Dr. Carol Zehnacker Friend of the Academy Award

Rationale

The purpose of this award is to acknowledge an individual, group or organization that has made an enduring contribution to the home health industry and that has been an advocate of the profession of physical therapy in the home, as is relates to clinical practice and/or regulations. This award is dedicated to the late Dr. Carol Zehnacker who passed away in November 2021. Dr. Zehnacker was a physical therapist and a member of the APTA for 56 years. She served our profession in many ways at both the state and national levels as a leader, mentor, and advocate. She served as the Federal Affairs Liaison and Government Affairs Committee Chair for the Home Health Academy. In this role she advocated fiercely against administrative burden and regulations that hamper PTs ability to provide quality care. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for this award, the nominee must:

1. Have documented excellence in clinical practice, regulatory advocacy philanthropy, or research
2. Have promoted home health physical therapy in their career or in their organizational mission, either in research, educational programs, or in professional liaison through state, section or national involvement
3. Not be eligible to be a member of the American Physical Therapy Association due to their professional designation

Criteria for Selection

Quality and quantity of contributions to the APTA Home Health Academy and/or to the profession of home health physical therapy could include one or more of the following:

1. Effect on shaping the evidenced‐based, clinical best practices for quality patient outcomes, or
2. Effect on shaping regulatory issues to allow patients to have access to physical therapy in the home setting, or
3. Impact on reimbursement models for physical therapy in the home setting.

Nomination Process

Any current member of the American Physical Therapy Association may nominate an individual, group or organization that meets the award criteria. Nomination packets should include:

1. One or more detailed letters addressed to the APTA Home Health Academy describing how the individual, group or organization meets the criteria for selection.
2. At least one letter of endorsement (support statement) should be included with the nominating letter and address some, if not all, of the following:
   1. What are the nominee's documented examples of excellence in clinical practice, regulatory advocacy philanthropy, or research?
   2. How has this nominee promoted and made enduring contributions to the home health industry?
   3. Give examples of how this nominee has contributed to the APTA Home Health Academy and/or the profession of physical therapy in the areas of quality patient outcomes, regulatory issues, and/or reimbursement affecting physical therapy in the home.
   4. Anything else you want to add to describe why this individual, group, or organization should be recognized for its enduring contribution to the home health industry and as an advocate of the profession of physical therapy in the home?

Selection Process

The Nominating Committee will review nominations and the chair will present the Committee's recommendation to the APTA Home Health Academy Executive Committee for approval.