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Issue Focus: ASHA Health Care 2006
Headlines | Featured Question | Continuing Education | Shop Online
Welcome to Access SLP Health Care, a bimonthly e-newsletter that addresses the specific needs of speech-language pathologists working in health care. If you have not already subscribed, send a blank e-mail with the word "subscribe" in the subject line to: Access-SLPhealthcare-request@lists.asha.org. If you know of any colleagues who might enjoy this newsletter, please forward this e-mail.
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We hope you find Access SLP Health Care informative, practical, and easy to use. Check out the information, resources, services and education opportunities you need to help you succeed. ASHA—working to keep you connected.
If there are topics you'd like to see featured, send an e-mail AccessSLP@asha.org.
Headlines
- ASHA Health Care 2006
Join us in Nashville on April 1-2 for the conference that focuses on state-of-the-art clinical practice for SLPs in medical and rehabilitation settings. Sessions will address topics such as those included in this issue of Access SLP Health Care. Don't miss out on this great learning opportunity. Register now!
- Medically Fragile Patients
Due to advanced medical technology, critically ill patients are surviving health conditions that would have proven fatal years ago. Consequently, SLPs are experiencing increased caseloads of medically fragile patients. Learn more about the issues involved in treating this complex population.
- Caring for Our Soldiers
Soldiers and civilians with severe combat injuries are receiving speech-language pathology services sooner than in any previous conflict. Read more about how combat injuries have changed over the years and what the SLP working with this population needs to know.
- New Autism Collaboration Initiated
Scholars in child language development and disorders have joined with clinical researchers in communication in autism to develop recommended practices for SLPs who work with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Learn more about this exciting collaborative effort.
- Medicare Caps Back & Fees Cut, Pending Congressional Action
Beginning January 1, 2006 Medicare officially reinstated the per-beneficiary, outpatient therapy services cap for combined speech-language pathology and physical therapy services of $1,740 per year and a separate $1,740 cap for occupational therapy. Read more about what you need to do and what may happen next.
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Featured Questions
I contract with an early intervention agency and am being asked to implement not only the speech-language goals but also the physical and occupational therapy goals for children on my caseload. Is this within my scope of practice?
The Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology outlines the areas in which an SLP can provide services, as well as the types of activities in which an SLP may engage. While it is appropriate to have knowledge of the goals of other professionals who are working with a child you see, and it is appropriate to reinforce acquisition and generalization of the skills a PT or OT may be working on during your treatment sessions, it is not appropriate for an SLP to practice outside of their scope. Ethically, you should not provide services in which you have not established competency. Legally, licensure laws delineate what an SLP can and cannot do.
I contract with an early intervention agency and after a recent evaluation in which I found a 2 year-old child eligible for speech and language services, I was told by the case manager that the goals I helped develop during the IFSP would be implemented by an "early interventionist" that I would supervise. I am not sure of the qualifications of this person and don't feel comfortable with this arrangement. What should I do?
The first step you should take is to educate your administration about the role of the SLP in early intervention, including the qualifications and training of a certified SLP. ASHA-certified SLPs are uniquely qualified to provide early intervention services for children with, or at risk for, speech, language, and swallowing disorders. ASHA's Code of Ethics ensures that SLPs provide the highest quality of services. You also want to provide your administration with documents that support the role of the SLP in the early detection and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders. Such resources include:
Educating parents and other professionals about the qualifications of the SLP and the role the SLP plays in early intervention is also an important step. When others know what an SLP does, they will know when to ask for an SLP to work with their child.
ASHA has developed guidelines about supervising support personnel, specifically speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs). However, just because someone is assigned to implement speech goals, they cannot automatically be classified as an SLPA. The SLP is the licensed professional and that license is at stake when supervising anyone, particularly unlicensed personnel. In addition, the ASHA Code of Ethics states that an SLP must not delegate responsibilities that exceed the other person's scope of competency. If the "early interventionist" does not have sufficient competency to provide speech and language services (if these individuals have not completed appropriate training sufficient to meet the definition of an SLPA), then the SLP should not delegate responsibility for implementing therapy goals to this person. Entering into a supervisory role in this circumstance is something the SLP must consider quite carefully.
If you feel that early intervention services are not being provided in an appropriate manner, you can contact your state speech-language-hearing association. Ask them to file a complaint with the state's designated agency for early intervention services under Part C of IDEA. Often this is either the State Education Department or the State Health Department. Access a listing of Part C agencies by state.
A copy of the complaint should also be sent to the unit of the U.S. Department of Education that monitors Part C implementation:
Monitoring and State Improvement Planning Division
Office of Special Education Programs
U.S. Department of Education
330 C Street S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-2722
Telephone: (202) 205-5507
Within 60 days, the designated agency must issue a written decision that addresses each allegation in the complaint.
If the decision is not to your satisfaction, find out when the designated agency will be holding public hearings concerning its Part C application for the next year. Through your state association, organize testimony at these hearings by both professionals and parents. The designated agency must review and consider all public comments before submitting its application.
New proposed regulations for Part C are scheduled to be published early in 2006. Watch for announcements about the release of proposed regulations on ASHA's Web site and The ASHA Leader. Members are encouraged to submit comments to the Department of Education.
The bottom line: SLPs play an important role in early intervention and this role should not be diminished by agency regulations designed to reduce costs or streamline services, usually at the expense of quality. It is up to you to advocate for your profession within your local area and educate others about the importance of receiving services from an SLP.
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Continuing Education
Get Discovered!
Sign Up For ProSearch - ASHA's Free Referral Service
Want to meet you patient needs more effectively? ProSearch, ASHA's online directory of audiology and speech-language pathology programs, helps consumers find quality services from programs that employ ASHA-certified SLPs and audiologists.
Sit Back, Relax, Save Time—Renew Online!
More than 31,000 ASHA colleagues renewed this way last year. Visit our secure Web site with your Visa or Master Card and ASHA ID number.
We Need You to Take a S.T.E.P Forward!
Mentoring can make a difference between a good year and a great year for an undergraduate or graduate student. ASHA invites you to become a mentor and join the Students To Empowered Professional (S.T.E.P) mentoring program. It takes less than 5 hours per month to share the passion of the profession.
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Products for Your Practice
Learn more about the products ASHA has developed, including handouts, posters and brochures, to help you educate consumers about communication disorders and the role of speech-language pathologists.
Subscribe to E-mail alerts for journals
Take advantage of an ASHA member benefit! Receive an e-mail alert when new issues of each of the four ASHA journals are posted on the Web.
The next issue of Access SLP Health Care will be posted in March 2006.
ASHA Research (a Member benefit) | ASHA Journals | Coding & Reimbursement (a Member benefit) | SLPs in Health Care (a Member benefit) | Office of Multicultural Affairs | Special Interest Divisions
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