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Arizona Speech Therapy Legal Definitions

These definitions have been modified for clarity.  

Accredited

Approved by the:

    • New England Commission of Higher Education,
    • Middle States Commission on Higher Education,
    • Higher Learning Commission,
    • Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities,
    • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or
    • WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Accredited Program

A program leading to the award of a degree in audiology that is accredited by an organization recognized for that purpose by the United States department of education.

Applicant

An individual who submits an application and required documentation for approval to practice as a SLP.

Approved Training Program

A postsecondary speech-language pathology assistant training program that is approved by the director.

ASHA

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students.

Assistive Listening Device or System

An amplification system that is specifically designed to improve the signal-to-noise ratio for the listener who is deaf or hard of hearing, to reduce interference from noise in the background and to enhance hearing levels at a distance by picking up sound from as close to the source as possible and sending it directly to the ear of the listener, excluding hearing aids.

Calendar Day

Each day, not including the day of the act, event, or default, from which a designated period of time begins to run, but including the last day of the period unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, statewide furlough day, or legal holiday, in which case the period runs until the end of the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, statewide furlough day, or legal holiday.

CCC

Certificate of Clinical Competence, an award issued by ASHA to an individual who:

    • Completes a degree in audiology or speech-language pathology from an accredited college or university that includes a clinical practicum,
    • Passes the ETSNEA or ETSNESLP, and
    • Completes a clinical fellowship.

Clinical Fellow

An individual engaged in a clinical fellowship.

Clinical Fellowship

An individual's postgraduate professional experience assessing, diagnosing, screening, treating, writing reports, and counseling individuals exhibiting speech, language, hearing, or communication disorders, obtained:

    • After completion of graduate level academic course work and a clinical practicum;
    • Under the supervision of a clinical fellowship supervisor; and
    • While employed on a full-time or part-time equivalent basis.

Clinical Fellowship Agreement

The document submitted to the Department by a clinical fellow to register the initiation of a clinical fellowship.

Clinical Fellowship Report

A document completed by a clinical fellowship supervisor containing:

    • A summary of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed by the clinical fellow,
    • A verification by the clinical fellowship supervisor of the clinical fellow's performance of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and
    • An evaluation of the clinical fellow's ability to perform the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Clinical Fellowship Supervisor

A licensed speech-language pathologist who:

    • Is or has been a sponsor of a temporary licensee,
    • Had a CCC while supervising a clinical fellow before October 28, 1999, or
    • Has a CCC while supervising a clinical fellow in another state.

Clinical Interaction

A fieldwork practicum in speech-language pathology that is supervised by a licensed SLP.

Clinical Practicum

The experience acquired by an individual who is completing course work in speech-language pathology, while supervised by a licensed SLP, or an individual holding a CCC, by assessing, diagnosing, evaluating, screening, treating, and counseling individuals exhibiting speech, language, cognitive, hearing, or communication disorders.

Continuing Education

A course that provides instruction and training that is designed to develop or improve a licensee's professional competence in disciplines directly related to the licensee's scope of practice.

Course

A workshop, seminar, lecture, conference, or class.

Department

The Arizona Department of Health Services.

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures

The principles and methods used by a SLP in the practice of speech-language pathology.

Direct Supervision

A licensed SLP observes and guides a speech-language pathology assistant while the SLPA performs an assigned clinical activity. Includes the supervising licensed SLP viewing and communicating with the SLPA via telecommunication technology as the SLPA  provides clinical activities if the supervising licensed SLP can provide ongoing immediate feedback throughout the clinical activity being provided. Does not include the supervising licensed SLP reviewing a taped session at a later time.

Director

The director of the department.

Disciplinary Action

A proceeding that is brought against a licensee by the Department under A.R.S. § 36-1934 or a state licensing entity.

Disorders of Communication

An organic or nonorganic condition that impedes the normal process of human communication and includes disorders of speech, articulation, fluency, voice, verbal and written language, auditory comprehension, cognition and communications and oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal sensorimotor competencies.

Disorders of Hearing

An organic or nonorganic condition, whether peripheral or central, that impedes the normal process of human communication and includes disorders of auditory sensitivity, acuity, function or processing.

ETSNESLP

Educational Testing Service National Examination in Speech-Language Pathology, the specialty area test of the Praxis Series given by the Education Testing Service, Princeton, N.J.

Full-Time

Thirty (30) clock hours or more per week.

Hearing Aid

Any wearable instrument or device designed for or represented as aiding or improving human hearing or as aiding, improving or compensating for defective human hearing, and any parts, attachments or accessories of the instrument or device, including ear molds, but excluding batteries and cords.

Indirect Supervision

Supervisory activities, other than direct supervision, that are performed by a licensed SLP and that may include consulting, reviewing records and reviewing and evaluating audiotaped or videotaped sessions.

Letter of Concern

An advisory letter to notify a licensee that, while there is insufficient evidence to support disciplinary action, the director believes the licensee should modify or eliminate certain practices and that continuation of the activities that led to the information being submitted to the director may result in action against the licensee.

License

A license issued by the director in Arizona and includes a temporary license.

Local Education Agency

A governing board established by A.R.S. § 15-101 or A.R.S. Title 15, Chapter 3, Article 3.

Monitoring

Being responsible for and providing direction to a clinical fellow without directly observing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Nonmedical Diagnosing

The art or act of identifying a communication disorder from its signs and symptoms. Nonmedical diagnosing does not include diagnosing a medical disease.

On-site Observations

The presence of a clinical fellowship supervisor who is watching a clinical fellow perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Part-Time Equivalent
    • 25-29 clock hours per week for 48 weeks,
    • 20-24 clock hours per week for 60 weeks, or
    • 15-19 clock hours per week for 72 weeks.

Practice of Speech-Language Pathology

Rendering or offering to render to an individual or groups of individuals who have or are suspected of having disorders of communication service in speech-language pathology, including prevention, identification, evaluation, consultation, habilitation, rehabilitation, instruction and research.

Regular License

Each type of license issued by the director, except a temporary license.

Semester Credit Hour

One earned academic unit of study based on completing, at an accredited college or university, a 50 to 60 minute class session per calendar week for 15 to 18 weeks.

Semester Credit Hour Equivalent

One quarter credit, which is equal in value to 2/3 of a semester credit hour.

Speech-Language Pathology

The nonmedical and nonsurgical application of principles, methods and procedures of assessment, testing, evaluation and prediction related to speech and language and its disorders and related communication impairments for the nonmedical diagnosis, prevention, amelioration or modification of these disorders and conditions.

Speech-Language Pathology Assistant

A person who provides services prescribed in section 36-1940.04 under the direction and supervision of a SLP licensed pursuant to this chapter.

Sponsor

A person who is licensed in Arizona and who agrees to train or directly supervise a temporary licensee in the same field of practice.

State-Supported Institution

A school, a charter school, a private school, or an accommodation school as defined in A.R.S. § 15-101.

Student

A child attending a school, a charter school, a private school, or an accommodation school as defined in A.R.S. § 15-101.

Supervision

Being responsible for and providing direction to:

    • A clinical fellow during on-site observations or monitoring of the clinical fellow's performance of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures; or
    • An individual completing a clinical practicum.

Supervisory Activities

Evaluating and assessing a clinical fellow's performance of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in assessing, diagnosing, evaluating, screening, treating, and counseling individuals exhibiting speech, language, cognitive, hearing, or communication disorders.

Temporary Licensee

A person who is licensed in Arizona for a specified period of time under the sponsorship of a licensed SLP.

Reference

A.R.S. § 36-1901

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-16-201


About Me

Zachary Edgar JD, LLM is Therapy Comply's managing partner.  Zachary is a healthcare attorney who specializes in federal and state healthcare regulatory issues particularly for physical, occupational, and speech therapy practices.  

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