- Dramatic increases in referrals of preschool and school-age children for speech, language and hearing services
- Changes in U.S. demographics - growing aging population
- Larger bilingual populations: It is estimated that more than 5 million individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have a speech, language, or hearing disability
- National public health policy agenda for early identification and diagnosis of hearing disorders in infants and toddlers
- Greater success in the use of life-saving measures at birth of children with potential for communication disorders
- Greater emphasis on rehabilitation priorities as a result of an increased number of young adults with closed-head injuries, blast injury survivors and the "graying of America"
- Passage of federal laws and regulations addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities
- Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as Amended by the Rehabilitation Act of 1984
- Health Professions Act - Title VII of the Public Health Service Act
- Disadvantaged Minority Health Improvement Act
- Medicare and Medicaid
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