West Virginia § 30-32-13 - 30-32-13. Scope of practice for speech-language pathology.

§ 30-32-13. 30-32-13. Scope of practice for speech-language pathology.

The scope of practice for speech-language pathology includes:

(1) Prevention, screening, consultation, assessment and diagnosis, treatment, intervention, management, counseling and follow-up services for disorders of speech (i.e., articulation, fluency, resonance and voice), language (i.e., phonology, morphology, syntax, preliteracy and language-based skills), swallowing or other upper aerodigestive functions;

(2) Cognitive aspects of communication (i.e., attention, memory, problem solving);

(3) Establishing augmentative and alternative communication techniques and strategies, including developing, selecting and prescribing of systems and devices (e.g., speech generating devices) and providing training in their use;

(4) Providing services to individuals with hearing loss and their families (e.g., Auditory training, speech reading, speech and language intervention secondary to hearing loss;

(5) Screening hearing of individuals who can participate in conventional puretone air conduction methods and screening middle ear pathology through screening tympanometry for the purpose of referral for further evaluation: Provided, That judgments and descriptive statements about the results of the screenings are limited to pass/fail determinations;

(6) Using instrumentation (e.g., videofluroscopy) to observe, collect data and measure parameters of communication and swallowing as directed by a licensed physician; and

(7) Selecting, fitting and establishing effective use of prosthetic/adaptive devices for communication, swallowing or other upper aerodigestive functions.