Alabama § 34-28A-21.1 - Qualifications for Licensure as Speech-Language Pathology Assistant.

§ 34-28A-21.1. Qualifications for Licensure as Speech-Language Pathology Assistant.

(a) Any person not eligible for a license as a speech-language pathologist under this chapter may apply for licensure with the board as a speech-language pathology assistant. Eligible candidates for licensure as a speech-language pathology assistant shall do all of the following:

(1) Practice only under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist.

(2) Have completed either of the following:

a. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent in speech and hearing sciences or communication disorders.

b. An associate degree in speech-language pathology assisting with a minimum of 30 semester credit hours at a community college or university in speech and hearing sciences or communication disorders, of which three hours shall be dedicated to studying language disorders, and three hours shall be focused on speech disorders. Additionally, a speech-language pathology assistant in an associate degree program shall successfully complete not less than 100 clinical practicum hours under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist under any clinical practicum setting.

(3) If the speech-language pathology assistant has completed the requirements of paragraph (2)b., he or she may only provide services in educational, private practice, nonresidential health care, early intervention, and other nonhospital settings.

(b) For the purposes of this section, “community college” refers to Wallace State Community College-Hanceville, under the purview of the Alabama Community College System, and “university” refers to any four-year public or private institution of higher education located in this state.

(c)(1) A speech-language pathology assistant shall have a scope of practice as defined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

(2) The supervising speech-language pathologist shall have held a full, unrestricted speech-language pathologist license for at least two years before supervising the speech-language pathology assistant and shall possess the necessary credentials required by the board. A supervising speech-language pathologist may not supervise more than three full-time equivalent speech-language pathology assistants in any one setting.

(d) Licensure as a speech-language pathology assistant may be renewed annually, pursuant to this chapter, without limitation as to number of times renewed.

(e) The board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this section.