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A Process for Approving ASHA Policy Documents
Major policy documents of the Association are approved by the Legislative Council and ratified by the Executive Board. Policy documents that relate only to audiology/hearing science or to speech-language pathology/speech or language science are approved by the appropriate Assembly and ratified by the Executive Board to make the documents official and legal. Position statements that relate to both professions are acted on and approved by the entire Legislative Council and ratified by the Executive Board. Following are two possible scenarios.
Position Statement Related Specifically to Audiology/Hearing Science
- One of the priorities identified by the Legislative Council and the Executive Board indicates that the Association needs a position statement on otoacoustic emissions evaluation.
- The work plan developed for the priority establishes an Otoacoustic Emissions Evaluation Working Group that includes ASHA member audiologists who are involved with otoacoustic emissions evaluation, National Office staff audiologists, and representatives of special interest divisions related to hearing and hearing disorders.
- The Working Group develops a position statement on otoacoustic emissions evaluation that is then peer reviewed.
- The final position statement and associated resolution are submitted to the Legislative Council. The Committee on Resolutions (made up of seven members of the Legislative Council and seven members of the Executive Board) reviews the resolution, determines that the position statement relates specifically to audiology/hearing science, and schedules it for review and approval by the Audiology/Hearing Science Assembly.
- Because the position statement relates only to audiology/hearing science, the members of the Audiology/Hearing Science Assembly vote to approve or disapprove the position statement.
- If the position statement is approved, it is forwarded to the Executive Board for ratification as an official position statement of the Association.
- The document is published and disseminated as an official pollicy position statement of ASHA.
Position Statement Related to Both Audiology/Hearing Science and
Speech-Language Pathology/Speech or Language Science
- One of the priorities identified by the Legislative Council and the Executive Board indicates that the Association needs a position statement on cochlear implants.
- The work plan developed for the priorities establishes a Cochlear Implant Working Group that includes ASHA member audiologists who are pro and con cochlear implants, audiologists and speech-language pathologists who are involved with aural rehabilitation for individuals with cochlear implants, National Office staff, and representatives of special interest divisions related to hearing and hearing disorders and aural rehabilitation.
- The Working Group develops a position statement on cochlear implants that is then peer reviewed.
- The final position statement and associated resolution is submitted to the Legislative Council. The Committee on Resolutions reviews the resolution, and determines that the position statement on cochlear implants relates to both audiology/hearing science and speech-language pathology/speech or language sciences, and submits it for review and approval by the entire Legislative Council.
- Because the position statement relates to both audiology/hearing science and speech- language pathology/speech or language science, the entire Legislative Council votes to approve or disapprove the position statement.
- If the position statement is approved, it is forwarded to the Executive Board for ratification as an official position statement of the Association.
- The document is published and disseminated as an official policy position statement of ASHA.
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