Title 5
Businesses and Professions

Chapter 48.2
Professional Licensing and Regulation of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists

§ 5-48.2-8. Support personnel.

(a) A speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) for speech-language pathologists shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Possess at minimum a:

(i) Two-year (2) speech-language pathology assistant program degree from an accredited institution; or

(ii) Bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from an accredited institution; or

(iii) Bachelor’s degree and a certificate from a board approved speech-language pathology assistant program; or

(iv) Associate’s, bachelor’s, or advanced degree from an accredited institution in a related field to include, but not limited to, human development and family sciences, education, or psychology and complete at least eighteen (18) credit hours in coursework in speech-language pathology in the following areas: introductory or overview course in communication disorders, phonetics, anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing mechanisms, language development, speech and language disorders, and clinical methods in speech-language pathology.

(2) Complete:

(i) Twenty-five (25) hours of documented observation of a licensed speech-language pathologist, which may be accomplished within an undergraduate program of study; and

(ii) One hundred (100) clinical hours under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist.

(b) Scope of practice of speech-language pathology assistants. A licensed speech-language pathology assistant shall only engage in those duties that adhere to the code of ethics of the board and are planned, designed, and supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist, including:

(1) Developing low-tech augmentative and alternative communication materials for students, patients, and clients;

(2) Assisting with speech, language, and hearing screenings without clinical interpretation of results;

(3) Administering and scoring screenings for clinical interpretation by the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(4) Assisting with, but not administering or interpreting the results of, client assessments, including setting up the testing environment, gathering and preparing materials, and taking notes;

(5) Administering and scoring assessments and progress monitoring tools without clinical interpretation of results, if the licensed speech-language pathology assistant meets the examiner requirements for such tools and the supervising speech-language pathologist has verified that such examiner requirements have been met;

(6) Performing routine activities for therapy sessions in accordance with a plan developed and directed by the speech-language pathologist who retains the professional responsibility for such client, including:

(i) Implementing documented care plans or protocols;

(ii) Providing direct therapy services to address treatment goals;

(iii) Adjusting and documenting the amount and type of support or scaffolding provided to the client in treatment to facilitate progress; and

(iv) Developing and implementing activities and materials for teaching and practice of skills to address the goals of the client;

(7) Providing treatment through a variety of service delivery models as directed by the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(8) Utilizing telecommunications technology to provide services remotely to clients as directed by the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(9) Documenting client performance and reporting such performance information to the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(10) Providing caregiver coaching, including modeling and teaching communication strategies and providing feedback regarding caregiver-client interactions for facilitation and carryover of skills;

(11) Sharing objective information regarding client performance without interpretation or recommendations as directed by the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(12) Assisting with programming augmentative and alternative communication devices and assisting and training clients with using such devices;

(13) Demonstrating strategies and assisting clients with skills included in the feeding and swallowing plan developed by the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(14) Signing or initialing informal treatment notes and, upon request, co-signing formal documents with the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(15) Assisting with clerical duties and site operations, including preparing materials, scheduling appointments and activities, preparing charts, records, or graphs, and performing checks and maintenance of equipment;

(16) Assisting clients with transitioning to and from therapy sessions; and

(17) Performing duties not otherwise restricted to the practice of speech-language pathology.

(c) A speech-language pathologist assistant shall not hold themself out to be, or use the title speech-language pathology assistant unless licensed pursuant to this chapter and shall not engage in the practice of speech-language pathology, including the following:

(1) Representing themselves as a speech-language pathologist;

(2) Performing diagnostic tests or evaluations;

(3) Performing procedures that require a professional level of clinical judgment and technical skill;

(4) Interpreting results and observations of feeding and swallowing evaluations or screenings performed by a speech-language pathologist;

(5) Participating in formal conferences or meetings without the presence of the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(6) Providing interpretative information to a client, the family of a client, or any other individual;

(7) Writing, developing, or modifying a client’s treatment plan;

(8) Assisting in or providing services described in subsection (a) of this section unless directed by the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(9) Signing any formal documents in place of the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(10) Selecting a client for service or discharging a client from service;

(11) Making a decision regarding the need for additional services or making a referral for service;

(12) Disclosing clinical or confidential information either orally or in writing to anyone other than the supervising speech-language pathologist, unless mandated by law or authorized by the supervising speech-language pathologist;

(13) Developing or determining the swallowing or feeding strategies or precautions for a client or providing feeding or swallowing treatment;

(14) Selecting augmentative and alternative communication systems or devices; or

(15) Treating medically fragile students, patients, and clients without one hundred percent (100%) direct supervision by a licensed speech-language pathologist.

(d) A speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) shall be licensed at the department and be required to renew their license every two (2) years.

(e) Support personnel for audiologists (audiometric aide) or audiology assistants must meet the following requirements:

(1) Hold a high school diploma;

(2) Receive intensive on-the-job training in accordance with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or American Academy of Audiology (AAA) guidelines for support personnel by the supervising licensed audiologist prior to providing services. Any subsequent supervising licensed audiologist may require retraining of an audiometric aide or audiology assistant under the supervising licensed audiologist’s supervision.

(3) Audiometric aides or audiology assistants shall be registered at the department and be required to re-register every two (2) years.