A-Blast
President's Message:
September 23, 2022
I hope all is well with each of you!
We would like to formally announce that next year's Clinical Symposium and Members Meeting will be held in Birmingham on June 2-4, 2023! We will have approximately 15-18 CEUs available with additional CEUS via workshops. In 2024 we will be returning to the beach!
Below you will find a number of reminders and information as we near the end of another year and licensure renewal cycle.
With the transitions into the fall there are always opportunities to get involved. Be on the lookout for upcoming committee chair and general committee position vacancies. If any of these peak your interest, reach out to me directly at president@alathletictrainers.org.
Voting will open soon on September 29th for the fall officer vacancies. Be on the lookout for an email and social media posts taking you to the voting page. Your vote MATTERS!
Do not forget to follow ALATA on our various social media accounts for regular updates! There will be many as we prepare for many changes and improvements in the near future.
As always, please let us know how your association can better serve you!
Licensure Renewal Reminders:
It’s that time of year to start preparing for licensure renewal. A few things to keep in mind:
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The Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers manages license renewal not ALATA.
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Licensure Renewals open in mid October and close on November 30 to avoid a late fee. Any applications received after December 1 will incur a late fee. It is illegal to practice as an Athletic Trainer in the state without a current license so please don’t wait until the last minute on this.
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CPR certification must be renewed annually from an in-person course.
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Please read and review your licensure renewal protocols to be sure that you are practicing within the proper scope of practice. If you have any questions on this please contact a member of the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers.
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Update from the Advisory Council:
As part of the 2021 Law Update the Advisory Council was created. It is composed of 3 Athletic Trainers and 3 Physicians. The Advisory Council members are: R.T. Floyd, Kyle Southall, Daniel Lindsey, Dr. Eric Law, Dr. Beverly Jordan, and Dr. James Robinson. This council meets regularly to discuss topics to allow ATs to practice at the top of their scope while protecting the public. The AC itself does not make decisions, yet they do make recommendations to both the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers and the Board of Medical Examiners. Here are a few updates from the AC:
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The protocols as part of each Athletic Trainer's license will now directly reflect the current Board of Certifications Practice Analysis. This is updated from the original protocols written in the early 2000s.
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Physicians supervising/signing the license of 15 or more ATs will now need to complete an exception form. This will keep physicians from signing licenses without truly supervising and collaborating with their Athletic Trainers.
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What’s next? Send us feasible ideas! The AC is your direct route to maximizing your education and licensed capabilities!
Do you have an idea or means to improve the practice of Athletic Training in the state? Reach out to me directly to discuss this or reach out directly to the Advisory Council Chair, Dr. Eric Law via the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers at AthleticTrainers@alstateboard.com.
Secondary School Master Contact List:
Your Membership Matters!
Thank you to all who have updated the Secondary School Master Contact List. If you have not already done so please complete the following link to update your contact information. ALATA Secondary School Master Contact List. The information will be housed by ALATA. If you need an ATs contact info, reach out to us and we will promptly connect you as soon as possible. Please share it with your peers!
Many of our initiatives are funded by membership dollars at the NATA, SEATA, and ALATA Levels. These range from the thousands of dollars for our monumental AT Law Update in 2021, to keeping registration costs minimal for our annual CSMM, and offering scholarships, awards, and other opportunities to our members. While NATA membership is encouraged we do understand that NATA membership is not always feasible. If this is your case, reach out to me directly at president@alathletictrainers.org for an ALATA-only membership for $32 to stay up to date and receive all of the benefits of state membership. ALATA receives a higher benefit from NATA membership than ALATA-only membership. Not sure what all of those benefits are? Contact me directly for more information!
2022 CSMM CEU Certificate:
Upon completion of the 2022 CSMM Survey a CEU certificate was generated and emailed to the email address used for registration. Many of these found their way into “promotion” “junk” or “clutter” folders. Many others were firewalled by institutional settings. If you have checked those folders and do not have the certificate please email me directly at president@alathletictrainers.org.
Want to Get involved?
ALATA is GROWING in 2023! With this growth we have multiple ways for members to get involved and serve. While our committees are currently mostly full, if you are interested in serving ALATA in any capacity, please reply to this email, or contact President Kyle Southall at president@alathletictrainers.org. We will find a way for you to be involved and grow in the association.
ALATA 2022 Sponsors:
Our ALATA initiatives throughout the year would not be possible if not for the outstanding sponsors and business partners that we have. We would like to extend our greatest appreciation to the following donors and sponsors who have made the educational aspect of the 2022 CSMM and initiatives beyond possible:
The Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers
The National Athletic Trainers Association
The Southeast Athletic Trainers Association
Donjoy / Caliber Medical
The American Sports Medicine Institute
Gatorade Performance Partners
Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Centers
Henry Schein – Medical Sports Medicine
BODY ARMOR
HYPERICE
Catapult Sports
Medco Sports Medicine
Southlake Orthopedics – Sports Medicine and Spine Center
The University of West Alabama Athletic Training Program
Jacksonville State University Athletic Training Program
Medtronics
ATI Physical Therapy
XO Armor Technologies
Encore Sports Medicine
ASPIRE Sports Institute
TherapySouth At Work
Mueller Sports Medicine
Bioventus
For more information regarding or to contact any of our sponsors please visit our website at www.alathletictrainers.org.
Interested in becoming a 2022 sponsor or donor to ALATA and one of its many initiatives to support its members and stakeholders? We have many opportunities from the individual to corporate level and committee to CSMM scale. Please reply to this email or contact President Kyle Southall at president@alathletictrainers.org.