Nebraska 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. Master's degree or equivalent
2. Nine months of full-time professional experience (or part-time equivalent)
3. Passage of an examination

Exemptions

1. Federal employees
2. Physicians
3. Hearing aid fitters/dealers
4. Credentialed (by state Department of Education) public school employees
5. Students appropriately designated speech-language pathology or audiology interns or trainees
6. Clinical fellows

Reciprocity

1. The Board may approve without examination any individual licensed in another state or territory of the United States with equivalent standards
2. Certification by a nationwide professional accrediting organization recognized as such by the Board ("nationwide professional accrediting organization" is defined as "ASHA or equivalent")

Interim Practice/Temporary Licensure

1. Nonresidents may provide audiology or speech-language pathology services for no more than 30 days if the applicant meets the qualifications for application for licensure and such person is working under a licensee and registers with the Board prior to the initiation of services.
2. A temporary license to practice audiology or speech-language pathology may be granted to persons who establish residence in Nebraska and who meet all the requirements for a license except passage of the examination. Such temporary license shall be valid only until the date on which the results of the next licensure examination are available to the department and shall not be renewed.
3. A temporary license to practice audiology or speech-language pathology may be granted to persons who meet all the requirements for a license except completion of the professional experience. Such temporary license shall be valid only until the sooner of completion of such professional experience or 18 months and shall not be renewed.

Continuing Education for Licensure Renewal

Twenty clock hours per 2-year cycle; a maximum of 3 hours per 2 years is permitted for self-study activities; ASHA is an approved continuing education provider

Hearing Aid Dispensing

Audiologists who dispense hearing aids must obtain an HAD license.

Support Personnel

1. Communication assistants must register.
2. A communication assistant is an individual who, following specified training and receiving specified supervision, provides specified limited structured communication services, which are developed and supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist.
3. Communication assistants must have:
• A high school diploma or equivalent
• Completed initial training of at least 12 hours that shall include an overview of the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology; ethical and legal responsibilities; normal language, speech, and hearing functions; observing and recording patient progress; behavior modification and management; and record-keeping
4. The supervising speech-language pathologist or audiologist must provide direct, on-site supervision for the first treatment session and at least 20% of all treatment sessions per quarter; direct supervision must be documented.
5. The supervising speech-language pathologist or audiologist must provide the communication assistant with at least 10 hours each year of in-service training and such training shall be verified by annual reports to the department.

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.