. (6) defining “with the consent and under the direction of a health care provider”, redesignated existing Subdiv. (4) as Subdiv. (7) and amended same by redefining “standing orders”, added Subdiv. (8) defining “health care provider”, and redesignated existing Subdiv. (5) as Subdiv. (9).