Licensure/Certification
	Licensing Board  (OBSLPA) American Academy of Audiology  (AAA) American Speech-Language-Hearing Assoc (ASHA) Ohio Department of Education (ODE)

This information is presented in a simplified format. If exact wording is required, contact the OBSLPA for a copy of the Ohio Administrative Code Rules; Ohio Revised Code 4753-5-01.  www.state.ohio.us/slp/

(A) Written evidence of having obtained appropriately supervised professional experience with at least nine calendar months with a minimum of thirty clock hours per week or the equivalent. the experience must be accomplished in thirty-six consecutive months in the area which licensure is sought for speech-language pathology or audiology. Professional experience is obtained after all coursework, clinical experience and examination is completed unless approved by the board. The purpose of the professional experience is to provide opportunity for successful transition from student-trainee to independent professional by:

(1) Development of total commitment to quality speech, language and hearing services;

(2) Integration and application or theoretical knowledge gained in academic training;

(3) Evaluation of individual strengths and limitations of person(s) served;

(4) Evaluation of the clinician’s own professional skills;

(5) Refinement of clinical skills; and

(6) Development of a commitment to continuing education and professional growth.

Seventy-five percent of professional experience must be in direct contact with persons who have communication disorders. When part time employment is used to fulfill part of the professional experience requirement, one hundred per cent of the minimum hours of part time work per week must be spent in direct contact with persons served. Evidence of professional experience must be submitted on forms provided by the Board. Verification of professional experience must be notarized signatures of the applicant and professional experience supervisor.

(B) A person performing speech-language pathology or audiology services, who is pursing supervised professional experience, must hold a conditional license.

The purpose of a conditional licensure is to permit an individual to practice speech-language pathology or audiology while completing professional experience. The holder of a conditional license may not supervise the clinical experience of a student or supervise any other intern, aide or practitioner. The following requirements are required for a conditional license:

(1) Has met educational requirements;

(2) Has met clinical requirements;

(3) Has received an examination score on the national teacher’s examination of 600 or above;

(4) Has submitted an application for conditional license form to the Board, which includes a plan for the supervised professional experience according to board recommendations; and

(5) Has paid to the Board the appropriate fee for a license and a conditional license.

Any violation of an order of the Board or Revised Code or Administrative Code will be grounds for denial of an application for a conditional license. An applicant may not begin employment for professional experience until the conditional license has been granted.

(C) An applicant for a conditional license must include a plan for professional experience. The plan for professional experience must be approved by the Board. The Board may approve a plan indicating that an applicant is seeking employment. Time spent seeking employment will not be credited toward professional experience requirements for licensure. Upon employment a new plan must be submitted.

The applicant must submit the following for Board approval:

(1) A completed application for licensure including registration fees and verifications of education, clinical experience, and examination;

(2) A request supervision by an individual licensed by the Board currently and for no less than two years in the area in which licensure is sought;

(3) Obtain employment in a setting meeting the criteria for supervision of professional experience as outlined in the Revised Code and Administrative Code;

(4) Read and abide by Chapters 4753 of the Revised and Administrative Code

(5) Complete and have notarized the applicant’s section of the supervised experience plan form provided by the Board;

(6) Obtain from the professional experience supervisor the completed and notarized supervisor’s section of the supervised professional experience plan form provided by the Board; and

(7) Obtain proof by certified mail or other receipt that the application and plan have been received by the Board office. The applicant may not begin employment for professional experience until the plan and conditional license have been approved by the Board.

Any changes in supervision, interruption of employment, ending date of professional experience must be reported in writing to the Board within thirty days of the change and bear the signatures of both the applicant and supervisor. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that written changes be reported to the Board. Failure to report any change in the plan in writing will result in the rejection of the experience for licensure. If the board rejects the changes or experience, the Board will notify the applicant of that rejection within thirty days after the action of the Board. Failure to report a change in the plan or failure to practice according to the plan will be considered practice without a license and will be cause for suspension or revocation of the conditional license according to the Revised Code.

A person holding a conditional license may perform services for which reimbursement will be sought under the medicare program or medical assistance program established under the Social Security Act. All requests for reimbursement for such service will be made by the person who supervises the person performing the services.

A person will not serve as a supervisor of the clinical practice of a student or intern while completing the year of professional experience required for licensure under the Revised Code.

(D) Clock hours of professional experience are defined as those hours of direct contact with persons served, consultations, record keeping, staff meetings, in-service training or any other relevant duties in a paid professional setting in which work has been accomplished in the major professional areas of speech-language pathology or audiology.

Professional experience accomplished in the state of Ohio will be acceptable for license only when done under the supervision of a person who during the professional experience was licensed by the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology in the area in which licensure is sought.

Professional experience for licensure may be obtained in a variety of diverse employment settings provide services for persons with speech, language and hearing disorders. An employment setting is appropriate for the professional experience if the particular program is designed to evaluate, habilitate or rehabilitate the communicative functioning of persons with speech, language and hearing disorders. The program must afford the possibility that professional experience supervisory requirements can be met.

Evaluation and therapy programs in schools, clinics, hospitals and community agencies are appropriate professional experience settings. Many highly specialized programs are appropriate for the professional experience even though they deal intensively with a small number of individuals. Programs which provide primarily screening services are not suitable for the professional experience.

Professional experience will include personal and direct involvement of the supervisor to monitor, improve and evaluate the applicant’s performance in professional employment. The supervisor will base the total evaluation on nor less than thirty-six supervisory activities during the professional experience. The supervisor must include eighteen on-site observations of the applicant, of at least one hour each, at least six on-site observations will be accrued during each third of the experience. Their supervisor will complete eighteen other monitoring activities, at least one per month.

These monitoring activities may be executed by correspondence and include conferences with the applicant, evaluation of written reports, evaluations by professional colleagues, etc. If multiple sited are utilized in the professional experience, at least one on-site observation must be conducted at each site of the same provider type, including but not limited to nursing homes, hospitals, schools, industrial locations, hearing aid provider offices, during two of three segments. Requests for utilizing alternative mechanisms for meeting the professional experience requirements stated must be submitted in writing to the Board for their approval:

(1) Conferring with applicant concerning clinical treatment strategies;

(2) Monitoring changes in communication behaviors of person(s) served;

(3) Evaluating the applicant’s clinical records, including:

     (a) Diagnostic reports;

     (b) Treatment records;

     (c) Correspondence;

     (d) Plans of Treatment; and

     (e) Summaries of clinical conferences.

(4) Monitoring the applicant’s participation in case conferences;

(5) Evaluating the applicant’s performance by professional colleagues and employers;

(6) Evaluating the applicant’s work by person(s) served and their parents; and

(7) Monitoring the applicant’s contributions to professional meetings and publications, as well as participation in professional growth opportunities.

All items may be conducted by correspondence except for (D) (1) and (D) (2).

Supervisors must share and discuss their evaluations with the applicant throughout the professional experience. In completion of the professional experience, a conference must be held to provide the applicants the opportunity to read and discuss with the supervisor the final experience report. Should the supervisor anticipate at any time during the professional experience that the applicant under supervision will not meet the requirement, the supervisor must counsel the applicant both orally and in writing and maintain careful written records of all contacts and conferences in the ensuing months.

If the supervisor does not approve the professional experience, the supervisor will indicate the disapproval on the professional experience report and sign the professional experience report. The supervisor must submit a letter of explanation and supporting documentation to the Board. The applicant may request that the Board accept this experience toward the requirements for licensure. In this case, the applicant will submit the professional experience report, a letter of explanation and supporting documentation. The Board may share this information with the applicant and supervisor and review the professional experience report and documentation to determine if approval will be granted.

If the Board rejects the experience, based upon the supervisor’s recommendation, the applicant will be offered the opportunity for a hearing according to the Revised Code.

The supervisor of the professional experience should meet the following requirements:

(1) Read Chapter 4753 of the Revised and Administrative Code;

(2) Have a two years licensed clinical experience or have been certified by the American Speech-Language association for two years;

(3) Has completed thirty-six months of full-time clinical experience within the past sixty months unless approved by the Board;

(4) Agree to supervise the practice of Speech-language pathology or audiology experience of the applicant in the setting of the professional experience;

(5) Complete a plan and report following the requirements in section 4753.01 of the Revised Code and retain a copy of the plan;

(6) May not supervise more than four person completing professional experience concurrently unless approved by the board; and

(7) No accept fees, gifts, or forms of gratuity for serving as a supervisor of professional experience required for licensure. Supervisors may accept reimbursement for actual expenses incurred.

For additional information regarding professional experience requirements for licensure in cases of out of state application, read Chapter 4753 of the Revised Code and Administrative Code.  www.state.ohio.us/slp/