The Public

District 2 Connection & Engagement Representative to NATA

Andrea DiTrani Lobacz, PhD, ATC
Neumann University

QUICK FACTS ABOUT NATA
National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA)
 The professional membership organization for athletic trainers and others who support the athletic                 training profession
 Established in 1950
 Headquarters: Carrollton, Texas
 Staff: 44 full-time employees

Membership
 Total number of members: 44,000
 Certified members: 79 percent
 Female members: 55 percent
 International members: certified – 1.2 percent; non-certified – .1 percent
 Student members: certified – 4 percent; non-certified – 20 percent

Definition of Athletic Trainers
 Health care professionals who render service or treatment, under the direction of or in collaboration               with a physician, in accordance with their education and training and the states’ statutes, rules and                 regulations. As a part of the health care team, services provided by athletic trainers include injury and           illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical                       diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.

Secondary School Statistics

 NATA/KSI benchmark study published in 2015 in Journal of Athletic Training: 37 percent of public                     secondary schools in the U.S. have a full-time athletic trainer, which is the gold standard of care                     recommended by NATA.

Governmental Affairs
 Athletic trainers are licensed or otherwise regulated in 49 states and the District of Columbia; efforts                continue to secure regulation in California.
 Of the 49 regulated states, only Texas provides for initial licensure without the Board of Certification                (BOC) credential (ATC).
 No state mandates athletic trainers in secondary schools. There are some jurisdictions with related                  requirements (such as D.C. and Hawaii) – check with NATA staff for details.
 NATA hosts an annual Capitol Hill Day in Washington, DC, as an opportunity for ATs to advocate for their        profession.
 Athletic trainers are eligible and encouraged to apply for their National Provider Identifier (NPI) – it is                quick, easy and free. The NPI is used by all health care professionals in adherence to HIPAA                              requirements and the simplification of transmission of electronic health information. The designated            taxonomy code for an athletic trainer is “255A2300X – Specialist/Technologist – Athletic Trainer.”                      Students can apply for their NPI under the taxonomy code “390200000X Student in an Organized                    Health Care Education/Training Program.”
 NATAPAC is the political voice of the athletic training profession, seeking better working conditions, fair            access and the right to practice for all athletic trainers. The voluntary contributions of NATA members            are the only legal source of funds to support these activities. It is separately incorporated and is                      managed by its own board of directors.


Information links

Concussion management NATA Position statement
Concussion handout

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