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by Susan Boswell
ASHA has entered into a Quadrilateral Mutual Recognition agreement with professional associations in four countries-the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada-that will allow mutual recognition of certification in speech-language pathology.
The agreement, to be implemented Jan. 1, 2005, is between ASHA, the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (CASLPA), the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) in the United Kingdom, and the Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited. Representatives of all organizations signed the agreement during the 2004 meeting of Speech Pathology Australia held in conjunction with the Congress International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP) on Aug. 29-Sept. 2 in Brisbane, Australia.
The agreement sets the stage for international workforce mobility and exchange of ideas, said ASHA President Larry Higdon. "We believe that this agreement will benefit speech-language pathologists who wish to travel and work in other countries," he said. "It will facilitate the exchange of theoretical and clinical research and encourage the flow of information on best clinical practices. It will broaden educational opportunities and perspectives for students and faculty."
The agreement's benefits include:
- Assisting the academic community, continuing education providers, industry, regulatory authorities and the public by identifying common standards of clinical competence;
- Facilitating the ongoing exchange of knowledge as it relates to research, continuing professional development, emerging technologies and other aspects of professional practice;
- Promoting greater international understanding of the role of SLPs;
- Responding to governmental interests in reducing trade barriers;
- Streamlining the mutual recognition process for individuals who are credentialed by the signatory associations and improving mobility for employment abroad; and
- Providing a process for countries interested in the mutual recognition of qualifications and credentials for speech-language pathology.
Key Requirements
SLPs from all four countries will not be required to have their academic course work and clinical practicum evaluated when they apply for certification in those organizations. Individuals from RCSLT and Speech Pathology Australia who apply for ASHA certification will be required to take the Praxis Exam in speech-language pathology, although those from CASLPA will not. The Clinical Fellowship or equivalent will be required for individuals from CASLPA and from Speech Pathology Australia who are seeking ASHA certification.
This agreement is one of the first to be developed among professional associations and sets a precedent for utilizing a systematic, multi-national system for comparing and contrasting academic and other professional qualifications, noted Arlene Pietranton, ASHA's executive director. "This is exciting for ASHA because the quadrilateral agreement helps to fulfill the association's vision as articulated in our strategic plan, which calls for the exchange of clinical research, clinical education, and clinical practice with colleagues in other countries," she said.
Several other English-speaking countries have expressed interest in developing similar reciprocal agreements in the near future and as the decade progresses, other countries may follow, Pietranton noted.
The agreement is the product of five years of negotiations among the four countries. In the negotiations, John Bernthal and Sharon Goldsmith represented ASHA; Calum Delaney represented RCSLT; Sharon Fotheringham represented CASLPA; and Vickie Dawson and Kath Vidler represented Speech Pathology Australia.
During a session at the IALP Congress, the representatives provided insight into the negotiations process, outlining trends impacting global certification, the principles in developing mutual recognition agreements and key aspects of the agreement were also highlighted.
ASHA-certified SLPs who seek certification by CASLPA will be required to submit evidence of clinical practicum hours and university transcripts indicating the date of the conferred degree. Certification by Speech Pathology Australia requires evidence of recent practice, which can include clinical service delivery, clinical research, or teaching at a college or university. Applicants who were certified by ASHA prior to 1998 must also have demonstrated competency in dysphagia management. Certification by the Royal College of Speech Therapists also requires evidence of recent practice as well as completion of a year of monitored practice in the UK. Information on requirements for certification by the signatory associations can be obtained from the respective organizations.
For more information, contact Georgia McMann by phone at 800-498-2071, ext. 4138, or by e-mail at gmcmann@asha.org.
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