Georgia's Athletic Training Practice Act

The State of Georgia was one of the first states to require licensure for the profession of athletic training.  The Act is considered to be one of the strongest practice acts in the country.  Below are excerpts of the Practice Act:

Section 43-5-1. (Definitions) --As amended by HB1055 (July 2008)

(1) 'Athletic injury' means any injury sustained by a person as a result of such person´s participation in exercises, sports, games, or recreational activities, or any activities requiring physical strength, agility, flexibility, range of motion, speed, or stamina without respect to where or how the injury occurs. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to expand the scope of practice of an athletic trainer beyond the determination of the advising and consenting physician as provided for in paragraph (2) of this Code section.

(2) 'Athletic trainer' means a person with specific qualifications, as set forth in Code Sections 43-5-7 and 43-5-8 who, upon the advice and consent of a physician, carries out the practice of prevention, recognition, evaluation, management, disposition, treatment, or rehabilitation of athletic injuries; and, in carrying out these functions, the athletic trainer is authorized to use physical modalities, such as heat, light, sound, cold, electricity, or mechanical devices related to prevention, recognition, evaluation, management, disposition, rehabilitation, and treatment.

"Notwithstanding any provisions in policies or contracts which might be construed to the contrary, all individual, group, or blanket policies of accident and sickness insurance and individual or group service contracts or by health care corporations which are issued, delivered, issued for delivery, amended, or renewed in this state and which provide coverage for services which are within the lawful scope of practice of an athletic trainer qualified pursuant to Code Section 43-5-8 shall be deemed to provide that any person covered under such policies or contracts shall be entitled to receive reimbursement for services under such policies or contracts regardless of whether such services are rendered by a duly licensed doctor of medicine or by an athletic trainer qualified pursuant to Code Section 43-5-8. Nothing contained in this subsection shall require an insurer to offer such coverage."