State Licensure Trends
State Requirements For Audiologists to Dispense Hearing Aids
Thirty states permit audiologists to dispense hearing aids under an audiology license. By virtue of amending the hearing aid dealers' licensure law, the audiology licensure law, or both:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut*
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
|
- Mississippi
- New Mexico**
- New York
- Oklahoma
- Ohio
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas*
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
|
*certain conditions apply
**audiologists must obtain an endorsement to dispense hearing aids
The following twenty states and the District of Columbia require audiologists to hold HAD licensure to dispense hearing aids.
- Arizona
- California
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Missouri
- Montana
|
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
- Wyoming
|
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Issues
Opinions differ about the value of continuing education as a way to ensure continued professional competence and up-to-date knowledge and skills. Reexamination and such performance assessments as simulations, peer reviews, and audits are commonly mentioned as alternatives to the commonly utilized credit methods that characterized the majority of continued competence programs.
There is new evidence, however, that suggests that continuing education can affect behavior and make a difference in the performance of the participants. These positive effects are enhanced when the continuing education programs are carefully planned in terms of content, presentation, and outcome.
The value of continuing education as a requirement for license renewal continues to be appreciated as additional states that did not initially require mandatory continuing education provisions are now adopting such requirements.
Status
Even with additional states adopting continuing education requirements, the lack of consensus regarding mandatory continued education is reflected in the variations in the licensure laws for speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Of the 50 states that regulate audiology and/or speech-language pathology through licensure or title registration, 41 require continuing education for licensure renewal while 6 states have no such requirement.
A break-down of the hour or continuing education unit (CEU) requirement and time period specification for the 41 states that have mandatory continuing education programs are as follows:
| State |
Continuing Education Requirement |
| Alabama |
12 hours (1 CEU) in 1 year |
| Arizona |
8 hours in 1 year |
| Arkansas |
10 hours in 1 year |
| California |
12 hours for licenses that expire in 2001; thereafter 24 hours in 2 years |
| Delaware |
20 hours (2 CEUs) in 2 years |
| Florida |
30 credit hours in 2 years |
| Georgia |
25 hours in 2 years |
| Illinois |
20 hours (2 CEUs) in 2 years |
| Indiana |
36 clock hours in 2 years |
| Iowa |
30 clock hours or 3 CEUs in 2 years |
| Kansas |
20 hours (2 CEUs) in 2 years |
| Kentucky |
15 hours in 1 year |
| Louisiana |
10 hours (1 CEU) in 1 year |
| Maine |
50 clock hours in 2 years |
| Maryland |
20 hours (2 CEUs) in 2 years |
| Massachusetts |
20 hours (2 CEUs) in 2 years |
| Minnesota |
30 contact hours in 2 years |
| Mississippi |
10 hours (1 CEU) in 1 year |
| Missouri |
30 hours every 2 years (effective in 2000) |
| Montana |
40 hours (4 CEUs) in 2 years |
| Nebraska |
20 hours (2 CEUs) in 2 years |
| Nevada |
15 hours in 1 year |
| New Hampshire (SLP only) |
50 clock hours in 3 years |
| New Jersey |
20 hours (2 CEUs) in 2 years |
| New Mexico |
10 hours (1 CEU) in 1 year |
| New York |
30 hours in 3 years |
| North Dakota |
10 hours (1 CEU) in 1 year |
| Ohio |
20 hours (2 CEUs) in 2 years |
| Oklahoma |
20 hours every 2 years |
| Oregon |
10 hours (1 CEU) in 1 year |
| Pennsylvania |
20 hours in 2 years |
| Rhode Island |
20 hours in 2 years (SLPs and Audiologists) 30 hours in 2 years (dual licenses) |
| South Carolina |
32 hours in 2 years |
| South Dakota |
12 hours in 1 year |
| Tennessee |
10 hours (1 CEU) in 1 year |
| Texas |
10 hours (1 CEU) in 1 year |
| Utah |
20 hours (2 CEUs) in 2 years |
| Virginia |
30 hours in 2 years |
| West Virginia |
10 hours every 2 years |
| Wisconsin |
20 hours (2 CEUs) in 2 years |
| Wyoming |
20 hours in 1 year |
States vary in the specifics of their continuing education requirements. Such variations are readily apparent in the following examples:
- "36 clock hours may include 6 hours of self study" (Indiana)
- "20 hours must include 4 hours in the area of licensure and up to 16 hours can be in a related area" (Maryland)
- "40 hours must include 25 hours obtained through attendance at approved sponsor programs or academic course work" (Montana)
- "30 clock hours must be obtained in "face-to-face graduate level "instruction" and related to the area of licensure" (Utah)
- "50 clock hours to be earned as follows: a minimum of 25 hours in sponsored activities; maximum of 25 hours in non-sponsored activities; maximum of 15 hours in teaching; and maximum of 15 hours in writing or publishing books or articles" (Maine)
- "30 clock hours of approved continuing education directly related to the clinical practice of speech-language pathology or audiology, or take and pass the National Exam in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology" (Iowa)
ASHA CEUs are accepted by all of the states that have continuing education requirements in place, although some state licensure boards have exercised the right to accept only certain programs which are approved for ASHA CEUs. For example: Florida will only approve programs that have "direct clinical relevance" to the consumer of speech-language pathology and audiology services. Iowa accepts 12 clock hours from ASHA and requires a licensee to request specific approval for credit of additional hours.
The following 6 states that regulate audiology and/or speech-language pathology currently have NO provisions to require continuing education for license renewal:
- Alaska
- Colorado
- Connecticut
|
- Hawaii
- North Carolina
- Washington
|
For further information on specific state requirements, please contact the individual licensure boards.
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50 states regulate 1 or both professions. 50 states regulate AUDs. 47 states regulate SLPs.
- 3 states do not regulate SLPs:
- Colorado
- Michigan
- South Dakota
47 states regulate both AUDs and SLPs
- all but 1 state currently regulates via licensure, which protects both practice and titles.
|
|
Regulates via registration, which is NOT required to practice the profession. However, persons who want to use the protected title must meet certain requirements and be registered. |
41 states require continuing education for license renewal.
12 states require school-based AUDs/SLPs to be licensed:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Kansas
- Indiana
- Louisiana
|
- Masssachusetts
- Montana
- New Mexico
- Ohio
- Texas
- Vermont
|
State Teacher Credentialing
At the present time there are 12 states in which individuals must hold a state license in speech-language pathology to work in any setting, including schools. These states are Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Kansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas and Vermont. In the remaining states, individuals must obtain a separate credential issued by each state's department of education to provide services in the public schools. In many cases, audiologists in the public schools are contract employees and do not fall under the purview of the state department of education. State licensure is then typically required for practice.
Overview of School Speech-Language Pathology Requirements for Initial Employment
State Licensure Required (12 States)
|
1. Connecticut
2. Delaware
3. Hawaii
4. Indiana (effective July 2005)
5. Kansas
6. Louisiana
|
7. Massachusetts
8. Montana
9. New Mexico
10. Ohio
11. Texas
12. Vermont |
Master's Degree Required (29 States + DC)
|
1. Alaska
2. Arkansas
3. California
4. District of Columbia
5. Georgia
6. Idaho
7. Illinois
8. Iowa
9. Kentucky
10. Maryland
11. Michigan
12. Minnesota
13. Mississippi
14. Missouri
15. Nebraska |
16. New Hampshire
17. New Jersey
18. North Carolina
19. North Dakota
20. Oklahoma
21. Rhode Island
22. South Dakota
23. Tennessee
24. Utah
25. Vermont
26. Virginia
27. Washington
28. West Virginia
29. Wisconsin
30. Wyoming
|
Provisional License with a Bachelor's Degree (5 States)
(Master's must be attained within three to five years)
1. Colorado
2. Florida
3. Maine
4. New York
5. South Carolina
Full License with a Bachelor's Degree + (1 State)
1. Oregon
Full License with a Bachelor's Degree (4 States)
1. Alabama
2. Arizona
3. Nevada
4. Pennsylvania
Overview of School Audiology Requirements for Initial Employment
Note: States marked with an asterisk (*) indicate states in which there are several possible routes to obtaining a department of education credential and may appear in more than one category.
State Licensure Required (18 States)
|
1. Delaware
2. Georgia *
3. Hawaii
4. Illinois
5. Iowa *
6. Louisiana
7. Maryland
8. Montana
9. New Jersey |
10. New Mexico
11. New York
12. North Carolina *
13. Ohio
14. South Carolina
15. Texas
16. Vermont
17. Virginia
18. Kansas |
Teacher Certification Required (Includes master's degree) (14 States + DC)
1. Alaska
2. California
3. Colorado
4. District of Columbia
5. Idaho
6. Indiana
7. Iowa *
8. Mississippi |
9. Nebraska
10. Nevada *
11. North Carolina *
12. South Dakota
13. Utah
14. Washington
15. Wisconsin |
ASHA Certification (4 States)
1. Georgia *
2. Michigan
3. Nevada *
4. North Carolina *
Master's Degree Only - No licensure or certification requirement (1 State)
1. Wyoming
No Provision (18 States)
1. Alabama
2. Arizona
3. Arkansas
4. Connecticut
5. Florida
6. Kentucky
7. Maine
8. Massachusetts
9. Minnesota |
10. Missouri
11. New Hampshire
12. North Dakota
13. Oklahoma
14. Oregon
15. Pennsylvania
16. Rhode Island
17. Tennessee
18. West Virginia |
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