Current through Rules and Regulations filed through March 20, 2024
Registration as a Speech-Language Pathology Aide. A person who
seeks to assist in the practice of speech-language pathology must apply to the
Board for registration as a speech-language pathology aide. The Board may
approve registration as a speech-language pathology aide upon receipt of
applicable fees and approval of the education and training of the applicant,
the specific duties to be assigned, the amount and nature of the supervision
available, and other factors as deemed relevant by the Board. Training shall
not begin until the application for registration has been approved by the
Board.
(a) Application for
Registration. The person seeking registration as a speech-language pathology
aide and the supervising speech-language pathologist shall submit an
appropriate application to the Board on forms available on the website or the
Board office.
1. Each application shall be
accompanied by the appropriate fee (see Fee Schedule). Registration fees are
not prorated during the biennial licensure period.
2. If the application is approved, the
applicant will be notified in writing that practice as an aide may begin
following completion of the approved training program.
3. An application file will become void,
without notification to the applicant, if it has not been completed within six
months of the date the application is received by the Board.
4. All speech language pathology aides are
required to register by March 31 of odd numbered years.
5. Registration identification cards will be
issued by the Board within three months following approval of the registration
application and the training program.
6. Pursuant to O.C.G.A. §
43-1-19, the Board has the authority to refuse to grant a registration as a
speech-language pathology aide if it is in receipt of information that
applicant has practiced without a valid registration.
(b) Minimum Requirements.
1. Education. The minimum education
requirement is graduation from high school or receipt of a GED certificate. The
speech-language pathology aide applicant shall provide documentation of a high
school diploma, GED certificate, or college transcript to the Board.
2. Training.
(i) Training shall not begin until the
application for registration has been approved by the Board.
(ii) Description. On a form provided by the
Board, the supervisor shall submit a description of a minimum of 40 hours of
proposed instruction in the specific duties that the aide will perform. This
description shall include the ages and diagnoses of the clients for whom the
services are intended, the specific duties trained, and the type and duration
of training. Instruction must be provided by a Georgia licensed speech-language
pathologist or through an accredited educational institution.
(iii) Scope. Training for aides shall be
defined by and shall be specific to the approved application and the assigned
tasks. The Georgia licensed speech-language pathologist supervisor shall ensure
that the scope and intensity of training will encompass all of the activities
assigned to the aide. Training shall be competency based and provided through a
variety of formal and informal instructional methods. Licensed supervisors
shall inform the aides of their roles, functions, and of any related laws. The
licensed supervisor shall maintain written documentation of training
activities.
(iv) Verification. The
supervisor shall submit to the Board verification that the training was
completed satisfactorily within thirty (30) working days of the applicant's
employment as a speech-language pathology aide.
(c) Supervision.
1. The supervisor of an aide shall be a
Board-approved Georgia licensed speech-language pathologist who will be known
as the supervisor of record. The aide may provide services only under the known
supervisor(s) of record. If more than one supervisor is to be involved with the
aide, an application shall be submitted by each supervisor.
2. The supervisor of record shall:
(i) accept full and complete responsibility
for the duties performed by the aide;
(ii) maintain the legal and ethical
responsibilities for all assigned activities provided by the aide;
(iii) make all decisions relating to the
diagnosis, treatment, management and future disposition of the
patient/client(s) served;
(iv) have
the responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of the patient/client(s)
served by the aide;
(v) be
responsible for the aide's competence to perform Board
approved activities;
(vi)
be responsible for the aide's adherence to the Principles and Standards of
Conduct as defined in Board Rule; and
(vii) not supervise an immediate family
member.
3. The
supervisor of record who works full time (more than 34 hours per week) shall
supervise no more than two (2) aides under the provisions of this rule. A
supervisor of record who works part-time (less than 35 hours per week) shall
supervise no more than one (1) aide under the provisions of this
rule.
4. The supervisor shall
submit a plan of supervision which will specify the frequency, duration, and
type of supervision he/she will provide to the aide.
5. Supervision shall be a culmination of
direct and indirect involvement that will permit verification of adequate
performance that include, but are not limited to, a variety of techniques such
as audio-and/or videotape recordings, telephone communications, conferences,
e-mails, charts, logs and review of numerical data.
6. Direct on-site observation of the aide
shall be provided according to the following:
(i) The supervisor of record shall be with
the aide during the first ten (10) hours of direct client contact following
training; and
(ii) Then shall be
with the aide one hour per week after the first ten (10) hours of direct client
contact. These one hour observations must, over a period of time, include a
sampling of all assigned activities;
(iii) The direct observation must be
documented. This documentation should include quality of interaction,
performance, accuracy in implementation of assignments, accuracy in recording
data, and the aide's ability to interact effectively with the client.
(iv) Information obtained during direct
observations shall include response data that is ninety percent (90%) accurate
between the aide and the supervisor of record, on correct-incorrect judgment of
target behavior.
(v) Whenever
response data falls below the 90% reliability level between the supervisor of
record and the aide, the supervisor of record shall retrain the aide in those
skills. Direct observation shall be increased until the reliability level
returns to 90%.
7. The
supervisor of record shall retain documentation of all direct and indirect
supervisory activities for two (2) years.
8. Prior to services, the patient or family
must be informed in writing, by the supervisor of record, that services will be
rendered by a speech language pathology aide.
9. The supervisor shall notify the Board
within ten (10) working days of terminating a supervisor/aide agreement. Upon
termination of a supervisor/aide agreement that particular aide registration
would become void.
(d)
Duties and Authorizations.
1. The aide is
authorized to perform only those duties described on the application as
approved by the Board.
2. The aide
is authorized to perform speech-language pathology activities only when the
supervisor of record is in the same.
3. The speech language pathology aide shall:
(i) not perform standardized or
non-standardized diagnostic tests, formal or informal evaluations, nor shall
they provide clinical interpretation of test results;
(ii) not screen patients/clients;
(iii) not participate in conferences or
counseling sessions regarding the patient/client without the presence of the
supervisor of record or another speech language pathologist designated by the
supervisor of record;
(iv) not
write, develop, or modify a patient/client's individual treatment
plan.
(v) not treat
patients/clients without following the individualized treatment plan prepared
by the supervision of record and or the designated speech-language
pathologist;
(vi) not sign any
formal documents related to speech language pathology;
(vii) not select patients/clients for
services;
(viii) not discharge
patients/clients from services;
(ix) not disclose clinical or confidential
information either orally or in writing to anyone not designated by the
supervisor of record;
(x) not make
referrals for additional services;
(xi) not perform any task without the express
knowledge and approval of the supervisor of record;
(xii) not counsel or consult with the
patient/client, family, or others regarding the patient/client status or
service;
(xiii) not assist the
supervisor of record by completing a checklist or by tabulating results of a
feeding or swallowing evaluation;
(xiv) not demonstrate swallowing strategies
or precautions to patients, family, or staff;
(xv) not make advertisement or public
announcement of services independent of the supervisor of record;
(xvi) not represent herself/himself as a
practitioner of speech-language pathology;
4. The speech language pathology aide shall
be clearly identified as a speech language pathology aide by a badge that is to
be worn whenever working as a speech-language pathology aide.
5. The aide registration shall become void
when the authorized supervisor(s) is no longer available for
supervision.
(e) Change
of Plan. If the duties and/or authorizations approved by the board change, a
new application, fee and all required documents must be submitted to the board
for consideration before such change can be made.
(f) Re-registration of speech-language
pathology aides.
1. All aide registration
shall expire on March 31 of odd numbered years.
2. Application and biennial renewal fee (see
Fee Schedule) must be received in the Board Office by March 31 of odd numbered
years.
3. An audit shall be
conducted to determine compliance with the direct observation guidelines
enumerated above. A percent of renewal applicants, to be determined by the
Board, shall be requested to submit the documentation of supervision to the
Board by March 31 of odd numbered years. Failure to document the direct
observation and/or to demonstrate compliance with the guidelines shall have the
same effect as a revocation of said aide registration and may subject the
supervisor to disciplinary action.
4. Biennial renewal identification cards will
be issued by the Board office within three months following receipt of
acceptable renewal application and renewal fee.
5. The failure to renew an aide registration
by March 31 of odd numbered years shall have the same effect as a revocation of
said registration; however, an aide registration may be restored, reissued, or
reinstated at the discretion of the Board. If in its discretion, the Board
denies such a request, such person may submit an application and supportive
documentation to obtain a new registration. At all times, the applicant must
meet the current standards for aide registration.
O.C.G.A. Secs.
43-1-4, 43-1-19, 43-44-3, 43-44-6, 43-44-13, 43-44-16.