HB 0575

CS

CHAMBER ACTION

1	The Health Care Regulation Committee recommends the following:
2
3	Council/Committee Substitute
4	Remove the entire bill and insert:
5	A bill to be entitled
6	An act relating to health professionals treating speech or
7	hearing disorders; amending s. 468.1155, F.S.; revising
8	requirements for the Department of Health in issuing a
9	provisional license to practice speech-language pathology
10	or audiology; revising licensing requirements for
11	applicants who graduated or who are currently enrolled in
12	a speech-language pathology or audiology program at a
13	university outside the United States or Canada;
14	authorizing the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and
15	Audiology to waive certain requirements for applicants who
16	received professional education in another country under
17	certain circumstances; amending s. 468.1165, F.S.;
18	revising requirements for applicants to obtain
19	professional employment in order to be licensed by the
20	department to practice speech-language pathology or
21	audiology; amending s. 468.1185, F.S.; revising the
22	requirements for qualification for the department to issue
23	a license to an applicant to practice as a speech-language
24	pathologist or audiologist; amending s. 468.1215, F.S.;
25	revising the requirements for certification as a speech-
26	language pathology assistant or an audiology assistant;
27	requiring an audiologist or speech-language pathologist to
28	give an assistant a board-approved plan for training and
29	to maintain responsibility for services performed by the
30	assistant; providing an effective date.
31
32	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
33
34	Section 1.  Section 468.1155, Florida Statutes, is amended
35	to read:
36	468.1155  Provisional license; requirements.--
37	(1)(a)  A provisional license shall be required of all
38	applicants for a license in speech-language pathology who cannot
39	document a minimum of 9 months of supervised professional
40	employment experience and a passing score on the national
41	examination. A provisional license shall be required of all
42	applicants for a license in audiology who cannot document a
43	minimum of 11 months of supervised clinical experience and a
44	passing score on the national examination.
45	(b)  Individuals who are required to hold a provisional
46	license under paragraph (a) shall apply to the department and be
47	certified by the board for licensure prior to initiating the
48	professional employment experience required pursuant to s.
49	468.1165.
50	(2)  The department shall issue a provisional license to
51	practice speech-language pathology to each applicant who the
52	board certifies has:
53	(a)  Completed the application form and remitted the
54	required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
55	(b)  Received a master's degree or has completed the
56	academic requirement of is currently enrolled in a doctoral
57	degree program with a major emphasis in speech-language
58	pathology from an institution of higher learning that which is,
59	or at the time the applicant was enrolled and graduated was,
60	accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council
61	for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the
62	United States Department of Education or from an institution
63	that which is a member in good standing with the Association of
64	Universities and Colleges of Canada. An applicant who graduated
65	from or is currently enrolled in a program at a university or
66	college outside the United States or Canada must present
67	documentation of the determination of equivalency of the program
68	to standards established by an accrediting body recognized by
69	the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor
70	or the United States Department of Education in order to
71	qualify.
72	1.  The applicant must have completed the program
73	requirements by academic course work, practicum experience, or
74	laboratory or research activity, as verified by the program,
75	including:
76	a.  Knowledge of basic human communication and swallowing
77	processes, including their biological, neurological, acoustic,
78	psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural bases.
79	b.  Knowledge of the nature of speech, language, hearing,
80	and communication disorders and differences and swallowing
81	disorders, including their etiologies, characteristics,
82	anatomical or physiological, acoustic, psychological,
83	developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates, voice and
84	resonance, including respiration and phonation, receptive and
85	expressive language in speaking, listening, reading, writing,
86	and manual modalities, hearing, including the impact on speech
87	and language, swallowing, cognitive aspects of communication,
88	social aspects of communication, and communication modalities.
89	c.  Knowledge of the principles and methods of prevention,
90	assessment, and intervention for people having communication and
91	swallowing disorders, including consideration of anatomical or
92	physiological, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and
93	cultural correlates of the disorders, articulation, fluency,
94	voice and resonance, receptive and expressive communication,
95	hearing, swallowing, cognitive aspects of communication, social
96	aspects of communication, and communication modalities.
97	2.  The program must include appropriate supervised
98	clinical experiences.
99
100	The board may waive the requirements for education, practicum,
101	and professional employment experience for an applicant who
102	received a professional education in another country if the
103	board is satisfied that the applicant meets the equivalent
104	education and practicum requirements and passes the examination
105	in speech-language pathology. 60 semester hours that include:
106	1.  Fundamental information applicable to the normal
107	development and use of speech, hearing, and language;
108	information about training in management of speech, hearing, and
109	language disorders; and information supplementary to these
110	fields.
111	2.  Six semester hours in audiology.
112	3.  Thirty of the required 60 semester hours in courses
113	acceptable toward a graduate degree by the college or university
114	in which these courses were taken, of which 24 semester hours
115	must be in speech-language pathology.
116	(c)  Completed 300 supervised clinical clock hours with 200
117	clock hours in the area of speech-language pathology or
118	completed the number of clock hours required by an accredited
119	institution meeting national certification standards. The
120	supervised clinical clock hours shall be completed within the
121	training institution or one of its cooperating programs.
122	(3)  The department shall issue a provisional license to
123	practice audiology to each applicant who the board certifies
124	has:
125	(a)  Completed the application form and remitted the
126	required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
127	(b)  Effective January 1, 2007, earned a doctoral degree in
128	audiology, but has not passed the license examination required
129	for a license in audiology or has completed the academic
130	requirements of Received a master's degree or is currently
131	enrolled in a doctoral degree program with a major emphasis in
132	audiology from an institution of higher learning that which is,
133	or at the time the applicant was enrolled and graduated was,
134	accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council
135	for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the
136	United States Department of Education or from an institution
137	that which is a member in good standing with the Association of
138	Universities and Colleges of Canada. An applicant who graduated
139	from or is currently enrolled in a program at a university or
140	college outside the United States or Canada must present
141	documentation of the determination of equivalency of the program
142	to standards established by an accrediting body recognized by
143	the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor
144	or the United States Department of Education in order to
145	qualify.
146	1.  The program must assure that the student obtained
147	knowledge of foundation areas of basic body systems and
148	processes related to hearing and balance.
149	2.  The program must assure that the student obtained
150	skills for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of auditory
151	and vestibular or balance conditions and diseases.
152	3.  The program must assure that the student can
153	effectively communicate with patients and other health care
154	professionals.
155	4.  The program must assure that the student obtained
156	knowledge of professional ethical systems as they relate to the
157	practice of audiology.
158	5.  The program must assure that the student obtained
159	clinical experiences that encompass the entire scope of practice
160	and focus on the most current evidence-based practice.
161
162	The board may waive the education, practicum, and professional
163	employment experience requirements for an applicant who received
164	a professional education in another country if the board is
165	satisfied that the applicant meets equivalent education and
166	practicum requirements and passes the examination in audiology.
167	(c)  Earned a master's degree with a major emphasis in
168	audiology which was conferred before January 1, 2007, from an
169	institution of higher learning which was, or at the time the
170	applicant was enrolled and graduated, accredited by an
171	accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher
172	Education Accreditation or its successor, the United States
173	Department of Education, or from an institution that is a member
174	in good standing with the Association of Universities and
175	Colleges of Canada.
176	1.  An applicant who graduated from or is currently
177	enrolled in a program at a university or college outside the
178	United States or Canada must present documentation of the
179	determination of equivalency of the program to standards
180	established by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for
181	Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the United
182	States Department of Education in order to qualify.
183	2.  The board may waive the education, practicum, and
184	professional employment experience requirements for an applicant
185	who received a professional education in another country if the
186	board is satisfied that the applicant meets equivalent education
187	and practicum requirements and passes the examination in
188	audiology. This paragraph expires on January 1, 2012. The
189	applicant must have completed 60 semester hours that include:
190	1.  Fundamental information applicable to the normal
191	development and use of speech, hearing, and language;
192	information about training in management of speech, hearing, and
193	language disorders; and information supplementary to these
194	fields.
195	2.  Six semester hours in speech-language pathology.
196	3.  Thirty of the required 60 semester hours in courses
197	acceptable toward a graduate degree by the college or university
198	in which these courses were taken, of which 24 semester hours
199	must be in audiology.
200	(c)  Completed 300 supervised clinical clock hours with 200
201	clock hours in the area of audiology or completed the number of
202	clock hours required by an accredited institution meeting
203	national certification standards. The supervised clinical clock
204	hours shall be completed within the training institution or one
205	of its cooperating programs.
206	(4)  An applicant who has received a master's degree or is
207	currently enrolled in a doctoral degree program with a major
208	emphasis in speech-language pathology as provided in subsection
209	(2), or audiology as provided in subsection (3), and who seeks
210	licensure in the area in which the applicant is not currently
211	licensed, must have completed 30 semester hours in courses
212	acceptable toward a graduate degree and 200 supervised clinical
213	clock hours in the second discipline from an accredited
214	institution.
215	(4)(5)  The board, by rule, shall establish requirements
216	for the renewal of a provisional license. However, a provisional
217	license may not exceed a period of 24 months.
218	Section 2.  Section 468.1165, Florida Statutes, is amended
219	to read:
220	468.1165  Professional employment experience
221	requirement.--Every applicant for licensure as a speech-language
222	speech pathologist or audiologist shall demonstrate, prior to
223	licensure, a minimum of 9 months of full-time professional
224	employment, or the equivalent in part-time professional
225	employment, pertinent to the license being sought. Each
226	applicant for licensure as an audiologist shall demonstrate,
227	prior to licensure, a minimum of 11 months of full-time
228	professional employment or the equivalent in part-time
229	professional employment. The board, by rule, shall establish
230	standards for obtaining and verifying the required professional
231	employment experience.
232	Section 3.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section 468.1185,
233	Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
234	468.1185  Licensure.--
235	(2)  The board shall certify for licensure any applicant
236	who has:
237	(a)  Satisfied the education and supervised clinical
238	experience clock hour requirements of s. 468.1155.
239	(b)  Satisfied the professional experience requirement of
240	s. 468.1165.
241	(c)  Passed the licensure examination required by s.
242	468.1175.
243	(d)  If an applicant for an audiologist license, obtained a
244	doctoral degree in audiology and satisfied the education and
245	supervised clinical experience requirements of paragraph (a) and
246	the professional experience requirements of paragraph (b).
247	(3)  The board shall certify as qualified for a license by
248	endorsement as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist an
249	applicant who:
250	(a)  Holds a valid license or certificate in another state
251	or territory of the United States to practice the profession for
252	which the application for licensure is made, if the criteria for
253	issuance of such license were substantially equivalent to or
254	more stringent than the licensure criteria which existed in this
255	state at the time the license was issued; or
256	(b)  Holds a valid Has received the certificate of clinical
257	competence of the American Speech-Language and Hearing
258	Association or board certification in audiology from the
259	American Board of Audiology.
260	Section 4.  Subsections (2), (3), and (4) of section
261	468.1215, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
262	468.1215  Speech-language pathology assistant and audiology
263	assistant; certification.--
264	(2)  The department shall issue a certificate as an
265	audiology assistant to each applicant who the board certifies
266	has:
267	(a)  Completed the application form and remitted the
268	required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
269	(b)  Earned a high school diploma or its equivalent
270	Completed at least 24 semester hours of coursework as approved
271	by the board at an institution accredited by an accrediting
272	agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education
273	Accreditation.
274	(3)  An audiologist or speech-language pathologist who
275	employs a speech-language assistant or audiology assistant shall
276	provide the assistant with a plan approved by the board for on-
277	the-job training and shall maintain responsibility for all
278	services performed by the assistant. The board, by rule, shall
279	establish minimum education and on-the-job training and
280	supervision requirements for certification as a speech-language
281	pathology assistant or audiology assistant.
282	(4)  The provisions of this section shall not apply to any
283	student, intern, or trainee performing speech-language pathology
284	or audiology services while completing the supervised clinical
285	experience clock hours as required in s. 468.1155.
286	Section 5.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.