Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 1370 - Communication Disorders
Chapter 1370-01 - Rules for Speech Pathology and Audiology
Section 1370-01-.14 - SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY ASSISTANTS AND SUPERVISION

Universal Citation: TN Comp Rules and Regs 1370-01-.14

Current through April 3, 2024

(1) Requirements.

(a) Speech Language Pathology Assistants.
1. Speech Language Pathology Assistants must work under the supervision of a licensed Speech Language Pathologist ("Supervising Licensee").

2. The minimum qualifications for persons employed as Speech Language Pathology Assistants shall be as follows:
(i) The applicant must have completed a program of study designed to prepare the student to be a Speech Language Pathology Assistant. The applicant must have earned sixty (60) college-level semester credit hours in a program of study that includes general education and the specific knowledge and skills for a Speech Language Pathology Assistant. The training program shall include a minimum of one hundred (100) clock hours of field experience supervised by a licensed Speech Language Pathologist.
(I) At least twenty (20) semester credit hours of the sixty (60) hour requirement shall be in general education.

(II) At least twenty (20) semester credit hours of the sixty (60) hour requirement shall be in technical content. The course content must include the following:
I. Overview of normal processes of communication and overview of communication disorders;

II. Instruction in assistant-level service delivery practices;

III. Instruction in workplace behaviors;

IV. Cultural and linguistic factors in communication; and

V. Observation.

(III) The one hundred (100) hours of supervised fieldwork experience must provide appropriate experience for learning the job responsibilities and workplace behaviors of a Speech Language Pathology Assistant. This experience is not intended to develop independent practice.

3. If the applicant's academic institution does not provide for the full one hundred (100) hours of supervised field work experience by a licensed Speech Language Pathologist, then the applicant shall register with the Board and shall have a minimum of thirty (30) days up to a maximum of ninety (90) days to acquire the full one hundred (100) clock hours of field experience needed to become a fully credentialed Speech Language Pathology Assistant.

(2) Scope of Practice.

(a) A Speech Language Pathology Assistant shall not perform the following:
1. Interpret test results or perform diagnostic evaluations;

2. Conduct parent or family conferences or case conferences;

3. Perform client or family counseling;

4. Write, develop, or modify a client's individualized treatment plan;

5. Treat clients without following the established plan;

6. Sign any document without the co-signature of the supervising Speech Language Pathologist;

7. Select or discharge clients for services;

8. Disclose clinical or confidential information, either orally or in writing, to anyone not designated by the Speech Language Pathologist;

9. Refer clients for additional outside service.

(3) Supervision by and Responsibilities of the Supervising Licensee.

(a) Prior to the commencement of training and/or employment, individuals seeking to be Speech Language Pathology Assistants must be registered by the Supervising Licensee with the Board on a registration form provided at the request of the Supervising Licensee.
1. The registration form shall be completed by the Supervising Licensee who shall return the completed form to the Board's Administrative Office with a copy of the written plan of training to be used for that Speech Language Pathology Assistant.

2. The Speech Language Pathology Assistant shall not begin training and/or employment until he/she has registered with the Board and paid the required fees, as provided in Rule 1370-01-.06.

3. For those applicants whose academic institution does not provide for the full one hundred (100) hours of supervised field work experience by a licensed Speech Language Pathologist:
(i) The registration form shall be completed by the Supervising Licensee who shall return the completed form to the Board's Administrative Office with a copy of the written plan of training to be used by the applicant.

(ii) The applicant shall not begin training and/or employment until he/she has registered with the Board. No fee shall be required during the thirty (30) to ninety (90) day period in which the applicant obtains the full one hundred (100) hours of supervised field work experience. Upon the completion of the full one hundred (100) hours, the applicant shall pay the required fees, as provided in Rule 1370-01-.06, to become a fully credentialed Speech Language Pathology Assistant.

(b) The Supervising Licensee is responsible for designating an alternate licensed Speech Language Pathologist and ensuring that the designated alternate licensed Speech Language Pathologist is available to provide supervision when he/she is unavailable for any period of time. The designated alternate licensed Speech Language Pathologist must be registered with the Board as the alternate and should be documented on all written materials for training.

(c) Notice of employment, change of supervisor, or termination of any Speech Language Pathology Assistant must be forwarded by the Supervising Licensee to the Board's Administrative Office within thirty (30) days of such action.

(d) Prior to utilizing a Speech Language Pathology Assistant, the licensed Speech Language Pathologist who is responsible for his or her direction shall carefully define and delineate the role and tasks. The Speech Language Pathologist shall:
1. Define and maintain a specific line of responsibility and authority; and

2. Assure that the Speech Language Pathology Assistant is responsible only to him or her in all client-related activities.

(e) Any licensed Speech Language Pathologist may delegate specific clinical tasks to a registered Speech Language Pathology Assistant who has completed sufficient training. However, the legal, ethical, and moral responsibility to the client for all services provided, or omitted, shall remain the responsibility of the Supervising Licensee or of the licensed Speech Language Pathologist acting as supervisor in the absence of the Supervising Licensee. A Speech Language Pathology Assistant shall be clearly identified as an assistant by a badge worn during all contact with the client.

(f) When a Speech Language Pathology Assistant assists in providing treatment, a Supervising Licensee shall:
1. Provide a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of training for the competent performance of the tasks assigned. This training shall be completed during the first thirty (30) days of employment. A written plan for this training shall be submitted with registration. This training should include, but not be limited to, the following:
(i) Normal processes in speech, language, and hearing;

(ii) A general overview of disorders of speech, language, and hearing;

(iii) An overview of professional ethics and their application to the Speech Language Pathology Assistant activities;

(iv) Training for the specific job setting shall include information on:
(I) The primary speech, language, and hearing disorders treated in that setting;

(II) Response discrimination skills pertinent to the disorders to be seen;

(III) Equipment to be used in that setting;

(IV) Program administration skills, including stimulus presentation, data collection, and reporting procedures, screening procedures, and utilization of programmed instructional materials; and

(V) Behavior management skills appropriate to the population being served.

2. Evaluate each client prior to treatment.

3. Outline and direct the specific program for the clinical management of each client assigned to the Speech Language Pathology Assistant.

4. Provide direct/indirect supervision according to the following minimum standards:
(i) Provide direct supervision for the first ten (10) hours of client contact upon completion of training, provided however, that this subpart shall not apply to telephone calls or emails to clients;

(ii) Provide direct supervision of at least ten percent (10%) of a Speech Language Pathology Assistant's time each week;

(iii) Provide indirect supervision of at least twenty percent (20%) of a Speech Language Pathology Assistant's time each week;

(iv) The Supervising Licensee or any Speech Language Pathologist acting as supervisor in the absence of the Supervising Licensee shall be available at all times;

(v) All direct and indirect supervision shall be documented and shall include information on the quality of a Speech Language Pathology Assistant's performance;

(vi) Whenever the Speech Language Pathology Assistant's performance is judged to be unsatisfactory after two (2) consecutive observations, the Speech Language Pathology Assistant shall be retrained in the necessary skills. Direct supervision shall be increased to one hundred percent (100%) of all clinical sessions, until the Speech Language Pathology Assistant's performance is judged to be satisfactory over two (2) consecutive observations;

(vii) Ensure that the termination of services is initiated by the Speech Language Pathologist responsible for the client; and

(viii) Make all decisions regarding the diagnosis, management, and future disposition of the client.

5. Provide direct/indirect supervision for an individual who is completing the required one hundred (100) hours of supervised field work experience pursuant to part (3)(a)3., as follows:
(i) Fifty percent (50%) of the remaining hours must be supervised directly;

(ii) Of the hours remaining pursuant to subpart (3)(f)5.(i), at least twenty-five percent (25%) must be supervised directly; and

(iii) Any remaining hours must be supervised indirectly.

(iv) Example: If the individual needs to complete eighty (80) of the required 100 hours of supervised field work experience, the first forty (40) hours (50%) must be supervised directly. Of the remaining forty (40) hours, at least ten (10) of those hours (25%) must be supervised directly, and the remaining thirty (30) hours must be supervised indirectly.

(g) Supervision limitations.
1. Supervising Licensees shall supervise no more than three (3) individuals concurrently. Supervising Licensees may also serve as an alternate supervisor for one (1) additional SLPA.
(i) Supervising Licensees shall supervise no more than two (2) Speech Language Pathology Assistants concurrently.

(ii) Supervising Licensees shall supervise no more than three (3) Clinical Fellows concurrently.

2. Supervising Licensees shall be at least two (2) years removed from the completion of their Clinical Fellowship work.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 63-17-103, 63-17-105, 63-17-114, and 63-17-128.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Tennessee may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.