Arizona Board of Physical Therapy

The board discussed and took action on several applications for physical therapist and physical therapist assistant licensure, including foreign educated applicant requirements. Disciplinary matters were reviewed for multiple licensees, resulting in various actions including invitations to informal hearings, dismissals of complaints, and advisory letters. Updates were provided regarding the FSBPT regulatory workshop. The board approved revisions to the continuing competence and unlawful practice disciplinary matrices and updated several substantive policy statements. Additionally, the executive director provided updates on current legislative matters, quarterly compact status reports, and reviewed monthly financial and licensing reports.

The board addressed several licensure applications, including the review and eventual tabling of a physical therapist assistant application pending further documentation. The board conducted informal hearings regarding disciplinary matters for multiple physical therapist assistants and physical therapists, resulting in various non-disciplinary orders, continuing education requirements, and interim orders for psychosexual evaluations. Additionally, the board received training on executive sessions, discussed proposed legislative updates, progressed the development of an online jurisprudence assessment, and reviewed financial reports and licensing statistics.

The board meeting agenda includes the review and consideration of licensure applications, including those with background disclosures and those requiring ADA accommodations. The board will conduct informal hearings for specific physical therapist and physical therapist assistant licensees. Additionally, the agenda covers complaints and disciplinary matters, a board member training session regarding executive sessions, and the Executive Director's report, which includes legislative updates, the development of an online jurisprudence assessment, and a review of February 2026 financial and licensing data.

The board addressed various applications for physical therapist and physical therapist assistant licensure, including the approval of a supervised clinical practice period. Disciplinary matters were reviewed, resulting in the dismissal of one case, the issuance of an interim consent agreement in another, and a decision of no action regarding a third complaint. Furthermore, the board reviewed a fitness for duty evaluation, handled non-compliance regarding a board order, and discussed legislative updates, potential rule changes, and monthly financial reports along with licensing statistics.

The meeting included action on consent agendas, which involved the approval of previous meeting minutes from December 16, 2025, and the approval of licensure applications for Physical Therapists and a Physical Therapist Assistant. Several cases were recommended for termination of Board Orders. Under Old Business, the Board addressed compliance and license suspension requests for licensees Gaurav Khanal and Michael Webster, approving the lifting of Mr. Khanal's suspension and his proposed supervision plan, and approving Mr. Webster's proposed psychologist. In Informal Hearings, the Board adopted findings of fact and conclusions of law related to case 25-30 (Stephanie Owens Kinsey) and issued a Board Order requiring ethics coursework. Initial reviews of disciplinary matters for Stacy Lynch, Ryan Marzetta, Dylan Mecham, and Catherine Russell were conducted, resulting in an invitation to an Informal Hearing for Mr. Lynch, a non-disciplinary order for Mr. Marzetta, an invitation to an Informal Hearing for Mr. Mecham, and dismissal for Ms. Russell. The Board also approved an application for physical therapist licensure for Tawana Jackson. Key board business included the re-election of Dr. Bustillo as President, Dr. Heick as Vice-President, and Mr. Leone as Secretary for the 2026 annual Board period, as well as the election of Dr. Heick as Delegate and Dr. King as Alternate Delegate for FSBPT meetings. Reports included a presentation on the APTAAZ 2026 legislative agenda, updates on the 57th Legislature, discussion of potential future rulemaking areas (supervision ratios, PTA hours, and "each date of service" requirements), and a decision to take no action on a US Department of Transportation FMCSA request. Financials for November and December 2025 and license/registration approvals from December 2025 were reviewed.