California Chiropractic Offices and Exercise-Based Treatment
Before considering an Autonomy v2 Provider License, which authorizes use of the Autonomy v2 Corrective Therapeutic Progression System, the chiropractor must first understand the laws governing this type of service within the chiropractic setting and, more specifically, who may lawfully administer it. The Autonomy v2 Corrective Therapeutic Progression System can be implemented in one of two ways: either by the licensed chiropractor administering the service directly, or by a delegated staff member administering the service under the chiropractor’s supervision and treatment direction. That threshold issue should be clear before the program is considered for use in any chiropractic office.
For chiropractic offices that do not currently have a qualified staff member capable of administering corrective exercise therapy, exercise-based treatment, therapeutic exercise, corrective rehabilitation, or other prescribed movement-based components of care, the chiropractor may consider having a staff member enroll in the Certified Therapeutic Exercise Professional (CTEP) program. The CTEP is an in-house training and certification program developed specifically to prepare staff for the exercise-based service component of the Autonomy v2 Corrective Therapeutic Progression System within the chiropractic setting. It is not designed as a standalone external profession, independent public-facing credential, or separate licensure pathway. It is intended for consideration only in jurisdictions that permit the chiropractor to designate or utilize a qualified unlicensed individual to administer such services within the office under chiropractic supervision. In jurisdictions that do not permit unlicensed personnel to perform corrective exercise therapy or comparable exercise-based treatment services, the CTEP is not an override of state law and should not be construed, presented, or relied upon as a substitute for statutory or regulatory authorization, nor as a workaround to any licensing, delegation, supervision, or scope-of-practice requirements in that state.
As it applies to the Autonomy v2 Corrective Therapeutic Progression System and Certified Therapeutic Exercise Professional (CTEP) in the state of California, the California statutes and regulations reviewed here identify a direct route for unlicensed individuals in a chiropractic office to administer physical therapy treatments under chiropractic supervision. Because California law separately defines physical therapy to include physical or corrective rehabilitation and treatment through active, passive, and resistive exercise, the California materials reviewed here support the use of delegated in-house staff to carry out the exercise-based treatment component of the program when that care is being administered under the licensed chiropractor’s supervision, treatment direction, and written treatment program. In California, based on the materials reviewed here, the exercise-based treatment component of the program can be administered either by the licensed chiropractor or by an unlicensed in-house staff member operating within that statutory and regulatory structure.
For chiropractic offices that do not currently have a qualified staff member capable of administering corrective exercise therapy, exercise-based treatment, therapeutic exercise, corrective rehabilitation, or other prescribed movement-based components of care, the chiropractor may consider having a staff member enroll in the Certified Therapeutic Exercise Professional (CTEP) program. The CTEP is an in-house training and certification program developed specifically to prepare staff for the exercise-based service component of the Autonomy v2 Corrective Therapeutic Progression System within the chiropractic setting. It is not designed as a standalone external profession, independent public-facing credential, or separate licensure pathway. It is intended for consideration only in jurisdictions that permit the chiropractor to designate or utilize a qualified unlicensed individual to administer such services within the office under chiropractic supervision. In jurisdictions that do not permit unlicensed personnel to perform corrective exercise therapy or comparable exercise-based treatment services, the CTEP is not an override of state law and should not be construed, presented, or relied upon as a substitute for statutory or regulatory authorization, nor as a workaround to any licensing, delegation, supervision, or scope-of-practice requirements in that state.
As it applies to the Autonomy v2 Corrective Therapeutic Progression System and Certified Therapeutic Exercise Professional (CTEP) in the state of California, the California statutes and regulations reviewed here identify a direct route for unlicensed individuals in a chiropractic office to administer physical therapy treatments under chiropractic supervision. Because California law separately defines physical therapy to include physical or corrective rehabilitation and treatment through active, passive, and resistive exercise, the California materials reviewed here support the use of delegated in-house staff to carry out the exercise-based treatment component of the program when that care is being administered under the licensed chiropractor’s supervision, treatment direction, and written treatment program. In California, based on the materials reviewed here, the exercise-based treatment component of the program can be administered either by the licensed chiropractor or by an unlicensed in-house staff member operating within that statutory and regulatory structure.
California Statutory and Regulatory References
According to California Code of Regulations, Title 16, § 312(c), unlicensed individuals in a chiropractic office can administer physical therapy treatments as an adjunct to chiropractic adjustment under the supervision of a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic. The supervision requirements are set out in § 312(c)(1)–(4), which state that the chiropractor must be present in the same facility at least 50 percent of the work time unless waived by the Board, must initially examine the patient and prepare a written treatment program before treatment begins, must periodically reevaluate the treatment program and the individual’s performance at least once every 30 days during active care, and must evaluate the patient’s response at the end of treatment.
According to California Code of Regulations, Title 16, § 312(b), unlicensed individuals do not perform examinations requiring diagnostic or analytic interpretation and do not render conclusions about the patient’s condition. The chiropractor remains responsible for verification of findings and for rendering conclusions based on those findings.
According to California Business and Professions Code § 2620(a), physical therapy includes physical or corrective rehabilitation and treatment through active, passive, and resistive exercise. Section 2620(b) further states that nothing in that section restricts other healing arts practitioners licensed or registered under that division from practicing within the scope of their license or registration.
According to California Code of Regulations, Title 16, § 312(b), unlicensed individuals do not perform examinations requiring diagnostic or analytic interpretation and do not render conclusions about the patient’s condition. The chiropractor remains responsible for verification of findings and for rendering conclusions based on those findings.
According to California Business and Professions Code § 2620(a), physical therapy includes physical or corrective rehabilitation and treatment through active, passive, and resistive exercise. Section 2620(b) further states that nothing in that section restricts other healing arts practitioners licensed or registered under that division from practicing within the scope of their license or registration.
California References:
California Code of Regulations, Title 16, § 312(b)–(c)(4)
Board of Chiropractic Examiners regulations PDF
California Business and Professions Code § 2620(a)–(b)
California Legislative Information
Board of Chiropractic Examiners regulations PDF
California Business and Professions Code § 2620(a)–(b)
California Legislative Information
