Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC): Partners and Updates

Why is ASHA Involved?

ASHA has the organizational capacity and financial resources to support the development and implementation of an interstate compact. Because we have the largest number of affiliates in each profession, we can ensure that all professionals will benefit.

Collaborative Partners

In collaboration with the National Council of State Boards of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (NCSB), ASHA has contracted with the Council of State Governments – National Center for Interstate Compacts (CSG) to facilitate the development and implementation of an interstate compact for audiologists and speech-language pathologists.

Stakeholders are encouraged to contact Dan Logsdon at CSG with questions or input at dlogsdon@csg.org or ASHA at  interstatecompact@asha.org. 

Updates

Winter 2020

The Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact has been introduced in 7 states and counting. Please continue to follow our success.

Summer 2019

The Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact Legislative Educational Summit was held on August 19–20 in Washington, DC. Forty-one legislators, regulatory board members, and panelists attended from 15 targeted compact states. Panels included military spouses, telepractitioners, and practitioners with multiple state licenses. Bill sponsors are currently being identified with plans to introduce the compact legislation in states in 2020.

Spring 2019

The Advisory Committee signed off on the final draft of the interstate compact. The document will undergo editing and a final legal review before being made public. An educational summit is being planned for August 2019 for targeted state legislators and licensing boards to learn about the compact and garner support.

Winter 2019

The stakeholder review period has finished and comments have been received from several individuals and organizations. The Drafting Team is meeting in February 2019 to review the comments and decide if they should be incorporated into the draft document. The Drafting Team will then send the final draft to the Advisory Committee for review. The Advisory Committee will finalize the draft compact at their upcoming meeting in March 2019.

Fall 2018

The Drafting Team continued to meet through summer 2018 to finalize a draft document through September 2018. The draft Interstate Compact was then presented to the National Council of State Boards of Examiners (NCSB) at their annual meeting on October 5, 2018, and to the ASHA Board of Directors on October 12, 2018. The draft has been sent to stakeholders, such as state licensing boards, state associations, and affiliated organizations for review through December 31, 2018.

Spring 2018

The Drafting Team for the Speech-Language-Hearing Interstate Compact met on May 21–22, 2018, in Washington, DC. The team is in the process of developing a first draft of an interstate compact based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee and discussions at the in-person meeting. There were no material deviations from the Drafting Team Charge developed by the Advisory Group. It is anticipated that a draft will be sent to stakeholders for comment in fall 2018.

The Advisory Committee finished the first phase of its work by preparing recommendations for, and selecting members of the Drafting Team. These members include:

• Rick Masters, Esq.
  Special Counsel, CSG – National Center for Interstate Compacts/SLHIC Advisory Committee Member
• Nahale Kalfas, Esq.
  North Carolina Board Counsel/SLHIC Advisory Committee Member
• Gregg Thornton, Esq. 
  Ohio Board Executive Director/SLHIC Advisory Committee Member
• Kerri Phillips, SLPD, CCC-SLP 
  NCSB President-Elect/ SLHIC Advisory Committee Member
• George Cook, AuD, CCC-A 
  Occupational Audiologist
• Marcus Beauregard
  Director, Department of Defense, State Liaison Office/SLHIC Advisory Committee Member

Staff:

• Dan Logsdon, Manager, CSG – National Center for Interstate Compacts

The Drafting Team will hold its first meeting spring 2018 to begin drafting a document for the Advisory Committee and external stakeholders to review.

Winter 2018

CSG facilitated several calls with the Advisory Committee to work through the recommendations for the Drafting Team.  Additional calls were held for stakeholders to hear the results of the Advisory Group meetings to date and allow them to pose any questions or concerns. 

Fall 2017

• CSG will be facilitating a call on November 16 for stakeholders to hear the results of the Advisory Group meetings to date and allow them to pose any questions or concerns. If you would like to participate, please contact Dan Logsdon at dlogsdon@csg.org.

• The Advisory Group for the Speech-Language-Hearing Interstate Compact met on October 9–10, 2017, in Washington, DC. The meeting was attended by representatives from 12 states and included state legislators, board staff, audiologists, and speech-language pathologists. Additional attendees included representatives from the Department of Defense's State Liaison Office and the National Council of State Boards of Examiners. 

• The Advisory Group discussed the nature of compacts in general and reviewed three different model compacts (physicians, nurses, and physical therapists). Discussion also included provisions for telehealth, military spouses, and the mobility of professionals. The Advisory Group will continue to work together through frequent conference calls and an online forum.

Advisory Group participants include:

• Dan Logsdon (Manager, CSG – National Center for Interstate Compacts)
• Rick Masters, Esq. (Special Counsel, CSG – National Center for Interstate Compacts)
• Kerri Phillips, SLPD, CCC-SLP (President-Elect, National Council of State Boards of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology)
• Marcus Beauregard (Director, Department of Defense – State Liaison Office)
• Senator Hanna Gallo, CCC-SLP (Rhode Island State Legislator)
• Senator Stephen Pappas (Wyoming State Legislator)
• Florence Cuneo, AuD, CCC-A (Alabama Board)
• Miranda Ross, AuD, CCC-A (Georgia Board)
• John Sloan, MS, CCC-SLP (Maryland Board)
• Richard Cram, AuD, CCC-A (New Mexico Board)
• Luis Riquelme, PhD, CCC-SLP (New York Board)
• Nahale Kalfas, Esq. (North Carolina Board Counsel)
• Gregg Thornton, Esq. (Ohio Board Executive Director)
• Erin Haag (Oregon Board Executive Director)
• Sherry Sancibrian, PhD, CCC-SLP (Texas Board)
• Julia Lidgard, MS, CCC-SLP (Utah Board)
• Nancy Pajak, MS, CCC-A (Wyoming Board)

Winter 2017

• CSG—with input from ASHA, NCSB, and stakeholders— established an Advisory Group to begin discussions about the development of the compact. This Advisory Group comprises of up to 15 individuals from state licensing boards and state legislatures. The NCSB will have one seat and ASHA, will attend as the financial stakeholder.

• CSG, NCSB, and ASHA held a webinar on December 15, 2016, that enabled stakeholders to review the interstate compact process and pose any questions or concerns.