Pennsylvania Council on Therapeutic Horsemanship
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NEWS BITS -- the latest news and tidbits of information
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The PACTH is a Full member of the Horses in Education and Therapy International (HETI), formerly Federation of Riding for the Disabled International.  Please watch this site for future information from the International organization i.e. International Congress to be held in Athens, Greece in April, 2012.  
 
To access the FRDI website, click here.
 
                          NARHA has put out the following information:
 
                                       HR 2105 - Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2009
 
NARHA would like to inform its members of a new Congressional bill being drafted, H.R. 2105, or the Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2009. This bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase amounts paid for physical fitness activities as medical care as an incentive to make people more active.  Americans would be allowed to set aside up to $1000 each year from their tax-favored accounts to cover fitness-related expenses. This is an effort to decrease medical expenses resulting from preventable illness related to obesity.
 
The initial draft of the bill, which is still in the House committee review phase, specifies that allowable "fitness facilities" covered by the act would not include any facilities offering riding activities. As you can imagine, this act may thus affect NARHA Centers and insurance coverage/compensation for equine-assisted activities and therapy (EAAT) programs. 
 
Although the bill focuses on compensation for fitness activities related to weight loss and not medical treatment, it is important that our Congress realizes the impact this bill could have on our vital and beneficial industry. Many NARHA centers provide services directly related to the treatment of "weight control disorders," and as such H.R. 2105 will directly impact these centers at the very least - not to mention the other centers tangentially affected by the act.
 
We are encouraging all NARHA members to write to their congressperson informing him or her of our concerns and encouraging him or her to consider EAAT programs when reviewing, amending and voting on this bill. Click here for a template letter to representatives and senators. It can also be found in the "resources" pull down menu on the NARHA website home page at www.narha.org.
 
Sincerely,
Carol                        Click here to go to the NARHA website.                   
Carol Nickell, CEO    
 
Pamela D. (Hughes) Wiesman Scott
November 19, 1950 - June 20, 2010
 
Pam Wiesman Scott, 59, formerly of York, PA passed away on June 20, 2010.  Pam was an active member of the PACTH prior to moving to Indiana.  A friend of Pam's, Lynda Manning, forwarded a donation to the Council and a note -- "Pam loved therapeutic riding and it was a large part of her life for a long time.  Please let your members know of her passing."  Pam, you will be missed by all who knew you.
 
James "Jim" McHugh
 
The Council has been informed that a good friend of the Council passed away in March, 2010.  Jim was a lifetime member of the PACTH and an instructor at Riding for the Handicapped of Western Pennsylvania.  Jim was a generous man, a giving mentor for many young men in his community, and a great instructor with a booming laugh.  Jim, you will be missed.