Oklahoma § 59-1603 - Definitions

§ 59-1603. Definitions

A. As used in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Licensing Act:

1. "Board" means the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language

Pathology and Audiology;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

2. "Person" means any individual, partnership, organization or

corporation, except that only individuals may be licensed under the

Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Licensing Act;

3. "Licensed speech-language pathologist", "licensed speechlanguage pathology fellow", "licensed speech-language pathology

assistant" or "licensed audiologist" means an individual to whom a

license has been issued pursuant to the provisions of the SpeechLanguage Pathology and Audiology Licensing Act, which license has

not expired or has not been suspended or revoked;

4. "Speech-language pathologist" (SLP) means any person who

represents himself or herself to be a speech-language pathologist

and who meets the qualifications set forth in Section 1605 of this

title and provides or offers to provide services defined as the

practice of speech-language pathology;

5. "Speech-language pathology assistant" (SLPA) means any

person who, after acquiring academic coursework, fieldwork, and onthe-job training as set forth by rules promulgated by the Board,

performs tasks prescribed, directed, and supervised by licensed

speech-language pathologists. The speech-language pathology

assistant may implement prescribed therapies in children and adults

in specific treatment areas in which he or she has academic and

clinical training as prescribed by the Board of Examiners for

Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and under the license of a

speech-language pathologist;

6. "Clinical fellow" means an individual who is currently in

the process of completing the supervised postgraduate professional

paid experience in speech-language pathology as set forth in

paragraph 3 of subsection A of Section 1605 of this title;

7. "Speech, voice, swallowing or language disorders" include,

but are not limited to, any and all conditions that impede the

normal process of human vocal communication;

8. "Feeding or swallowing disorders", also called dysphagia,

include difficulty with any step of the feeding or swallowing

process. This may include losing food or liquids from the mouth,

difficulty chewing or sucking, difficulty protecting the airway, or

impaired sensation in the mouth or throat. These impairments may

result in a decreased liquid or food intake, choking on food or

liquid during eating or drinking, failure to thrive, pneumonia,

dehydration, malnutrition, or death. Assessment may include a

clinical evaluation of swallowing function or an instrumental

evaluation of swallowing function to determine the nature and

severity of the swallowing impairment, determine the safest and most

efficient food and liquid to be swallowed, and establish a treatment

plan to improve swallowing function. Treatment may include exercise

regimes to rehabilitate muscles or neurological function involved in

swallowing, training compensatory strategies or training techniques

to improve swallowing safety and function. Treatment may also

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

include the provision of education to individuals, parents, care

providers, and others related to feeding/swallowing function;

9. "Practice of speech-language pathology" means the rendering

or offering to render to any person or the public any speech, voice,

social communication, cognitive communication, feeding or swallowing

or language evaluation, examination, counseling or habitation and

rehabilitation of or for persons who have or are suspected of having

a speech, voice, feeding or swallowing or language disorder, or

representing oneself to be a speech-language pathologist or speechlanguage pathology assistant who meets the qualifications set forth

in Section 1605 of this title. Services may also be provided for

persons who want to learn how to communicate more effectively

including, but not limited to, accent modification and other forms

of communication enhancement. A speech-language pathologist is

permitted to perform such basic audiometric tests and hearing

therapy procedures as are consistent with such training. A speechlanguage pathology assistant will only perform duties as defined in

paragraph 3 of subsection A of Section 1605 of this title and under

the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist;

10. "Audiologist" means any person who represents himself or

herself to be an audiologist and who meets the qualifications set

forth in Section 1605 of this title and provides or offers to

provide services defined as the practice of audiology;

11. "Hearing disorders" include, but are not limited to, any or

all conditions of decreased or impaired auditory function;

12. "Vestibular or balance disorders" include, but are not

limited to, any or all conditions of the decreased or impaired

vestibular function;

13. "Practice of audiology" means the rendering, or offering to

render, to any person or the public, the prevention, identification,

assessment, or rehabilitation of or for persons who have or are

suspected of having a hearing or balance disorder, or representing

oneself to be an audiologist. An audiologist may perform vestibular

assessments for those individuals of any age suspected of having a

balance disorder and then provide appropriate rehabilitation once

diagnosed by a physician. An audiologist may also select, fit and

dispense hearing aids and hearing-assistive technology. The

audiologist may perform assessments to assist in determining

candidacy for special hearing technology such as cochlear implants

or bone conduction systems, and provide follow-up services. An

audiologist may provide consultation regarding noise control and

participate in noise-conservation programs which may include fitting

of hearing-protection devices. Audiologists may participate in

research related to all of these. An audiologist must meet the

qualifications set forth in paragraph 3 of subsection A of Section

1605 of this title;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

14. "Hearing screening" means one or more procedures used to

identify individuals who may have a hearing loss. Measurements of

auditory thresholds are not included in hearing screening programs;

15. "Telepractice" means the practice of health care delivery,

diagnosis, consultation, evaluation and treatment, transfer of

medical data or exchange of medical education, information by means

of a two-way, real-time interactive communication, not to exclude

store-and-forward technologies, between a patient and a speechlanguage pathologist or audiologist with access to and reviewing the

patient's relevant clinical information prior to the teletherapy

visit; and

16. "Store-and-forward technologies" means the transmission of

a patient's medical information from an originating site to the

speech-language pathologist or audiologist at the distant site;

provided, photographs visualized by a telecommunications system

shall be specific to the patient's medical condition and adequate

for furnishing or confirming a diagnosis or treatment plan.

"Telepractice" and "store-and-forward technologies" shall not

include consultations provided by telephone, audio-only

communication, electronic mail, text message, instant messaging

conversation, website questionnaire, nonsecure video conference or

facsimile machine.

B. A person represents himself or herself to be a speechlanguage pathologist when such person holds himself or herself out

to the public by any title or description of services incorporating

the words "speech-language pathology", "speech-language

pathologist", "speech pathology", "speech pathologist", "speech

therapy", "speech therapist", "speech correction", "speech

correctionist", "language therapy", "language therapist", "voice

pathology", "voice pathologist", "voice therapy", "voice therapist",

"logopedics", "logopedist", "communicology", "communicologist",

"aphasiologist", "phoniatrist", "speech clinician", "speech clinic",

"speech center" or any similar or related term or terms.

C. A person represents himself or herself to be a speechlanguage pathology assistant when such person holds himself or

herself out to the public by any title or description of services as

listed for speech-language pathologist and is working under the

license of a speech-language pathologist. Anyone not holding

credentials for independent practice shall hold the designation of

assistant and be required to work under supervision.

D. A person represents himself or herself to be an audiologist

when such person holds himself or herself out to the public by any

title or description of services incorporating the terms

"audiology", "audiologist", "audiometry", "audiometrist", "hearing

therapy", "hearing therapist", "hearing conservation", "hearing

conservationist", "hearing clinician", "hearing clinic", "hearing

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

center", "audiological", "audiometrics", or any similar or related

term or terms.

E. The provision of speech-language pathology or audiology

services in this state through telepractice, electronic or other

means, regardless of the location of the speech-language pathologist

shall constitute the practice of speech-language pathology or

audiology and shall require licensure in this state.

Added by Laws 1973, c. 203, § 3, emerg. eff. May 17, 1973. Amended

by Laws 1998, c. 202, § 3, eff. July 1, 1998; Laws 2004, c. 280, §

1, eff. July 1, 2004; Laws 2018, c. 230, § 1, emerg. eff. May 7,

2018.