HB 0747

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 are currently enrolled in a
12	speech-language pathology or audiology program at a
13	university located outside of 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
22	requirements for the department to issue a license to an
23	applicant to practice speech-language pathology or
24	audiology; amending s. 468.1215, F.S.; revising
25	requirements for a person to be certified as an audiology
26	assistant; requiring an audiologist or speech-language
27	pathologist to give an assistant a board-approved plan for
28	training and to maintain responsibility for services
29	performed by the assistant; providing an effective date.
30
31	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
32
33	Section 1.  Section 468.1155, Florida Statutes, is amended
34	to read:
35	468.1155  Provisional license; requirements.--
36	(1)(a)  A provisional license shall be required of all
37	applicants for a license in speech-language pathology who cannot
38	document a minimum of 9 months of supervised professional
39	employment experience and a passing score on the national
40	examination. A provisional license shall be required of all
41	applicants for a license in audiology who cannot document a
42	minimum of 11 months of supervised clinical experience and a
43	passing score on the national examination.
44	(b)  Individuals who are required to hold a provisional
45	license under paragraph (a) shall apply to the department and be
46	certified by the board for licensure prior to initiating the
47	professional employment experience required pursuant to s.
48	468.1165.
49	(2)  The department shall issue a provisional license to
50	practice speech-language pathology to each applicant who the
51	board certifies has:
52	(a)  Completed the application form and remitted the
53	required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
54	(b)  Received a master's degree or completed the academic
55	requirement of is currently enrolled in a doctoral degree
56	program with a major emphasis in speech-language pathology from
57	an institution of higher learning that which is, or at the time
58	the applicant was enrolled and graduated was, accredited by an
59	accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher
60	Education Accreditation or its successor or the United States
61	Department of Education or from an institution that which is a
62	member in good standing with the Association of Universities and
63	Colleges of Canada. An applicant who graduated from or is
64	currently enrolled in a program at a university or college
65	outside the United States or Canada must present documentation
66	of the determination of equivalency of the program to standards
67	established by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for
68	Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the United
69	States Department of Education in order to qualify.
70	1.  The applicant must have completed the program
71	requirements by academic course work, practicum experience, or
72	laboratory or research activity, as verified by the program,
73	including:
74	a.  Knowledge of basic human communication and swallowing
75	processes, including their biological, neurological, acoustic,
76	psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural bases.
77	b.  Knowledge of the nature of speech, language, hearing,
78	and communication disorders and differences and swallowing
79	disorders, including their etiologies; anatomical or
80	physiological characteristics; acoustic, psychological,
81	developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates; voice and
82	resonance, including respiration and phonation; receptive and
83	expressive language in speaking, listening, reading, writing,
84	and manual modalities; hearing, including the impact on speech
85	and language; swallowing; cognitive aspects of communication;
86	social aspects of communication; and communication modalities.
87	c.  Knowledge of the principles and methods of prevention,
88	assessment, and intervention for people having communication and
89	swallowing disorders, including consideration of anatomical or
90	physiological, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and
91	cultural correlates of the disorders, articulation, fluency,
92	voice and resonance, receptive and expressive communication,
93	hearing, swallowing, cognitive aspects of communication, social
94	aspects of communication, and communication modalities.
95	2.  The program must include appropriate supervised
96	clinical experiences.
97
98	The board may waive the requirements for education, practicum,
99	and professional employment experience for an applicant who
100	received a professional education in another country if the
101	board is satisfied that the applicant meets the equivalent
102	education and practicum requirements and passes the examination
103	in speech-language pathology. 60 semester hours that include:
104	1.  Fundamental information applicable to the normal
105	development and use of speech, hearing, and language;
106	information about training in management of speech, hearing, and
107	language disorders; and information supplementary to these
108	fields.
109	2.  Six semester hours in audiology.
110	3.  Thirty of the required 60 semester hours in courses
111	acceptable toward a graduate degree by the college or university
112	in which these courses were taken, of which 24 semester hours
113	must be in speech-language pathology.
114	(c)  Completed 300 supervised clinical clock hours with 200
115	clock hours in the area of speech-language pathology or
116	completed the number of clock hours required by an accredited
117	institution meeting national certification standards.  The
118	supervised clinical clock hours shall be completed within the
119	training institution or one of its cooperating programs.
120	(3)  The department shall issue a provisional license to
121	practice audiology to each applicant who the board certifies
122	has:
123	(a)  Completed the application form and remitted the
124	required fees, including a nonrefundable application fee.
125	(b)  Effective January 1, 2008, earned a doctoral degree in
126	audiology, but has not passed the license examination required
127	for a license in audiology or has completed the academic
128	requirements of Received a master's degree or is currently
129	enrolled in a doctoral degree program with a major emphasis in
130	audiology from an institution of higher learning that which is,
131	or at the time the applicant was enrolled and graduated was,
132	accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council
133	for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the
134	United States Department of Education or from an institution
135	that which is a member in good standing with the Association of
136	Universities and Colleges of Canada. An applicant who graduated
137	from or is currently enrolled in a program at a university or
138	college outside the United States or Canada must present
139	documentation of the determination of equivalency of the program
140	to standards established by an accrediting body recognized by
141	the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor
142	or the United States Department of Education in order to
143	qualify.
144	1.  The program must ensure that the student obtained
145	knowledge of foundation areas of basic body systems and
146	processes related to hearing and balance.
147	2.  The program must ensure that the student obtained
148	skills for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of auditory
149	and vestibular or balance conditions and diseases.
150	3.  The program must ensure that the student can
151	effectively communicate with patients and other health care
152	professionals.
153	4.  The program must ensure that the student obtained
154	knowledge of professional ethical systems as they relate to the
155	practice of audiology.
156	5.  The program must ensure that the student obtained
157	clinical experiences that encompass the entire scope of practice
158	and focus on the most current evidence-based practice.
159
160	The board may waive the education, practicum, and professional
161	employment experience requirements for an applicant who received
162	a professional education in another country if the board is
163	satisfied that the applicant meets equivalent education and
164	practicum requirements and passes the examination in audiology.
165	(c)  Has earned a master's degree with a major emphasis in
166	audiology which was conferred before January 1, 2008, from an
167	institution of higher learning which was, or at the time the
168	applicant was enrolled and graduated, accredited by an
169	accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher
170	Education Accreditation or its successor or the United States
171	Department of Education or from an institution that is a member
172	in good standing with the Association of Universities and
173	Colleges of Canada.
174	1.  An applicant who graduated from or is currently
175	enrolled in a program at a university or college outside the
176	United States or Canada must present documentation of the
177	determination of equivalency of the program to standards
178	established by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for
179	Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the United
180	States Department of Education in order to qualify.
181	2.  The board may waive the education, practicum, and
182	professional employment experience requirements for an applicant
183	who received a professional education in another country if the
184	board is satisfied that the applicant meets equivalent education
185	and practicum requirements and passes the examination in
186	audiology. This paragraph expires January 1, 2013. The applicant
187	must have completed 60 semester hours that include:
188	1.  Fundamental information applicable to the normal
189	development and use of speech, hearing, and language;
190	information about training in management of speech, hearing, and
191	language disorders; and information supplementary to these
192	fields.
193	2.  Six semester hours in speech-language pathology.
194	3.  Thirty of the required 60 semester hours in courses
195	acceptable toward a graduate degree by the college or university
196	in which these courses were taken, of which 24 semester hours
197	must be in audiology.
198	(c)  Completed 300 supervised clinical clock hours with 200
199	clock hours in the area of audiology or completed the number of
200	clock hours required by an accredited institution meeting
201	national certification standards. The supervised clinical clock
202	hours shall be completed within the training institution or one
203	of its cooperating programs.
204	(4)  An applicant who has received a master's degree or is
205	currently enrolled in a doctoral degree program with a major
206	emphasis in speech-language pathology as provided in subsection
207	(2), or audiology as provided in subsection (3), and who seeks
208	licensure in the area in which the applicant is not currently
209	licensed, must have completed 30 semester hours in courses
210	acceptable toward a graduate degree and 200 supervised clinical
211	clock hours in the second discipline from an accredited
212	institution.
213	(4)(5)  The board, by rule, shall establish requirements
214	for the renewal of a provisional license. However, a provisional
215	license may not exceed a period of 24 months.
216	Section 2.  Section 468.1165, Florida Statutes, is amended
217	to read:
218	468.1165  Professional employment experience
219	requirement.--Every applicant for licensure as a speech-language
220	speech pathologist must or audiologist shall demonstrate, prior
221	to licensure, a minimum of 9 months of full-time professional
222	employment, or the equivalent in part-time professional
223	employment, pertinent to the license being sought. Each
224	applicant for licensure as an audiologist must demonstrate,
225	prior to licensure, a minimum of 11 months of full-time
226	professional employment or the equivalent in part-time
227	professional employment. The board, by rule, shall establish
228	standards for obtaining and verifying the required professional
229	employment experience.
230	Section 3.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section 468.1185,
231	Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
232	468.1185  Licensure.--
233	(2)(a)  The board shall certify for licensure any applicant
234	who has:
235	1.(a)  Satisfied the education and supervised clinical
236	clock hour requirements of s. 468.1155.
237	2.(b)  Satisfied the professional experience requirement of
238	s. 468.1165.
239	3.(c)  Passed the licensure examination required by s.
240	468.1175.
241	(b)  An applicant for an audiologist license who has passed
242	the licensure requirements of s. 468.1175 and obtained a
243	doctoral degree in audiology has satisfied the education and
244	supervised clinical requirements of subparagraph (2)(a)1. and
245	the professional experience requirements of subparagraph
246	(2)(a)2.
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 must
276	provide the assistant with a plan approved by the board for on-
277	the-job training and must 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, 2006.

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