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Abstract: Approve the (revised) “Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology”
RESOLVED, That the revised “Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology” be approved as policy of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; and further
RESOLVED, That LC 5-95, which approved the 1996 (current) “Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology” be rescinded; and further
RESOLVED, that the revised “Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology” be published in the next annual supplement to The ASHA Leader and that the document be posted on the Web, be made available upon request from the ASHA Action Center and Fax-on-Demand, and be included in the next revision of the ASHA Desk Reference.
RATIONALE: This document represents the work of the Ad Hoc Committee on Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology, whose charge was to (a) review the current (1996) “Speech-Language Pathology Scope of Practice” to identify areas that need updating, revision, clarification, or deletion; (b) consider the impact of information obtained from the Skills Validation Study, Futures Focus Groups, Schools Surveys, and other appropriate resources on the scope of practice in speech-language pathology; and (c) provide clarification regarding the role of the speech-language pathologist in infant hearing screening.
The Ad Hoc Committee fulfilled their charge by drafting proposed revisions to the 1996 “Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology,” which underwent an initial round of peer review from September to October 2000. Peer review comments were carefully reviewed, further revisions were made to the document, and a second round of peer review was conducted in January and February 2001.
Speech-language pathology is a dynamic and continuously developing profession. The “Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology” is the profession’s fundamental practice policy document from which more specific practice policy documents (e.g., technical reports, position statements, guidelines, and knowledge and skills statements) are derived. The updated and revised “Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology” includes explicit mention of speech-language pathologists’ roles in areas such as literacy and communication effectiveness and in emerging areas of practice such as paradoxical vocal cord function. The revised “Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology” also provides a framework for describing the role of speech-language pathologists in optimizing human communication behavior, swallowing, or other upper aerodigestive functions.
OUTCOME(S): This updated and revised “Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology” will help to assure that members of the profession, other service providers, and external audiences (e.g., reimbursement, public policy, and administrative decision-makers) all have a clear understanding of the services, roles, and autonomy of the profession of speech-language pathology.
BUDGET IMPACT: Funds for the publication and dissemination of this document are already included in the operating budget of the Association.
PROGRAMMATIC IMPACT: Approval of this document will provide members and certificate holders as well as external audiences with an updated description of speech-language pathologists’ services, roles, and autonomy.
If the resolution is not passed, the current (i.e., 1996) “Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology” will remain in effect.
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