§ 6738. Definition of physical therapist assistant. * a. A "physical\ntherapist assistant" means a person licensed in accordance with this\narticle who works under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist\nperforming such patient related activities as are assigned by the\nsupervising physical therapist. Duties of physical therapist assistants\nshall not include evaluation, testing, interpretation, planning or\nmodification of patient programs. Supervision of a physical therapist\nassistant by a licensed physical therapist shall be on-site supervision,\nbut not necessarily direct personal supervision. The number of licensed\nphysical therapist assistants supervised by one licensed physical\ntherapist shall not exceed the ratio of four licensed physical therapist\nassistants to one licensed physical therapist as shall be determined by\nthe commissioner's regulations insuring that there be adequate\nsupervision in the best interest of public health and safety. Nothing in\nthis section shall prohibit a hospital from employing physical therapist\nassistants, provided they work under the supervision of physical\ntherapists designated by the hospital and not beyond the scope of\npractice of a physical therapist assistant. The numerical limitation of\nthis section shall not apply to work performed in a hospital, provided\nthat there be adequate supervision in the best interest of public health\nand safety.\n * NB Effective until November 21, 2026\n * a. A "physical therapist assistant" means a person licensed in\naccordance with this article who works under the direction and\nsupervision of a licensed physical therapist performing such patient\nrelated activities as are assigned by the supervising physical\ntherapist. Duties of physical therapist assistants shall not include\nevaluation, testing, interpretation, planning or modification of a\npatient's plan of care. Supervision by the licensed physical therapist\nshall be continuous but shall not necessarily require the physical\npresence at the time and place where services are being performed.\nProvided further, however, such physical therapist must be available for\nconsultation with the physical therapist assistant or patient within a\nreasonable amount of time pursuant to the commissioner's regulations.\nThe number of licensed physical therapist assistants supervised by one\nlicensed physical therapist shall not exceed the ratio of four licensed\nphysical therapist assistants to one licensed physical therapist as\nshall be determined by the commissioner's regulations insuring that\nthere be adequate supervision in the best interest of public health and\nsafety. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a hospital from employing\nphysical therapist assistants, provided they work under the supervision\nof physical therapists designated by the hospital and not beyond the\nscope of practice of a physical therapist assistant. The numerical\nlimitation of this section shall not apply to work performed in a\nhospital, provided that there be adequate supervision in the best\ninterest of public health and safety.\n * NB Effective November 21, 2026\n b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision a of this section,\nsupervision of a licensed physical therapist assistant by a licensed\nphysical therapist, (i) in a residential health care facility, as\ndefined in article twenty-eight of the public health law, (ii) in a\ndiagnostic and treatment center licensed under article twenty-eight of\nthe public health law that provides, as its principal mission, services\nto individuals with developmental disabilities, (iii) in a facility, as\ndefined in section 1.03 of the mental hygiene law, or (iv) under a\nmonitored program of the office for people with developmental\ndisabilities as defined in subdivision (a) of section 13.15 of the\nmental hygiene law, shall be continuous but not necessarily on site when\nthe supervising physical therapist has determined, through evaluation,\nthe sett
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