Establishment of the Specialty Boards

Advocate

An Advocate is appointed by the Chair of the Council for Clinical Specialty Recognition (CCSR) following the approval of the Stage II Application and notification by the CCSR to proceed with the establishment of the Specialty Board. (See Guidelines for Specialty Board III, B.) The duties of the Primary Facilitator will terminate with the appointment of the Advocate.

Board Membership

When a Specialty Board in an area of clinical practice has been approved, the Petitioning Group, in consultation with the CCSR, will determine the composition of the Board. While the Petitioning Group is in the best position to specify both the number of members constituting a board and the particular individuals to serve as inaugural board members, the experience of the CCSR may be requested by the Petitioning Group to facilitate such decisions. It is advantageous for there to be continuity of service, so the Petitioning Group may want to consider appointing some members of the Petitioning Group to the inaugural Specialty Board. The Advocate will serve as liaison between the CCSR and the Petitioning Group in decisions to be made regarding board members and other matters.

Board Composition

Each Specialty Board will be composed of no fewer than three members, one of whom will be a consumer of services of the particular specialty area (or a family member of such a consumer). When the composition is determined, the Petitioning Group will make the inaugural appointments. Initial appointments will be for staggered 1, 2, and 3 year terms; all subsequent appointments will be for 3 year terms. Board appointees should represent various work settings and geographic areas, as appropriate for the particular specialty area. Subsequent appointments to the Board will be made according to the mechanism specified in the Application for Recognition as a Specialty Area submitted to the CCSR.

Board Meetings

Specialty Boards are required to meet at least one time per year to conduct business related to their responsibilities. Additional meetings may be convened, at the discretion of the Board. The ASHA National Office facility will be available free of charge to Specialty Boards that wish to conduct meetings there. However, travel, meals, and clerical support in preparing for, and in the conduct of, board meetings will be the financial responsibility of each board. Arrangements for physical and communication access should be made prior to the meeting to allow full participation by all members of the Specialty Board. All meetings should be accessible to accommodate the needs of members with disabilities.

Financial Viability

There must be sufficient financial resources available for implementation of the Board, support for the meetings of the board, and administering the program until membership support is established. The Specialty Board must consider long-term plans for support of its work and for the Program of Specialty Recognition (from the approved Specialty Recognition Application).

Organizational Viability

Appropriate steps must be taken to establish the Specialty Board as an independent organizational entity. Minimally, there is an expectation of completion of the legal process of becoming incorporated. The Specialty Boards are advised that as a result of their operations exposure to liability claims exists and they should seek counsel regarding appropriate safeguards.

Specialty Board Manual

The inaugural Specialty Board will develop a manual to include the operational rules of the Board (consistent with the responsibilities of Specialty Boards as listed in the Guidelines for Specialty Boards); the specific requirements for obtaining Specialty Recognition in the area; and the procedures and forms to be used in the application, renewal, and appeal processes. This manual must be approved by the CCSR before the Board accepts any applications from individuals seeking recognition as a specialist.

If the Stage II portion of the application is approved between January and June of one calendar year, the Manual should be completed for submission to the CCSR no later than one year after the following August; if the approval occurs between June and December, the Manual should be completed for submission no later than one year after the following February. For example, if the Stage II approval occured 5/4/11, the Manual would have been due no later than 8/1/12; if Stage II approval occured 10/17/10, the Manual would have been due no later than 2/1/12.