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This resource was designed by the National Conference of State Legislatures to educate state policymakers about scope of practice issues related to a range of non-physician health care practitioners who provide important services and can enhance access to care.

Non-physician health care practitioners are increasingly being used to render services in rural and underserved areas to make up for provider shortages. A practitioner's scope of practice refers to what a health professional can and cannot do to or for a patient, and is defined by state professional regulatory boards — typically with the guidance or instruction of the state's legislature. State legislators and other policymakers consider a broad range of issues related to scope of practice, including supervision requirements, prescriptive authority and other requirements for practice.

On this website, you will find information regarding the scope of practice for behavioral health providers, advanced practice registered nurses, optometrists, oral health providers, pharmacists and physician assistants.

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