Enforcement and probation reports; board removes one CE provider and elects officers

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — At its Dec. 6 meeting the Physical Therapy Board of California received quarterly enforcement and probation reports, voted to remove a continuing-education provider from its approved list and elected its officers and federal delegate for 2025.

Carol Phelps, manager of the board’s Consumer Protection Services unit, summarized first‑quarter enforcement activity. CPS opened 158 new cases in the quarter, Phelps said, and staff issued eight citations, completed 22 desk investigations and referred 14 cases to the Attorney General’s Office. Attachment materials showed the unit had a caseload of 417 active matters across six analysts. Phelps said 10 matters were finalized at the Attorney General’s Office during the quarter; those cases took an average of 632 days from complaint receipt to final outcome, longer than the staff target of 540 days for AG‑referred matters.

“Based on the evidence obtained through DFI’s investigation... the case was forwarded to the local DA’s office which resulted in a criminal conviction and the former licensee being required to register as an offender,” Phelps said, describing a recent matter highlighted in a joint press release with DFI. (The board’s online press materials provide case summaries and disciplinary outcomes.)

Monnie Martin, probation monitor, reported that 71 licensees were on probation at one point during the quarter; of those, 50 licensees were actively working in California, nine licensees were enrolled in the board’s substance‑abuse rehabilitation program, and several probationers were tolling because they were out of state or unemployed. Martin said noncompliance incidents in the quarter were mostly minor — missed quarterly interviews or late paperwork — and staff pursue follow up that can include formal discipline if reporting requirements are ignored.

After those briefings the board considered a continuing competency recommendation. A motion to follow the continuing‑competency unit’s recommendation and remove Synergy Education Seminars from the board’s list of recognized approval agencies carried 4–0 (two members absent). The motion was moved by a board member and seconded on the floor; the roll call recorded four ayes and two absences.

Later in the meeting the board conducted its annual slate of nominations and votes for officers and Federation representation. The board unanimously elected Karen Brandon as president and Sam Que as vice president for 2025. Tanya McMillan was elected the board’s delegate to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy; Dale Armstrong will serve as alternate delegate; the board approved an alphabetical backup list of members to serve as delegates if needed.

Phelps reminded the board that disciplinary actions, public letters and probation orders are posted to the Department of Consumer Affairs license lookup and on the board’s web pages. Members asked that staff continue performance reporting and to return with fund condition details and any budget implications at the March meeting.

No new regulations or statutory changes were adopted during the meeting. The board scheduled its next meeting for March 2025 at the University of the Pacific in Stockton.