Florida 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 Florida, the Florida statutes and board materials reviewed here place exercise-based treatment within chiropractic care, but tie supervised non-chiropractor performance of that care to Florida-recognized assistant categories rather than to ordinary non-registered office staff. For that reason, the CTEP program offered to Av2 licensed providers should not be understood in Florida as creating independent authority for non-registered, non-certified office staff to administer corrective exercise therapy, exercise-based treatment, corrective rehabilitation, or other prescribed movement-based components of care. In Florida, based on the materials reviewed here, the exercise-based treatment component of the program should be understood as remaining with the licensed chiropractor or with the Florida-recognized supervised roles identified in the governing materials.
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 Florida, the Florida statutes and board materials reviewed here place exercise-based treatment within chiropractic care, but tie supervised non-chiropractor performance of that care to Florida-recognized assistant categories rather than to ordinary non-registered office staff. For that reason, the CTEP program offered to Av2 licensed providers should not be understood in Florida as creating independent authority for non-registered, non-certified office staff to administer corrective exercise therapy, exercise-based treatment, corrective rehabilitation, or other prescribed movement-based components of care. In Florida, based on the materials reviewed here, the exercise-based treatment component of the program should be understood as remaining with the licensed chiropractor or with the Florida-recognized supervised roles identified in the governing materials.
Florida Statutory and Regulatory References
According to Florida Statutes § 460.403(9)(c)1., the practice of chiropractic medicine includes treatment of the human body by the use of physical means or physiotherapy, including light, heat, water, or exercise.
According to Florida Statutes § 460.403(10), a registered chiropractic assistant is a person registered by the board to perform chiropractic services under the direct supervision of a chiropractic physician or certified chiropractic physician’s assistant. According to § 460.403(7), direct supervision requires the physical presence of the licensed chiropractic physician for consultation and direction, except in emergencies.
According to Florida Statutes § 460.403(3), § 460.403(8), and § 460.4165(2), a certified chiropractic physician’s assistant may perform chiropractic services under indirect supervision in the specialty area or areas for which the assistant is trained or experienced when those services are rendered under the supervision of a licensed chiropractic physician or group of physicians certified by the board.
According to Florida Statutes § 460.4165(1), the purpose of that section is to enable chiropractic physicians to delegate health care tasks to qualified assistants when the delegation is consistent with the patient’s health and welfare. Section 460.4165(11) further states that each chiropractic physician or group of chiropractic physicians utilizing certified chiropractic physician’s assistants is liable for any act or omission of any assistant acting under the physician’s supervision and control.
According to Florida Statutes § 460.403(10), a registered chiropractic assistant is a person registered by the board to perform chiropractic services under the direct supervision of a chiropractic physician or certified chiropractic physician’s assistant. According to § 460.403(7), direct supervision requires the physical presence of the licensed chiropractic physician for consultation and direction, except in emergencies.
According to Florida Statutes § 460.403(3), § 460.403(8), and § 460.4165(2), a certified chiropractic physician’s assistant may perform chiropractic services under indirect supervision in the specialty area or areas for which the assistant is trained or experienced when those services are rendered under the supervision of a licensed chiropractic physician or group of physicians certified by the board.
According to Florida Statutes § 460.4165(1), the purpose of that section is to enable chiropractic physicians to delegate health care tasks to qualified assistants when the delegation is consistent with the patient’s health and welfare. Section 460.4165(11) further states that each chiropractic physician or group of chiropractic physicians utilizing certified chiropractic physician’s assistants is liable for any act or omission of any assistant acting under the physician’s supervision and control.
Florida References:
Florida Statutes § 460.403(3), (7), (8), (9)(c)1., and (10)
Definitions of certified chiropractic physician’s assistant, direct supervision, indirect supervision, practice of chiropractic medicine, and registered chiropractic assistant.
Florida Statutes § 460.4165(1), (2), and (11)
Delegation of health care tasks to qualified assistants; performance by certified chiropractic physician’s assistants; supervising physician liability.
Florida Board materials for chiropractic assistants
Board application and instruction materials describing RCA and CCPA duties and supervision.
Definitions of certified chiropractic physician’s assistant, direct supervision, indirect supervision, practice of chiropractic medicine, and registered chiropractic assistant.
Florida Statutes § 460.4165(1), (2), and (11)
Delegation of health care tasks to qualified assistants; performance by certified chiropractic physician’s assistants; supervising physician liability.
Florida Board materials for chiropractic assistants
Board application and instruction materials describing RCA and CCPA duties and supervision.
