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Association profile: Missouri Physical Therapy Association

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association seeks to accomplish three main goals: education, interaction and advocacy.

Chris Marsh, Chairman of Government Affairs for the association
Chris Marsh, Chairman of Government Affairs for the association

Chris Marsh, chairman of Government Affairs for the association, said the three focus areas keep the Missouri chapter’s 1,500 members — about one-third of the state’s physical therapists — with more than enough to do during the year, in-session and during the interim.

“We focus heavily on high quality care,” Marsh said.

The big focus for the association this session was Senate Bill 159, sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, which was truly agreed last week. This bill sought to bring the cost of copays for physical therapy visits to the same level as a regular physician.

“We’ve been working on [SB159] for three years,” Marsh said. “While we’re active in the legislature, the things we’re supportive of usually involve patient care. We don’t go to the legislature and ask for funding. We’re either trying to protect the public or trying to get the word out.”

Marsh said the passage of the bill wouldn’t have been possible were in not for lobbyist John Bardgett, whose firm lobbies for the association. Marsh joked that because of all of his help, Bardgett was going to be adopted as an “honorary physical therapist.”

During the interim, Marsh said the association does a lot of work with different disability groups that the organization supports, such as Special Olympics, the MS Society, and the Arthritis Foundation.

“Groups will contact us and we get information out for volunteers,” Marsh said. “We don’t have a main charity because we work with so many different organizations.”

While the majority of the members are in the more urban or metropolitan areas like St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield, Marsh said there’” is strong membership representation in rural areas as well.

“The association provides opportunities for continued education and connections,” he said. “So for small practices in rural Missouri, those people are members to connect with other [physical therapists].”

The Association's logo
The Association’s logo

Marsh’s primary position with Government Affairs is to oversee all of the advocacy operations as it relates to the legislature — something he said he loves being involved in because it’s an avenue to help a significant amount of people at one time.

He noted that many of the projects and legislation the association has worked on during the past has been beneficial to people in present day without them even knowing the association was involved, or how it happened, because it’s become the norm.

“That’s wonderful,” he said. “I’m happy this is something that people are able to take advantage of. I look forward to SB159 being something people five years from now will get to enjoy without questioning it.”

As far as why Marsh became a physical therapist, he said it is simple: the gratification that comes with helping a person overcome a physical problem with continued care.

Looking ahead, the association will play a big role in events during Physical Therapy Month in October. Marsh said in some parts of the state, there are public events, screenings for certain medical conditions, and galas that recognize groups and people who have made a difference.

“Our main goal is to help people obtain optimal health,” Marsh said. “The Association is about making us better so we can make them better.”

To contact Ashley Jost, email ashley@themissouritimes.com, or via Twitter at @ajost.