Montana State Characteristics of Licensure Law

Contact the state's licensure board or regulatory agency for exact licensure, certification, or registration requirements in your jurisdiction.

Initial Licensure Requirements

1. Must meet the current academic, supervised clinical practicum and post-classroom sponsored employment requirements as defined by Board rule
2. Passage of an examination approved by the Board
3. The standards defined by the Board must be equal to or greater than the standards generally accepted as the national norm.

Exemptions

1. Physicians
2. Federal employees
3. Students properly designated as speech-language pathology or audiology interns or trainees
4. Hearing aid dealers
5. Teachers of persons who are deaf (holding class A certificate)
6. Public school employees hired on an annual basis if the school district:

• has an ongoing, good faith effort to recruit and hire adequately trained personnel;
• has hired the most qualified unlicensed applicant who must have completed at least a 4-year program in speech-language pathology or communication disorders and can show written proof of enrollment in a program of study that would meet state licensing requirements within 3 years of date of hire; and
• has contracted with a licensed person to provide the person hired with consultation and training for not less than 20 hours within the first 6 months of the unlicensed person's period of service
  Note: The superintendent of the public school must register with the Board all unlicensed persons working as speech-language pathologist.

Reciprocity

1. ASHA CCC holders upon payment of a fee and also must submit evidence of certification
2. Persons licensed to practice in another state with equivalent standards must submit educational transcripts and proof of successful completion of the PRAXIS exam.

Interim Practice/Temporary Licensure

1. Unlicensed persons may provide speech-language pathology or audiology services for no more than 5 days per calendar year if services are performed in cooperation with a state-licensed SLP or audiologist.
2. Persons licensed in another state with equivalent standards or CCC holders may practice up to 30 days per calendar year if services are provided in cooperation with a state-licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist.
3. A probationary license will be issued to persons completing their clinical fellowship and shall be valid for 2 years with no renewal.

Continuing Education for Licensure Renewal

Must complete 40 hours of CE per 2-year renewal cycle, of which 25 must be obtained through approved sponsor programs of approved academic coursework; ASHA sponsored programs are considered approved sponsor programs

Hearing Aid Dispensing

Audiologists who dispense hearing aids must obtain an HAD license.

Support Personnel

1. Each speech-language pathologist or audiologist must annually, on or before October 31, register with the Board all speech-language pathology and audiology aides working directly under the supervision of the licensee.
2. The supervisor is responsible for insuring that the aide is adequately trained for the tasks he/she will perform (very specific non-allowable activities listed).
3. Aides must be supervised approximately 20% of the client contact time, of which 10% must be direct contact.
4. Each licensee may supervise up to three aides.
5. Speech-Language Pathology Aide I is defined as a person who holds an undergraduate degree in communication sciences and disorders or equivalent and is currently enrolled in an accredited graduate program for the purpose of completing licensure requirements.
6. Speech-Language Pathology Aide II is a person who holds an undergraduate degree in communication sciences and disorders or equivalent but is not currently enrolled in a graduate program.
7. Speech-Language Pathology Aide III is a person who does not hold an undergraduate degree or its equivalent.

Note:

• All jurisdictions require applicants to achieve a passing score on a national exam, and all but Nevada, North Dakota, and Virginia require applicants to complete a post graduate professional experience requirement.
• The term "clinical fellow," used throughout, means a person completing the post graduate professional experience requirement.

Questions concerning data contained in this document can be addressed by calling 800-498-2071 and asking to speak to someone on the State Policy Team.