Illinois Assistants (Support Personnel) Requirements

The following information includes audiology and speech-language pathology assistants and support personnel requirements in educational and other practice settings. The information is reviewed on an annual basis. Please be advised that regulations and policy may change at any time, so always check with your state for the most up-to-date information.

Speech-Language Pathology

School Setting Requirements

Speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) may, under the supervision of licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP), provide treatment and screening services related to communication problems. SLPAs must complete an approved training program and be licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR); no Professional Educator License is required at this time.

A school district or cooperative entity may not assign an SLP with a professional educator license who is not licensed under the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act to supervise any SLPA.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

SLPAs must be licensed.
SLPAs must have good moral character and an associate's degree from a program approved by the IDFPR, a bachelor’s degree and provide proof of meeting the required coursework from an accredited college or university meeting specified requirements, or a bachelor's degree in speech-language pathology or communication sciences and disorders from a regionally accredited institution approved by IDFPR. A complete work history since completion of the degree program should also be included.
SLPAs must complete a minimum of 100 supervised field work experience hours with at least 50% of the work with clients being observed by their supervisor.
Supervisors must have at least 2 years' experience in addition to the supervised professional experience and have at least 10 clock hours of training in the supervision of SLPAs. The supervisor must have completed at least 6 clock hours of training in supervision related to speech-language pathology and must complete at least 2 clock hours of continuing education in supervision related to speech-language pathology in each new licensing cycle.
Direct supervision is required for at least 30% of client or patient time per client or patient on a weekly basis for the first 90 days of employment; at least 20% direct supervision per client or patient on a weekly basis after that. Direct supervision means on-site, in-view observation and guidance by an SLP while an assigned activity is performed by the SLPA.
A supervising SLP must be available to communicate with an SLPA whenever the assistant is in contact with a patient or client.
The assistant's scope of practice is limited to supplementing the role of an SLP.
A full-time speech-language pathologist may supervise no more than two assistants. A part-time speech-language pathologist may supervise no more than one assistant.
At least 10 clock hours of continuing education is required every two years.

Audiology

School Setting Requirements

Audiology support personnel are not regulated in this setting.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

Audiology support personnel are not regulated by the state.

Resources

For further information on laws and regulations for speech-language pathology and audiology support personnel in educational and other practice settings, please visit these websites:

School Setting Requirements:

To see where your state stands on support personnel licensure trends, please view the trends charts which are updated annually: