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The Florida Senate

2013 Florida Statutes

Title XXXII REGULATION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
Chapter 468 MISCELLANEOUS PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS Entire Chapter
SECTION 1155
Provisional license; requirements.
F.S. 468.1155
468.1155 Provisional license; requirements.—
(1)(a) A provisional license shall be required of all applicants for a license in speech-language pathology who cannot document a minimum of 9 months of supervised professional employment experience and a passing score on the national examination. A provisional license shall be required of all applicants for a license in audiology who cannot document a minimum of 11 months of supervised clinical experience and a passing score on the national examination.
(b) Individuals who are required to hold a provisional license under paragraph (a) shall apply to the department and be certified by the board for licensure prior to initiating the professional employment experience required pursuant to s. 468.1165.
(2) The department shall issue a provisional license to practice speech-language pathology to each applicant who the board certifies has:
(a) Completed the application form and remitted the required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
(b) Received a master’s degree or has completed the academic requirement of a doctoral degree program with a major emphasis in speech-language pathology from an institution of higher learning that is, or at the time the applicant was enrolled and graduated was, accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the United States Department of Education, or from an institution that is a member in good standing with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. An applicant who graduated from or is currently enrolled in a program at a university or college outside the United States or Canada must present documentation of the determination of equivalency of the program to standards established by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the United States Department of Education in order to qualify.
1. The applicant must have completed the program requirements by academic course work, practicum experience, or laboratory or research activity, as verified by the program, including:
a. Knowledge of basic human communication and swallowing processes, including their biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural bases.
b. Knowledge of the nature of speech, language, hearing, and communication disorders and differences and swallowing disorders, including their etiologies, characteristics, anatomical or physiological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates, voice and resonance, including respiration and phonation, receptive and expressive language in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and manual modalities, hearing, including the impact on speech and language, swallowing, cognitive aspects of communication, social aspects of communication, and communication modalities.
c. Knowledge of the principles and methods of prevention, assessment, and intervention for people having communication and swallowing disorders, including consideration of anatomical or physiological, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates of the disorders, articulation, fluency, voice and resonance, receptive and expressive communication, hearing, swallowing, cognitive aspects of communication, social aspects of communication, and communication modalities.
2. The program must include appropriate supervised clinical experiences.

The board may waive the requirements for education, practicum, and professional employment experience for an applicant who received a professional education in another country if the board is satisfied that the applicant meets the equivalent education and practicum requirements and passes the examination in speech-language pathology.

(3) The department shall issue a provisional license to practice audiology to each applicant who the board certifies has:
(a) Completed the application form and remitted the required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
(b) Effective January 1, 2008, earned a doctoral degree in audiology, but has not passed the license examination required for a license in audiology or has completed the academic requirements of a doctoral degree program with a major emphasis in audiology from an institution of higher learning that is, or at the time the applicant was enrolled and graduated was, accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the United States Department of Education, or from an institution that is a member in good standing with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. An applicant who graduated from or is currently enrolled in a program at a university or college outside the United States or Canada must present documentation of the determination of equivalency of the program to standards established by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the United States Department of Education in order to qualify.
1. The program must assure that the student obtained knowledge of foundation areas of basic body systems and processes related to hearing and balance.
2. The program must assure that the student obtained skills for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of auditory and vestibular or balance conditions and diseases.
3. The program must assure that the student can effectively communicate with patients and other health care professionals.
4. The program must assure that the student obtained knowledge of professional ethical systems as they relate to the practice of audiology.
5. The program must assure that the student obtained clinical experiences that encompass the entire scope of practice and focus on the most current evidence-based practice.

The board may waive the education, practicum, and professional employment experience requirements for an applicant who received a professional education in another country if the board is satisfied that the applicant meets equivalent education and practicum requirements and passes the examination in audiology.

(c) Earned a master’s degree with a major emphasis in audiology which was conferred before January 1, 2008, from an institution of higher learning which was, or at the time the applicant was enrolled and graduated, accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor, the United States Department of Education, or from an institution that is a member in good standing with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.
1. An applicant who graduated from or is currently enrolled in a program at a university or college outside the United States or Canada must present documentation of the determination of equivalency of the program to standards established by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the United States Department of Education in order to qualify.
2. The board may waive the education, practicum, and professional employment experience requirements for an applicant who received a professional education in another country if the board is satisfied that the applicant meets equivalent education and practicum requirements and passes the examination in audiology. This paragraph expires on January 1, 2013.
(4) The board, by rule, shall establish requirements for the renewal of a provisional license. However, a provisional license may not exceed a period of 24 months.
History.—ss. 6, 31, ch. 90-134; s. 21, ch. 90-341; ss. 1, 10, ch. 90-345; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 102, ch. 92-149; s. 25, ch. 94-310; s. 113, ch. 97-264; s. 127, ch. 99-397; s. 114, ch. 2001-277; s. 1, ch. 2006-83.