In 2019, after working for 6 years (and waiting for 34 years), the Spinal Manipulation Task Force succeeded in passing an amendment to the PT Practice Act to allow for PTs to perform spinal manipulation without a physician referral- a technique within the PT professional scope of practice for 100+ years.

In 2015, the NC Acupuncture Licensing Board (NCAP) sued the NC Board of PT Examiners (NCBPTE) in a state court alleging that when PTs performed dry needling, they were performing acupuncture.

Meanwhile the several state PTs supported by APTA NC (formally called NCPTA) launched a federal anti-trust suit alleging that acupuncturists were keeping PTs from performing their own business.

Under the leadership of APTA NC presidents David Edwards and Kyle Covington, along with the State Legislative Commitee Chair and VP, Mary Kay Hannah, the NC Supreme Court determined in 2018 that dry needling was a part of PT practice.  Soon after, the NCAP settled the federal anti-trust suit.

North Carolina was the 7th state to obtain direct access, the legal ability of PTs to see patients without referral.   Ben Massey led this advocacy work in 1985.

In 2018, APTA NC passed a Practice Act legislative update that allowed for the North Carolina Board of PT Examiners to join the PT Compact.  We were the 11th state to join and now PTs in our state can easily gain practice privileges in other compact states and vice versa.  This is a great boon for military spouses and for traveling PTs and PTAs.

Members let APTA NC leadership know about a health insurance company using a mobile app for exercise and calling it "physical therapy," without any physical therapists involved in their exercise app. The Chapter provided info to the licensing Board who worked with the Federation of State Boards of PT to have the insurance company stop misusing our legallly protected name for specific PT-provided services.