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| 5 | 5 | | 2025 -- S 0471 |
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| 6 | 6 | | ======== |
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| 7 | 7 | | LC001528 |
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| 8 | 8 | | ======== |
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| 9 | 9 | | S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D |
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| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 |
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| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
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| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PROFESSIONAL LICENSING AND |
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| 16 | 16 | | REGULATION OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIS TS AND AUDIOLOGISTS |
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| 17 | 17 | | Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Tikoian, Lawson, LaMountain, DiPalma, Gu, Sosnowski, |
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| 18 | 18 | | and Burke |
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| 19 | 19 | | Date Introduced: February 26, 2025 |
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| 20 | 20 | | Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | |
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| 23 | 23 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 1. Sections 5-48.2-6, 5-48.2-8, 5-48.2-9, 5-48.2-10 and 5-48.2-11 of the General 1 |
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| 25 | 25 | | Laws in Chapter 5-48.2 entitled "Professional Licensing and Regulation of Speech-Language 2 |
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| 26 | 26 | | Pathologists and Audiologists" are hereby amended to read as follows: 3 |
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| 27 | 27 | | 5-48.2-6. Issuance and renewal of license and fee. 4 |
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| 28 | 28 | | (a) The department shall issue a license as an audiologist or speech-language pathologist, 5 |
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| 29 | 29 | | or renewal thereof, for a period of two (2) years. The license, unless sooner suspended or revoked, 6 |
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| 30 | 30 | | shall expire on the first day of July, two (2) years following its issuance, and may be renewed 7 |
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| 31 | 31 | | biennially (in even years); provided the applicant meets the requirements of this chapter and the 8 |
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| 32 | 32 | | statutory provisions of the act. The licensee must maintain their certificate of clinical competence 9 |
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| 33 | 33 | | in their practicing area (speech-language pathology or audiology) in order to renew their license. 10 |
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| 34 | 34 | | (b) A license may be renewed by submission of the renewal application and renewal fee as 11 |
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| 35 | 35 | | set forth in the fee structure for licensing, laboratory, and administrative services provided by the 12 |
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| 36 | 36 | | department of health in their regulations payable before July 1 of even years (biennially). 13 |
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| 37 | 37 | | (c) A provisional license may be renewed annually from the date of issue, if the 14 |
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| 38 | 38 | | postgraduate professional experience has exceeded one year, by submission of the renewal 15 |
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| 39 | 39 | | application and renewal fee as set forth in the fee structure for licensing, laboratory, and 16 |
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| 40 | 40 | | administrative services provided by the department of health. A provisional license shall not exceed 17 |
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| 41 | 41 | | thirty-six (36) months past the initiation of the professional experience and will expire ninety (90) 18 |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | LC001528 - Page 2 of 10 |
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| 45 | 45 | | days after the end of the postgraduate professional experience. 1 |
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| 46 | 46 | | (d)(1) Any licensee who allows their license to lapse by failing to renew it on or before the 2 |
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| 47 | 47 | | thirtieth day of June of even years (biennially), may have the license renewed by submitting to the 3 |
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| 48 | 48 | | department an application and renewal fee plus an additional late fee as set forth in the fee structure 4 |
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| 49 | 49 | | for licensing, laboratory, and administrative services provided by the department of health. 5 |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) Any person who allows their license to lapse longer than two (2) consecutive licensing 6 |
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| 51 | 51 | | periods may be reinstated by the department, upon the filing of: 7 |
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| 52 | 52 | | (i) A reinstatement application for licensure; 8 |
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| 53 | 53 | | (ii) Payment of the current licensure renewal fee plus an additional late fee as set forth in 9 |
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| 54 | 54 | | the fee structure for licensing, laboratory, and administrative services provided by the department 10 |
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| 55 | 55 | | of health; and 11 |
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| 56 | 56 | | (iii) Documentation of completion of continuing education units (CEUs) as required in this 12 |
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| 57 | 57 | | chapter taken during the previous two (2) years. 13 |
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| 58 | 58 | | (e) Inactive status. 14 |
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| 59 | 59 | | (1) An individual licensed as a speech-language pathologist and/or audiologist in Rhode 15 |
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| 60 | 60 | | Island, not in the active practice of speech-language pathology or audiology within Rhode Island 16 |
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| 61 | 61 | | during any year, may upon request to the department have their name transferred to an inactive 17 |
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| 62 | 62 | | status and shall not be required to register biennially or pay any fee as long as the individual remains 18 |
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| 63 | 63 | | inactive. 19 |
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| 64 | 64 | | (2) Inactive status may be maintained for no longer than two (2) consecutive licensing 20 |
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| 65 | 65 | | periods, after which period licensure will be terminated and a reinstatement application submitted 21 |
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| 66 | 66 | | to the department will be required to resume practice. 22 |
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| 67 | 67 | | (3) Any individual whose name has been transferred to an inactive status may be restored 23 |
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| 68 | 68 | | to active status within two (2) licensing periods to practice speech-language pathology or audiology 24 |
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| 69 | 69 | | without a penalty fee, upon the filing of: 25 |
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| 70 | 70 | | (i) An application for licensure renewal with a licensure renewal fee as set forth in the fee 26 |
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| 71 | 71 | | structure for licensing, laboratory, and administrative services provided by the department of 27 |
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| 72 | 72 | | health; and 28 |
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| 73 | 73 | | (ii) Such other information as may be requested by the board. 29 |
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| 74 | 74 | | 5-48.2-8. Support personnel. 30 |
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| 75 | 75 | | (a) A speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) for speech-language pathologists shall 31 |
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| 76 | 76 | | meet the following requirements: 32 |
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| 77 | 77 | | (1) Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and have successfully 33 |
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| 78 | 78 | | completed no less than eighteen (18) hours of graduate credit in the areas of speech-language 34 |
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| 79 | 79 | | |
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| 80 | 80 | | |
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| 81 | 81 | | LC001528 - Page 3 of 10 |
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| 82 | 82 | | pathology to include the following: 1 |
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| 83 | 83 | | (i) Normal processes in speech, language, and hearing three (3) hours; 2 |
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| 84 | 84 | | (ii) Disorders of speech, language, and hearing nine (9) hours; 3 |
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| 85 | 85 | | (iii) Equipment, materials, procedures, and data collection used in assessment and/or 4 |
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| 86 | 86 | | management of speech, language, and hearing disorders six (6) hours; and 5 |
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| 87 | 87 | | (iv) Completion of twenty-five percent (25%) of those practicum hours required for 6 |
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| 88 | 88 | | professional personnel by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 7 |
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| 89 | 89 | | Possess at minimum a: 8 |
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| 90 | 90 | | (i) Two (2) year speech-language pathology assistant program degree from an accredited 9 |
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| 91 | 91 | | institution; or 10 |
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| 92 | 92 | | (ii) Bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders from an accredited 11 |
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| 93 | 93 | | institution; or 12 |
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| 94 | 94 | | (iii) Bachelor's degree and a certificate from a board approved speech-language pathology 13 |
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| 95 | 95 | | assistant program; or 14 |
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| 96 | 96 | | (iv) Associate’s, bachelor’s, or advanced degree from an accredited institution in a related 15 |
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| 97 | 97 | | field to include, but not limited to, human development and family sciences, education, or 16 |
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| 98 | 98 | | psychology and complete at least eighteen (18) credit hours in coursework in speech-language 17 |
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| 99 | 99 | | pathology in the following areas: introductory or overview course in communication disorders, 18 |
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| 100 | 100 | | phonetics, anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing mechanisms, language development, 19 |
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| 101 | 101 | | speech and language disorders, and clinical methods in speech language pathology. 20 |
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| 102 | 102 | | (2) Complete twenty (20) hours of observation of clinical practice with a licensed speech 21 |
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| 103 | 103 | | language pathologist. 22 |
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| 104 | 104 | | (b) Scope of practice of speech-language pathology assistants. A licensed speech-language 23 |
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| 105 | 105 | | pathology assistant shall only engage in those duties that adhere to the code of ethics of the board 24 |
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| 106 | 106 | | and are planned, designed, and supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist, including: 25 |
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| 107 | 107 | | (1) Assisting with speech, language, and hearing screenings without clinical interpretation 26 |
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| 108 | 108 | | of results; 27 |
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| 109 | 109 | | (2) Administering and scoring screenings for clinical interpretation by the supervising 28 |
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| 110 | 110 | | speech-language pathologist; 29 |
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| 111 | 111 | | (3) Assisting with, but not administering or interpreting the results of, client assessments, 30 |
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| 112 | 112 | | including setting up the testing environment, gathering and preparing materials, and taking notes; 31 |
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| 113 | 113 | | (4) Administering and scoring assessments and progress monitoring tools without clinical 32 |
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| 114 | 114 | | interpretation of results, if the licensed speech-language pathology assistant meets the examiner 33 |
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| 115 | 115 | | requirements for such tools and the supervising speech-language pathologist has verified that such 34 |
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| 116 | 116 | | |
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| 117 | 117 | | |
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| 118 | 118 | | LC001528 - Page 4 of 10 |
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| 119 | 119 | | examiner requirements have been met; 1 |
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| 120 | 120 | | (5) Performing routine activities for therapy sessions in accordance with a plan developed 2 |
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| 121 | 121 | | and directed by the speech-language pathologist who retains the professional responsibility for such 3 |
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| 122 | 122 | | client, including: 4 |
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| 123 | 123 | | (i) Implementing documented care plans or protocols; 5 |
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| 124 | 124 | | (ii) Providing direct therapy services to address treatment goals; 6 |
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| 125 | 125 | | (iii) Adjusting and documenting the amount and type of support or scaffolding provided to 7 |
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| 126 | 126 | | the client in treatment to facilitate progress; and 8 |
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| 127 | 127 | | (iv) Developing and implementing activities and materials for teaching and practice of 9 |
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| 128 | 128 | | skills to address the goals of the client; 10 |
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| 129 | 129 | | (6) Providing treatment through a variety of service delivery models as directed by the 11 |
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| 130 | 130 | | supervising speech-language pathologist; 12 |
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| 131 | 131 | | (7) Utilizing telecommunications technology to provide services remotely to clients as 13 |
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| 132 | 132 | | directed by the supervising speech-language pathologist; 14 |
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| 133 | 133 | | (8) Documenting client performance and reporting such performance information to the 15 |
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| 134 | 134 | | supervising speech-language pathologist; 16 |
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| 135 | 135 | | (9) Providing caregiver coaching, including modeling and teaching communication 17 |
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| 136 | 136 | | strategies and providing feedback regarding caregiver-client interactions for facilitation and 18 |
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| 137 | 137 | | carryover of skills; 19 |
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| 138 | 138 | | (10) Sharing objective information regarding client performance without interpretation or 20 |
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| 139 | 139 | | recommendations as directed by the supervising speech-language pathologist; 21 |
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| 140 | 140 | | (11) Assisting with programming augmentative and alternative communication devices 22 |
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| 141 | 141 | | and assisting and training clients with using such devices; 23 |
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| 142 | 142 | | (12) Demonstrating strategies and assisting clients with skills included in the feeding and 24 |
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| 143 | 143 | | swallowing plan developed by the supervising speech-language pathologist; 25 |
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| 144 | 144 | | (13) Signing or initialing informal treatment notes and, upon request, co-signing formal 26 |
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| 145 | 145 | | documents with the supervising speech-language pathologist; 27 |
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| 146 | 146 | | (14) Assisting with clerical duties and site operations, including preparing materials, 28 |
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| 147 | 147 | | scheduling appointments and activities, preparing charts, records, or graphs, and performing checks 29 |
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| 148 | 148 | | and maintenance of equipment; 30 |
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| 149 | 149 | | (15) Assisting clients with transitioning to and from therapy sessions; and 31 |
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| 150 | 150 | | (16) Performing duties not otherwise restricted to the practice of speech-language 32 |
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| 151 | 151 | | pathology. 33 |
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| 152 | 152 | | (c) A speech-language pathologist assistant shall not engage in the practice of speech-34 |
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| 153 | 153 | | |
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| 154 | 154 | | |
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| 155 | 155 | | LC001528 - Page 5 of 10 |
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| 156 | 156 | | language pathology, including the following: 1 |
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| 157 | 157 | | (1) Representing themselves as a speech-language pathologist; 2 |
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| 158 | 158 | | (2) Performing diagnostic tests or evaluations; 3 |
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| 159 | 159 | | (3) Performing procedures that require a professional level of clinical judgment and 4 |
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| 160 | 160 | | technical skill; 5 |
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| 161 | 161 | | (4) Interpreting results and observations of feeding and swallowing evaluations or 6 |
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| 162 | 162 | | screenings performed by a speech-language pathologist; 7 |
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| 163 | 163 | | (5) Participating in formal conferences or meetings without the presence of the supervising 8 |
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| 164 | 164 | | speech-language pathologist; 9 |
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| 165 | 165 | | (6) Providing interpretative information to a client, the family of a client, or any other 10 |
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| 166 | 166 | | individual; 11 |
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| 167 | 167 | | (7) Writing, developing, or modifying a client's treatment plan; 12 |
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| 168 | 168 | | (8) Assisting in or providing services described in subsection (a) of this section unless 13 |
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| 169 | 169 | | directed by the supervising speech-language pathologist; 14 |
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| 170 | 170 | | (9) Signing any formal documents in place of the supervising speech-language pathologist; 15 |
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| 171 | 171 | | (10) Selecting a client for service or discharging a client from service; 16 |
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| 172 | 172 | | (11) Making a decision regarding the need for additional services or making a referral for 17 |
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| 173 | 173 | | service; 18 |
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| 174 | 174 | | (12) Disclosing clinical or confidential information either orally or in writing to anyone 19 |
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| 175 | 175 | | other than the supervising speech-language pathologist, unless mandated by law or authorized by 20 |
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| 176 | 176 | | the supervising speech-language pathologist; or 21 |
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| 177 | 177 | | (13) Developing or determining the swallowing or feeding strategies or precautions for a 22 |
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| 178 | 178 | | client or providing feeding or swallowing treatment. 23 |
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| 179 | 179 | | (2)(d) A speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) shall be registered at the department 24 |
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| 180 | 180 | | and be required to re-register every two (2) years. 25 |
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| 181 | 181 | | (b)(e) Support personnel for audiologists (audiometric aide) or audiology assistants must 26 |
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| 182 | 182 | | meet the following requirements: 27 |
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| 183 | 183 | | (1) Hold a high school diploma; 28 |
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| 184 | 184 | | (2) Receive intensive on-the-job training in accordance with the American Speech-29 |
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| 185 | 185 | | Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or American Academy of Audiology (AAA) guidelines 30 |
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| 186 | 186 | | for support personnel by the supervising licensed audiologist prior to providing services. Any 31 |
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| 187 | 187 | | subsequent supervising licensed audiologist may require retraining of an audiometric aide or 32 |
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| 188 | 188 | | audiology assistant under the supervising licensed audiologist’s supervision. 33 |
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| 189 | 189 | | (3) Audiometric aides or audiology assistants shall be registered at the department and be 34 |
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| 190 | 190 | | |
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| 191 | 191 | | |
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| 192 | 192 | | LC001528 - Page 6 of 10 |
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| 193 | 193 | | required to re-register every two (2) years. 1 |
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| 194 | 194 | | 5-48.2-9. Supervision and responsibility. 2 |
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| 195 | 195 | | (a)(1) A supervising professional must be a speech-language pathologist or audiologist who 3 |
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| 196 | 196 | | is licensed under the act and this chapter; has attained and maintained their certificate of clinical 4 |
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| 197 | 197 | | competency and who has been actively working in the field for twenty-four (24) months after 5 |
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| 198 | 198 | | completion of the postgraduate professional experience; and must be responsible for the acts and 6 |
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| 199 | 199 | | performances, patient screening, and specific tasks assigned by the licensee to the speech-language 7 |
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| 200 | 200 | | pathology assistant (SLPA)/audiometric aide or audiology assistant. 8 |
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| 201 | 201 | | (2) A licensee who supervises support personnel must: 9 |
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| 202 | 202 | | (i) Utilize the services of only those who meet the minimum requirements enumerated 10 |
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| 203 | 203 | | under this chapter; 11 |
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| 204 | 204 | | (ii) Ensure that the support personnel are assigned only those duties and responsibilities for 12 |
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| 205 | 205 | | which the person has been specifically trained and which the assistant is qualified to perform; 13 |
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| 206 | 206 | | (iii) Ensure that persons who will be receiving services from support personnel, or the 14 |
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| 207 | 207 | | person’s legal representative, are informed that services are being rendered by support personnel; 15 |
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| 208 | 208 | | (iv) Provide supervision of the support personnel (other than newborn hearing screeners 16 |
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| 209 | 209 | | and school hearing screeners); and 17 |
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| 210 | 210 | | (v) Complete a minimum of two (2) hours of professional development in clinical 18 |
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| 211 | 211 | | instruction/supervision. 19 |
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| 212 | 212 | | (b) A speech-language pathologist supervisor may only supervise one full-time equivalent 20 |
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| 213 | 213 | | speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) support personnel and not more than two (2) SLPAs 21 |
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| 214 | 214 | | at any time and an audiologist supervisor may only supervise three (3) full-time equivalent 22 |
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| 215 | 215 | | audiometric aides or audiology assistants unless otherwise approved by the board. At no time 23 |
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| 216 | 216 | | should support personnel perform tasks when a supervising SLPA cannot be reached by personal 24 |
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| 217 | 217 | | contact, phone, pager, or other immediate means. When multiple supervisors are used, the 25 |
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| 218 | 218 | | supervisors are encouraged to coordinate and communicate with each other. 26 |
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| 219 | 219 | | (c) Observations of support audiometric aides must be completed and documented as to 27 |
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| 220 | 220 | | date, amount of time, and accuracy and efficacy of service according to the following: Direct on-28 |
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| 221 | 221 | | site observations of the first ten (10) hours of direct client contact; and five percent (5%) of all 29 |
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| 222 | 222 | | clinical sessions after the first ten (10) hours for every forty (40) consecutive hours worked; and 30 |
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| 223 | 223 | | indirect supervision (e.g., home, interactive television, audio/video review, or patient record 31 |
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| 224 | 224 | | review) of five percent (5%) of each forty (40) consecutive hours worked. 32 |
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| 225 | 225 | | (d) Observations of a speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) pathology support 33 |
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| 226 | 226 | | personnel shall be completed and documented as to date, amount of time, and accuracy and efficacy 34 |
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| 227 | 227 | | |
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| 228 | 228 | | |
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| 229 | 229 | | LC001528 - Page 7 of 10 |
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| 230 | 230 | | of service according to the following: 1 |
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| 231 | 231 | | (1) Direct supervision means in-view observation and guidance while the SLPA is 2 |
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| 232 | 232 | | performing a clinical activity. Direct supervision does not include reviewing an audio or video 3 |
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| 233 | 233 | | recorded session later. 4 |
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| 234 | 234 | | (2) A minimum of twenty percent (20%) direct supervision and ten percent (10%) indirect 5 |
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| 235 | 235 | | supervision is required of all the time that assistant is providing services during the first ninety (90) 6 |
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| 236 | 236 | | days of employment. After the first ninety (90) days, the supervising SLPA may adjust their amount 7 |
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| 237 | 237 | | of supervision if they determine that the SLPA meets appropriate competencies. A minimum of ten 8 |
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| 238 | 238 | | percent (10%) direct and ten percent (10%) indirect supervision is required every one hundred 9 |
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| 239 | 239 | | eighty (180) days regardless of employment status. 10 |
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| 240 | 240 | | (e) Supervisors shall maintain records which document the frequency and type of 11 |
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| 241 | 241 | | supervision of support personnel, such records to be available for audit upon request by the board. 12 |
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| 242 | 242 | | 5-48.2-10. Supervision of support personnel — Newborn hearing screeners and school 13 |
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| 243 | 243 | | hearing screeners. 14 |
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| 244 | 244 | | (a) Hospital-based newborn hearing screeners and school-based hearing screeners shall be 15 |
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| 245 | 245 | | trained by a licensed audiologist working in the newborn hearing or school screening program 16 |
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| 246 | 246 | | according to training guidelines established by the programs. 17 |
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| 247 | 247 | | (b) Supervision shall include a method of evaluation and documenting the competency of 18 |
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| 248 | 248 | | each screener upon completion of the initial training and at least annually thereafter by a licensed 19 |
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| 249 | 249 | | audiologist working in the newborn hearing or school screening program. 20 |
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| 250 | 250 | | (c) Observations of a speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) pathology support 21 |
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| 251 | 251 | | personnel must be completed and documented as to date, amount of time, and accuracy and efficacy 22 |
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| 252 | 252 | | of service according to the following: 23 |
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| 253 | 253 | | (1) Direct on-site observations of the first ten (10) hours of direct client contact; and ten 24 |
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| 254 | 254 | | percent (10%) of clinical sessions after the first ten (10) hours of each forty (40) consecutive hours 25 |
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| 255 | 255 | | worked; and 26 |
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| 256 | 256 | | (2) Indirect supervision (e.g., phone, interactive television, audio/video review) of ten 27 |
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| 257 | 257 | | percent (10%) of each forty (40) consecutive hours worked. 28 |
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| 258 | 258 | | (d) Supervisors shall must observe all provisions of the ASHA policy regarding support 29 |
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| 259 | 259 | | personnel unless a specific policy is addressed in this chapter, including, but not limited to, that the 30 |
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| 260 | 260 | | licensee must maintain records that document the frequency and type of supervision of support 31 |
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| 261 | 261 | | personnel, such records to be available for audit upon request by the board. 32 |
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| 262 | 262 | | 5-48.2-11. Continuing education requirements. 33 |
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| 263 | 263 | | (a) On or before the thirtieth day of June of even years, every person licensed to practice 34 |
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| 264 | 264 | | |
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| 265 | 265 | | |
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| 266 | 266 | | LC001528 - Page 8 of 10 |
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| 267 | 267 | | speech-language pathology and/or audiology within Rhode Island shall complete not less than 1 |
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| 268 | 268 | | twenty (20) clock hours of continuing education within the preceding two (2) years and be able to 2 |
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| 269 | 269 | | present satisfactory evidence of completion to the department. 3 |
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| 270 | 270 | | (1) Course descriptions, proof of attendance, or other documentation of completion shall 4 |
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| 271 | 271 | | be retained by the licensee for a minimum of four (4) years and is subject to random audit by the 5 |
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| 272 | 272 | | department. 6 |
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| 273 | 273 | | (2) Activities approved by the board for continuing education credit are those sponsored 7 |
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| 274 | 274 | | by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the American Academy of 8 |
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| 275 | 275 | | Audiology (AAA), a state department of education, other International Association for Continuing 9 |
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| 276 | 276 | | Education and Training (IACET)-authorized providers, and/or continuing medical education units 10 |
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| 277 | 277 | | (CMEs) from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Approved 11 |
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| 278 | 278 | | activities may include conferences, seminars, self-study programs, courses, or workshops 12 |
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| 279 | 279 | | sponsored by the organizations noted above, or course work from an accredited institution. 13 |
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| 280 | 280 | | (b) Those persons holding licensure in both speech-language pathology and audiology must 14 |
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| 281 | 281 | | have completed and have evidence of completion of not less than thirty (30) clock hours of 15 |
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| 282 | 282 | | continuing education within the preceding two (2) years. 16 |
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| 283 | 283 | | (c) Continuing education hours may not be carried over from one renewal period to the 17 |
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| 284 | 284 | | next. 18 |
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| 285 | 285 | | (d)(1) Continuing education hours must be in accordance with the American Speech-19 |
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| 286 | 286 | | Language-Hearing Association’s requirements including at least two (2) hours in cultural 20 |
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| 287 | 287 | | competency, cultural humility, culturally responsive practice or diversity, equity, and inclusion 21 |
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| 288 | 288 | | (DEI) and at least one hour in the area of ethics. 22 |
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| 289 | 289 | | (2) If the licensee is acting as a clinical supervisor, a minimum of two (2) hours of 23 |
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| 290 | 290 | | professional development in clinical instruction/supervision is required. 24 |
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| 291 | 291 | | (e) Speech-language pathologists or audiologists initially licensed by examination after the 25 |
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| 292 | 292 | | July 1 renewal date shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements stated in this 26 |
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| 293 | 293 | | section until the date of the next renewal cycle (i.e., June 30 of the second year following its 27 |
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| 294 | 294 | | issuance). 28 |
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| 295 | 295 | | (f) The board, at its discretion, may extend, reduce, or waive for a person the requirement 29 |
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| 296 | 296 | | for continuing education for hardship or other extenuating circumstances as the board deems 30 |
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| 297 | 297 | | appropriate. 31 |
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| 298 | 298 | | (g) The board shall promulgate regulations requiring continuing education for any speech-32 |
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| 299 | 299 | | language pathology assistant license renewal or reinstatement. The board may grant exceptions or 33 |
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| 300 | 300 | | exemptions from these continuing education requirements. 34 |
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| 301 | 301 | | |
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| 303 | 303 | | LC001528 - Page 9 of 10 |
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| 304 | 304 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1 |
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| 306 | 306 | | LC001528 |
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| 310 | 310 | | LC001528 - Page 10 of 10 |
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| 311 | 311 | | EXPLANATION |
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| 312 | 312 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
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| 313 | 313 | | OF |
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| 314 | 314 | | A N A C T |
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| 315 | 315 | | RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PROFESSIONAL LICENSING AND |
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| 316 | 316 | | REGULATION OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIS TS AND AUDIOLOGISTS |
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| 317 | 317 | | *** |
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| 318 | 318 | | This act would establish prevailing standards and procedures for licensing speech-language 1 |
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| 319 | 319 | | pathologists and audiologists in Rhode Island. 2 |
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| 320 | 320 | | This act would take effect upon passage. 3 |
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| 322 | 322 | | LC001528 |
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