Senate Bill sb0370

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370

    By Senator Peaden





    2-362-06

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to health professionals

  3         treating speech or hearing disorders; amending

  4         s. 468.1155, F.S.; revising requirements for

  5         the Department of Health in issuing a

  6         provisional license to practice speech-language

  7         pathology or audiology; revising licensing

  8         requirements for applicants who graduated, or

  9         who are currently enrolled, in a

10         speech-language pathology or audiology program

11         at a university located outside of the United

12         States or Canada; authorizing the Board of

13         Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology to

14         waive certain requirements for applicants who

15         received professional education in another

16         country under certain circumstances; amending

17         s. 468.1165, F.S.; revising requirements for

18         applicants to obtain professional employment in

19         order to be licensed by the department to

20         practice speech-language pathology or

21         audiology; amending s. 468.1185, F.S.; revising

22         requirements for the department to issue a

23         license to an applicant to practice

24         speech-language pathology or audiology;

25         amending s. 468.1215, F.S.; revising

26         requirements for a person to be certified as an

27         audiology assistant; requiring an audiologist

28         or speech-language pathologist to give an

29         assistant a board-approved plan for training

30         and to maintain responsibility for services

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370
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 1         performed by the assistant; providing an

 2         effective date.

 3  

 4  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

 5  

 6         Section 1.  Section 468.1155, Florida Statutes, is

 7  amended to read:

 8         468.1155  Provisional license; requirements.--

 9         (1)(a)  A provisional license shall be required of all

10  applicants for a license in speech-language pathology who

11  cannot document a minimum of 9 months of supervised

12  professional employment experience and a passing score on the

13  national examination. A provisional license shall be required

14  of all applicants for a license in audiology who cannot

15  document a minimum of 11 months of supervised clinical

16  experience and a passing score on the national examination.

17         (b)  Individuals who are required to hold a provisional

18  license under paragraph (a) shall apply to the department and

19  be certified by the board for licensure prior to initiating

20  the professional employment experience required pursuant to s.

21  468.1165.

22         (2)  The department shall issue a provisional license

23  to practice speech-language pathology to each applicant who

24  the board certifies has:

25         (a)  Completed the application form and remitted the

26  required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.

27         (b)  Received a master's degree or has completed the

28  academic requirement of is currently enrolled in a doctoral

29  degree program with a major emphasis in speech-language

30  pathology from an institution of higher learning that which

31  is, or at the time the applicant was enrolled and graduated

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370
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 1  was, accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the

 2  Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or

 3  the United States Department of Education, or from an

 4  institution that which is a member in good standing with the

 5  Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.  An

 6  applicant who graduated from or is currently enrolled in a

 7  program at a university or college outside the United States

 8  or Canada must present documentation of the determination of

 9  equivalency of the program to standards established by an

10  accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher

11  Education Accreditation or its successor or the United States

12  Department of Education in order to qualify.

13         1.  The applicant must have completed the program

14  requirements by academic course work, practicum experience, or

15  laboratory or research activity, as verified by the program,

16  including:

17         a.  Knowledge of basic human communication and

18  swallowing processes, including their biological,

19  neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and

20  linguistic and cultural bases.

21         b.  Knowledge of the nature of speech, language,

22  hearing, and communication disorders and differences and

23  swallowing disorders, including their etiologies,

24  characteristics, anatomical or physiological, acoustic,

25  psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural

26  correlates, voice and resonance, including respiration and

27  phonation, receptive and expressive language in speaking,

28  listening, reading, writing, and manual modalities, hearing,

29  including the impact on speech and language, swallowing,

30  cognitive aspects of communication, social aspects of

31  communication, and communication modalities.

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370
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 1         c.  Knowledge of the principles and methods of

 2  prevention, assessment, and intervention for people having

 3  communication and swallowing disorders, including

 4  consideration of anatomical or physiological, psychological,

 5  developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates of the

 6  disorders, articulation, fluency, voice and resonance,

 7  receptive and expressive communication, hearing, swallowing,

 8  cognitive aspects of communication, social aspects of

 9  communication, and communication modalities.

10         2.  The program must include appropriate supervised

11  clinical experiences.

12  

13  The board may waive the requirements for education, practicum,

14  and professional employment experience for an applicant who

15  received a professional education in another country if the

16  board is satisfied that the applicant meets the equivalent

17  education and practicum requirements and passes the

18  examination in speech-language pathology. 60 semester hours

19  that include:

20         1.  Fundamental information applicable to the normal

21  development and use of speech, hearing, and language;

22  information about training in management of speech, hearing,

23  and language disorders; and information supplementary to these

24  fields.

25         2.  Six semester hours in audiology.

26         3.  Thirty of the required 60 semester hours in courses

27  acceptable toward a graduate degree by the college or

28  university in which these courses were taken, of which 24

29  semester hours must be in speech-language pathology.

30         (c)  Completed 300 supervised clinical clock hours with

31  200 clock hours in the area of speech-language pathology or

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370
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 1  completed the number of clock hours required by an accredited

 2  institution meeting national certification standards.  The

 3  supervised clinical clock hours shall be completed within the

 4  training institution or one of its cooperating programs.

 5         (3)  The department shall issue a provisional license

 6  to practice audiology to each applicant who the board

 7  certifies has:

 8         (a)  Completed the application form and remitted the

 9  required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.

10         (b)  Effective January 1, 2008, earned a doctoral

11  degree in audiology, but has not passed the license

12  examination required for a license in audiology or has

13  completed the academic requirements of Received a master's

14  degree or is currently enrolled in a doctoral degree program

15  with a major emphasis in audiology from an institution of

16  higher learning that which is, or at the time the applicant

17  was enrolled and graduated was, accredited by an accrediting

18  agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education

19  Accreditation or its successor or the United States Department

20  of Education, or from an institution that which is a member in

21  good standing with the Association of Universities and

22  Colleges of Canada. An applicant who graduated from or is

23  currently enrolled in a program at a university or college

24  outside the United States or Canada must present documentation

25  of the determination of equivalency of the program to

26  standards established by an accrediting body recognized by the

27  Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or

28  the United States Department of Education in order to qualify.

29         1.  The program must assure that the student obtained

30  knowledge of foundation areas of basic body systems and

31  processes related to hearing and balance.

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370
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 1         2.  The program must assure that the student obtained

 2  skills for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of

 3  auditory and vestibular or balance conditions and diseases.

 4         3.  The program must assure that the student can

 5  effectively communicate with patients and other health care

 6  professionals.

 7         4.  The program must assure that the student obtained

 8  knowledge of professional ethical systems as they relate to

 9  the practice of audiology.

10         5.  The program must assure that the student obtained

11  clinical experiences that encompass the entire scope of

12  practice and focus on the most current evidence-based

13  practice.

14  

15  The board may waive the education, practicum, and professional

16  employment experience requirements for an applicant who

17  received a professional education in another country if the

18  board is satisfied that the applicant meets equivalent

19  education and practicum requirements and passes the

20  examination in audiology.

21         (c)  Has earned a master's degree with a major emphasis

22  in audiology which was conferred before January 1, 2008, from

23  an institution of higher learning which was, or at the time

24  the applicant was enrolled and graduated, accredited by an

25  accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher

26  Education Accreditation or its successor, the United States

27  Department of Education, or from an institution that is a

28  member in good standing with the Association of Universities

29  and Colleges of Canada.

30         1.  An applicant who graduated from or is currently

31  enrolled in a program at a university or college outside the

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370
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 1  United States or Canada must present documentation of the

 2  determination of equivalency of the program to standards

 3  established by an accrediting body recognized by the Council

 4  for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the

 5  United States Department of Education in order to qualify.

 6         2.  The board may waive the education, practicum, and

 7  professional employment experience requirements for an

 8  applicant who received a professional education in another

 9  country if the board is satisfied that the applicant meets

10  equivalent education and practicum requirements and passes the

11  examination in audiology. This paragraph expires on January 1,

12  2013. The applicant must have completed 60 semester hours that

13  include:

14         1.  Fundamental information applicable to the normal

15  development and use of speech, hearing, and language;

16  information about training in management of speech, hearing,

17  and language disorders; and information supplementary to these

18  fields.

19         2.  Six semester hours in speech-language pathology.

20         3.  Thirty of the required 60 semester hours in courses

21  acceptable toward a graduate degree by the college or

22  university in which these courses were taken, of which 24

23  semester hours must be in audiology.

24         (c)  Completed 300 supervised clinical clock hours with

25  200 clock hours in the area of audiology or completed the

26  number of clock hours required by an accredited institution

27  meeting national certification standards. The supervised

28  clinical clock hours shall be completed within the training

29  institution or one of its cooperating programs.

30         (4)  An applicant who has received a master's degree or

31  is currently enrolled in a doctoral degree program with a

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370
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 1  major emphasis in speech-language pathology as provided in

 2  subsection (2), or audiology as provided in subsection (3),

 3  and who seeks licensure in the area in which the applicant is

 4  not currently licensed, must have completed 30 semester hours

 5  in courses acceptable toward a graduate degree and 200

 6  supervised clinical clock hours in the second discipline from

 7  an accredited institution.

 8         (4)(5)  The board, by rule, shall establish

 9  requirements for the renewal of a provisional license.

10  However, a provisional license may not exceed a period of 24

11  months.

12         Section 2.  Section 468.1165, Florida Statutes, is

13  amended to read:

14         468.1165  Professional employment experience

15  requirement.--Every applicant for licensure as a

16  speech-language speech pathologist must or audiologist shall

17  demonstrate, prior to licensure, a minimum of 9 months of

18  full-time professional employment, or the equivalent in

19  part-time professional employment, pertinent to the license

20  being sought. Each applicant for licensure as an audiologist

21  must demonstrate, prior to licensure, a minimum of 11 months

22  of full-time professional employment, or the equivalent in

23  part-time professional employment. The board, by rule, shall

24  establish standards for obtaining and verifying the required

25  professional employment experience.

26         Section 3.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section

27  468.1185, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

28         468.1185  Licensure.--

29         (2)  The board shall certify for licensure any

30  applicant who has:

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370
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 1         (a)  Satisfied the education and supervised clinical

 2  clock hour requirements of s. 468.1155.

 3         (b)  Satisfied the professional experience requirement

 4  of s. 468.1165.

 5         (c)  Passed the licensure examination required by s.

 6  468.1175.

 7         (d)  An applicant for an audiologist license who has

 8  obtained a doctoral degree in audiology has satisfied the

 9  education and supervised clinical requirements of paragraph

10  (a) and the professional experience requirements of paragraph

11  (b).

12         (3)  The board shall certify as qualified for a license

13  by endorsement as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist

14  an applicant who:

15         (a)  Holds a valid license or certificate in another

16  state or territory of the United States to practice the

17  profession for which the application for licensure is made, if

18  the criteria for issuance of such license were substantially

19  equivalent to or more stringent than the licensure criteria

20  which existed in this state at the time the license was

21  issued; or

22         (b)  Holds a valid Has received the certificate of

23  clinical competence of the American Speech-Language and

24  Hearing Association or board certification in audiology from

25  the American Board of Audiology.

26         Section 4.  Subsections (2), (3), and (4) of section

27  468.1215, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

28         468.1215  Speech-language pathology assistant and

29  audiology assistant; certification.--

30  

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370
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 1         (2)  The department shall issue a certificate as an

 2  audiology assistant to each applicant who the board certifies

 3  has:

 4         (a)  Completed the application form and remitted the

 5  required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.

 6         (b)  Earned a high school diploma or its equivalent.

 7  Completed at least 24 semester hours of coursework as approved

 8  by the board at an institution accredited by an accrediting

 9  agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education

10  Accreditation.

11         (3)  An audiologist or speech-language pathologist who

12  employs a speech-language assistant or audiology assistant

13  must provide the assistant with a plan approved by the board

14  for on-the-job training and must maintain responsibility for

15  all services performed by the assistant. The board, by rule,

16  shall establish minimum education and on-the-job training and

17  supervision requirements for certification as a

18  speech-language pathology assistant or audiology assistant.

19         (4)  The provisions of this section shall not apply to

20  any student, intern, or trainee performing speech-language

21  pathology or audiology services while completing the

22  supervised clinical experience clock hours as required in s.

23  468.1155.

24         Section 5.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 370
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 1            *****************************************

 2                          SENATE SUMMARY

 3    Provides requirements for issuing a provisional license
      to practice speech-language pathology or audiology.
 4    Revises licensing requirements for applicants who
      graduated or who are currently enrolled in a
 5    speech-language pathology or audiology program at a
      university outside the United States or Canada. Provides
 6    a time period for the renewal of a provisional license.
      Deletes a specific time period for the professional
 7    employment requirement for licensure. Revises
      requirements for qualification for a license by
 8    endorsement as a speech-language pathologist or
      audiologist. Revises requirements for certification as a
 9    speech-language pathology assistant and an audiology
      assistant.
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