The Maryland legislature unanimously approved S.B. 340 and H.B. 326 which require audiologists and speech-language pathologists to hold state licensure regardless of practice setting. The bills have not yet been signed by Governor O'Malley. ASHA strongly supports efforts by states to update their practice acts to reflect this emerging trend. Currently, 12 states require school practitioners to comply with state licensure requirements and other states are pursuing similar legislation during the 2007 legislative sessions.
By requiring uniformity across settings, this law ensures that Maryland consumers are able to select practitioners of choice from a greater pool of licensees, enhances the value of the license by facilitating the ease of transition from one state to another, and encourages practitioners from other states to relocate to Maryland. In addition to universal licensure, the bill also requires a doctoral degree for new applicants in audiology and directs the Maryland State Licensure Board to adopt regulations for telehealth services.
ASHA worked closely with the Maryland Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Maryland Licensure Board, providing testimony and amendment language for Maryland's new licensure standards. One amendment included program accreditation by either the Council of Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) or the Accreditation Commission of Audiology Education (ACAE). While ASHA supported the vast majority of amendments to the licensure legislation as proposed by the licensure board, it voiced strong opposition to the inclusion of the ACAE. The ACAE is not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as an accrediting agency for entry level programs in audiology.
For further information, please contact Janet Deppe, ASHA's Director of State Advocacy, via e-mail at jdeppe@asha.org or by phone at 800-498-2071, ext. 4151.