Dynamic Documentation:
Supervising SLPAs
Jennie Price M.S. CCC-SLP
IMESD, Director, Regional Program and Related Services
BSPA Vice Chair
Ashley Northam M.S. CCC-SLP
Chemeketa Community College, Director SLPA Program
Past Chair, BSPA
Tennis Anyone??
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Rules are nonnegotiable
Scoring criteria, changing of the
court after every odd game,
alternation of players between
serves are constant.
If you don’t know the rules, you
can’t play the game without
stacking up a lot of penalties.
Played single or double
Just like SLP’s have a set of rules
when playing “solo” they have one
when they play a doubles match.
Stay in the game by following the
rules.
Solo vs. Doubles
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Independent
Call the shots
Get tired faster
Responsible for the score
• You don’t have to cover
the whole court
• Game is defined when
both partners stay in their
respective boundaries
• With time/trust you will
learn to play the doubles
game more effectively.
• All players must know the
rules, learn the
boundaries, and respect
the game.
Licensure in the State of Oregon
• TSPC- Teacher Standards and Practice
Commission. Regulatory body that primarily
accredits teacher training programs, but also
historically issues licenses to other
professionals such as SLPs.
• BSPA- Oregon Board of Examiners for Speech
Pathology and Audiology
OSHA, ASHA, BSPA …
What is the difference?
• OSHA- Oregon Speech-Language Hearing
Association.
• Professional Association: CEUs, advocacy, no
regulatory authority.
• Membership composed of SLPs, SLPAs,
Audiologists, Educators of the Deaf and HOH
as well as others
OSHA, ASHA, BSPA …
What is the difference?
• ASHA:
• Accreditation of SPHR programs
• CFY/CCC - * this is not a license! This is a
certification. A person must possess a state
mandated license to practice as an SLP.
• Advocacy
• CEU opportunities
• Standards, positions, leadership
BSPA Mission
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The Board of Examiners for SpeechLanguage Pathology & Audiology seeks to
protect the public by licensing and regulating
the performance of SLPs, SLPAs, and
audiologists.
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The Board does not represent the
profession, but we are in partnership with our
professional members to achieve our mission
BSPA Board
• Board composed of 2 Speech-Language
Pathologists, 2 Audiologists, 2 Public
Members, 1 Otolaryngologist (ENT) doctor
• Incoming complaints are investigated by an
investigated in conjunction with the board
members who have practice or have
professional knowledge pertaining to the
practice area.
BSPA Mission
Regulatory Authority is necessary to:
1. Safeguard the public health, safety and
welfare;
2. Protect the public from being misled by
incompetent, unscrupulous and
unauthorized persons;
3. Protect the public from unprofessional
conduct by licensees; and
4. Help ensure the availability of the highest
possible quality SLP and audiology services to
Oregonians with communication disabilities.
Putting it in the net
(Compliance/Disciplinary Issues)
• BSPA receives complaints from the public or
other professional members
• Professional Competence; Professional
Conduct; Ethics/Misrepresentation; Practice
w/o License; Inappropriate Supervision of
SLPAs
BSPA
• Statute: ORS Chapter 681
• OARs ( Oregon Administrative Rules)
• Chapter 335
BSPA
• Divisions- rule sections pertaining to general
topic areas
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Division 1: Procedural Rules
Division 5: Professional and Ethical Standards
Division 10: Recordkeeping
Division 40: Disciplinary Actions
Division 60: Licensing
Division 70: Professional Development
Division 80: Conditional Licenses
Division 95: Speech-Language Pathology Assistants
BSPA
• A conditional license for SLPs is meant to be used
during the 9 month CFY experience. After which,
an individual applies for a standard license.
• Standard licenses are issues on an biannual
schedule- every 2 years on even-numbered years.
• Licensees are subject to CEU requirements. 30
hours are required with each biannual renewal.
Staying Within The Boundaries
(Scope of Practice)
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In order to practice in the state of Oregon, a
person performing the functions and duties
of an SLPA must be licensed by the Oregon
Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology and
Audiology (BSPA)
Determination
SLPA Coursework – Chemeketa Comm Coll.
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SLP 180: Survey of Speech and Hearing Disorders
SLP 181: Phonetics
SLP 182: Intervention Strategies for SLPAs
SLP 183: Intro to Language Development
SLP 184: Language Therapy
SLP 185: Anatomy and Physiology of Sp/Hearing
SLP 186: Speech Intervention
SLP 187: Clinical Documentation and Materials
Mgmt
Determination
SLPA Coursework – Chemeketa Comm Coll.
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SLP 188: Low Incidence Populations
SLP 189: SLPA Practicum I
SLP 190: SLPA Practicum II
SLP 191: Ethics/ Legal Considerations in SLP
SLP 192: Adult Language Disorders
SLP 193: AAC
SLP 194: Language, Cultures and Society
ADVANTAGE
(SLPA Licensure Requirements)
• An applicant must submit:
• 45 credits of general education academic
coursework, all course marks must be a “C” or
better
• 45 credits of speech pathology technical
coursework, all course marks must be a “C” or
better
• 100 hours of clinical interaction experience
Practicum Requirements
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Student SLPA is placed under the direct
supervision of an SLP who holds a current
BSPA or TSPC license
SLP Supervisor must have a minimum of 2
years of professional experience before
supervising an SLPA or student.
A minimum of 100 clinical interaction hours
are needed between 2 terms
Practicum Requirements
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Supervision is 100% direct- SLP must be on-site
and within sight and/or sound during practicum
Hours are collected during “clinical interaction
activities” = Hands On Therapy Activities
Student SLPA can work independent of SLP- can
be running separate treatment groups or
working nearby
Student to gain gradual independence through
SLP modeling working towards running their own
treatment groups within practicum time frame
including materials prep and taking data.
Staying Within The Boundaries
(Scope of Practice)
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Provide Direct Treatment to students in
various settings under the supervising SLP
Take Data
Do Screenings (w/o interpretation)
Design materials for treatment
Prepare lesson plan activities following the
treatment plan (IEP) and with supervision
Act as interpreters during assessments
What can an SLPA do?
(game momentum)
• Assist with speech-language and hearing
screenings (without interpretation)
• Follow documented treatment plans (IEP) or
protocols by supervising SLP
• Tallying data for the SLP
• Assist the SLP during assessment of clients
• Assist with informal documentation as
directed by the SLP
What can an SLPA do?
• Assist with clerical duties (schedules)
• Perform checks and maintenance of
equipment (AAC, etc)
• Support supervising SLP with in-service
trainings
• Collect data for quality improvement
What SLPA’s can not do
(Fault)
• Perform standardized diagnostic tests, formal
or informal evaluations, or interpret test
results
• Screen or diagnose clients for feeding
evaluations
What SLPA’s can not do
(Fault)
• Provide client or family counseling
• Write, develop, or modify a client’s
individualized treatment plan in any way.
• Sign any formal documents
• Select clients for services
• Discharge clients from services
• Disclose clinical or confidential information
What SLPA’s can not do
(Double Fault)
• Make referrals for additional services
• Represent him/herself as an SLP
• Participate in parent conferences, case
conferences, or any interdisciplinary team
conferences without the presence of the
supervising SLP.
Scope of Practice for EA/IA
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Non-instructional activities such as materials
preparation
Clerical duties such as scheduling
appointments, meetings
May not perform screenings or perform
treatment activities ( maintenance and carry
over practice is OK)
May not collect data for the SLP
Scope of Practice for EA/IA
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Non-instructional activities such as materials
preparation
Clerical duties such as scheduling
appointments, meetings
May not perform screenings or perform
treatment activities ( maintenance and carry
over practice is OK)
May not collect data for the SLP
“Ace” your Supervision
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Supervising SLP is required to provide a portion
of DIRECT and INDIRECT supervision to the SLPA
DIRECT: On Site, within sight and/or sound or via
live videoconference while SLPA performs clinical
interaction (treatment)
INDIRECT: Activities other than direct
supervision/ observation- lesson planning,
consultation, record review, data review. May be
done via email or phone if appropriate
“Ace” your Supervision
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For the first 90 days of employment with a
given employer, 30% of the time the SLPA is
providing clinical interaction must be
supervised ( 20% of that in Direct Supervision,
10% Indirect Supervision)
Subsequently, an SLPA must be supervised a
total of 20% of the time spent providing
clinical interaction. ( 10% of that time is Direct
Supervision, 10% Indirect)
• SLPA spends a total of 5 hours per day in
clinical interaction with students
(5 hours per day) x (5 days per week) =25 hours
per week on average
25 hours per week x 4 weeks in a month = 100
hours per month on average
Direct supervision = 10 hours per month
Indirect supervision = 10 hours per month
• Speech Language Pathologist licensed by
Teacher Standards and Practices Commission
(TSPC) may supervise Speech Language
Pathology Assistants (ORS 681.360),
• TSPC licensed SLP’s must follow Board rules
when supervising SLPAs.
• OAR 335-095-0040 (2)(a) states that
“The supervising speech-language pathologist
must have at least two years of professional
speech-language pathology experience. The
clinical post-graduate fellowship year may be
counted as one year of professional experience.”
Game time
Get in the zone
• True or False?
• SLPA’s can independently conduct speechlanguage pathology evaluations?
FALSE
• OAR 335-095-006 (a)
• However; they can conduct speech and
language screenings without interpretation,
utilizing screening protocols specified by the
supervising SLP.
True or False?
• Dysphagia management (swallowing) is not
one of the authorized tasks for SLPA’s?
True
• The SLPA may not conduct swallowing
screening, assessment, and intervention
protocols, including modified barium swallow
True or False?
• SLPA’s can provide treatment without direct
observation by a licensed SLP?
False
• OAR: 335-095-0050 (e)
• The SLP’s caseload consists of ALL students
including those seen by the SLPA. The SLPA
service model should not be designed so that
certain students are only seen by the SLPA and
others are seen on a regular basis by the SLP.
True or False?
• SLPAs can tally scores on standardized and
criterion-referenced tests as long as they do
not interpret the data.
TRUE
• OAR 335-095-0060 (d)
• Assist the speech-language pathologist in
collecting and tallying of data for assessment
purposes, without interpretations.
True or False?
• Can and should SLPA’s go to IEP meetings and
sign the IEP?
Both!
• The OARs outline the SLPA scope of practice and OAR
335-095-0060 (2) (c) states that an SLPA “May not
participate in parent conferences, case conferences, or
any interdisciplinary team without the presence of the
supervising SLP”.
• If an SLPA who regularly sees a student attends an IEP
meeting to help provide some additional perspective
for the parents, that is an option, but legal and
professional role in the meeting is held by the SLP.
• However the SLPA can not sign formal documents!!
Avoid the “Serve”
http://www.oregon.gov/BSPA/forms.shtml
Be a Smart Player
http://www.oregon.gov/BSPA/forms.shtml
Don’t stand in no mans land!
Play tennis and make a racquet!
Remember…
When in doubt, call it out!
• Oregon Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology and
Audiology for OARS
• http://www.oregon.gov/BSPA/index.shtml
• ASHA Code of Ethics:
• http://www.asha.org/Practice/ethics/NewEthicsCode2010
• Chemeketa Community College SLPA Program
• http://speechpathology.chemeketa.edu