West Virginia State Characteristics of Licensure Law

Last updated June 2008

The information below is collected from state licensure boards or regulatory agencies responsible for regulating the professions of Speech-Language Pathology and/or Audiology. It is intended for informational use only, and should not be construed as legal advice.

Contact the state's licensure board or regulatory agency for exact licensure, certification, or registration requirements in your jurisdiction.

Initial Licensure Requirements

Minimum of a Master's degree or equivalent with coursework approved by CAA
Three hundred fifty clock hours of clinical practicum
Nine months of supervised postgraduate professional experience or verification of CCC's; any person who completes a clinical doctorate in audiology (AuD) and completed 75 hours of post-baccalaureate coursework from an accredited institution, is deemed to have fulfilled the postgraduate professional experience.
Passage of the national exam (score of 600 or better)

Exemptions

Physicians and surgeons
Individuals trained in hearing testing or balance system assessments under the direct supervision of a physician or surgeon
Persons employed or contracting with the state or county Board of Education or regional Education Service Agency
Credentialed teachers of the deaf
Students appropriately designated as intern or trainee
Hearing aid dealers/fitters
CAOHC technicians
Licensed persons acting within their scope of practice
Qualified non-residents who register with the board and practice speech language pathology or audiology for no more than 5 days in any calendar year

Reciprocity/Endorsement

The Board shall waive the examination requirement for:

An applicant currently licensed in another state with equivalent standards
CCC holders
A person with licensure in another state with equivalent standards and CCC holders may practice speech-language pathology or audiology in the state pending Board disposition of their applications.

Interim Practice/Temporary Licensure

Clinical fellows must obtain a provisional license and obtain 10 hours of continuing education if renewing the provision license.

Continuing Education for Licensure Renewal

Twenty clock hours of continuing education per biennium; provisional licensee must obtain 10 hours if renewing; dual licensees must obtain 30 hours per biennium.

Hearing Aid Dispensing

Audiologists may dispense hearing aids under an audiology license.

Support Personnel

Speech language pathology and audiology assistants must be register with the Board.
Speech-language pathology and audiology assistants must have an associate's or bachelor's degree from an program designed to prepare the student to be in speech-language pathology or audiology assistant; all training requirements apply including a supervised practicum, on-the-job training and demonstrated competence through out-come based measures.
Supervisors must have 2 years post-licensure clinical experience and must complete initial supervision training prior to accepting an assistant.
Supervisors may supervise no more than three full-time assistants.
Supervisors must provide direct supervision of the first 3 hours of treatment by the speech-language pathology assistant for each patient followed by a minimum of one direct observation for each subsequent 2-week period.
Supervisors must provide direct supervision of the first 10 hours of direct client contact for the audiology assistant, with direct supervision of a minimum of 10% of all subsequent client contact.
Assistants must complete 5 hours of Board approved continuing education per year for the renewal of assistant registration.

Board Oversight

West Virginia Board of Examiners of Speech & Language Pathology and Audiology

Board Composition

The Board shall comprise five members, appointed by the Governor, who have been state residents for at least 2 years; there shall be two licensed speech-language pathologists and two licensed audiologists all of whom are currently practicing or who have had 3 years of experience; the fifth member shall be a lay person who is not associated with or financially interested in the practice or business of speech-language pathology or audiology nor a member of an allied profession or occupation.