Texas 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 Texas, the Texas statutes and regulations reviewed here identify a direct route for a chiropractor to delegate certain treatment functions to a qualified individual. Texas defines a qualified individual as an unlicensed individual with adequate education, training, and skill to perform an act, and expressly permits delegation of physical treatments or modalities and the demonstration of exercises or stretches. Based on the Texas materials reviewed here, the exercise-based treatment component of the program can be administered either by the licensed chiropractor or by a qualified unlicensed in-house staff member operating within that statutory and regulatory structure, while diagnosis, treatment planning, and chiropractic adjustments or manipulations remain with the licensed chiropractor.
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 Texas, the Texas statutes and regulations reviewed here identify a direct route for a chiropractor to delegate certain treatment functions to a qualified individual. Texas defines a qualified individual as an unlicensed individual with adequate education, training, and skill to perform an act, and expressly permits delegation of physical treatments or modalities and the demonstration of exercises or stretches. Based on the Texas materials reviewed here, the exercise-based treatment component of the program can be administered either by the licensed chiropractor or by a qualified unlicensed in-house staff member operating within that statutory and regulatory structure, while diagnosis, treatment planning, and chiropractic adjustments or manipulations remain with the licensed chiropractor.
Texas Statutory and Regulatory References
According to Texas Occupations Code § 201.451(a)–(b), the Texas Board is required to establish guidelines for the tasks and procedures a chiropractor may delegate to an assistant, and the chiropractor who delegates a task or procedure retains full responsibility for it.
According to 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(a), a qualified individual is an unlicensed individual with adequate education, training, and skill to perform an act.
According to 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(c)(4)–(5), a chiropractor may delegate to that qualified individual the performance of physical treatments or modalities and the demonstration of exercises or stretches.
According to 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(d), the chiropractor must document that the individual is qualified to perform the delegated act.
According to 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(f), (g), and (i), the chiropractor must determine a reasonable number of qualified individuals that can be safely supervised, remain physically present or on-call unless another licensee is physically present or on-call, and differentiate in the patient record between acts performed by the chiropractor and acts performed by the qualified individual.
According to 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(b)(1)–(3), a chiropractor may not delegate the authority to render a diagnosis, prescribe a treatment plan, or perform adjustments or manipulations.
According to 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(a), a qualified individual is an unlicensed individual with adequate education, training, and skill to perform an act.
According to 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(c)(4)–(5), a chiropractor may delegate to that qualified individual the performance of physical treatments or modalities and the demonstration of exercises or stretches.
According to 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(d), the chiropractor must document that the individual is qualified to perform the delegated act.
According to 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(f), (g), and (i), the chiropractor must determine a reasonable number of qualified individuals that can be safely supervised, remain physically present or on-call unless another licensee is physically present or on-call, and differentiate in the patient record between acts performed by the chiropractor and acts performed by the qualified individual.
According to 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(b)(1)–(3), a chiropractor may not delegate the authority to render a diagnosis, prescribe a treatment plan, or perform adjustments or manipulations.
Texas References:
Texas Occupations Code § 201.451(a)–(b)
Delegation to assistants; chiropractor retains responsibility
22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(a), (b)(1)–(3), (c)(4)–(5), and (d)
Definition of qualified individual; non-delegable acts; delegated acts; qualification documentation
22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(f), (g), and (i)
Supervision and recordkeeping requirements
Delegation to assistants; chiropractor retains responsibility
22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(a), (b)(1)–(3), (c)(4)–(5), and (d)
Definition of qualified individual; non-delegable acts; delegated acts; qualification documentation
22 Tex. Admin. Code § 78.3(f), (g), and (i)
Supervision and recordkeeping requirements
