North Carolina 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.

Audiology

School Setting Requirements

Not regulated in school settings.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

1. Audiology assistants are required to be registered by a primary supervising licensee with the licensing board.
2. Qualifications include: a high school diploma or equivalent; and a letter of certification of the assistant's competency provided by a supervising audiologist that states the the assistant meets standards established in North Carolina’s regulations.
3. Assistants conducting pure tone audiometry under general supervision by the licensee must have completed a Certified Occupational Hearing Conservationists or a program with equivalent certification requirements. If the assistant has completed training under the NC Hearing Aid Dealers and Fitters Board, then proof of successful completion of the NCHADFB exam would also meet the requirement.
4. A licensee who is employed full-time may be the primary supervisor of no more than two assistants at any one time. A licensee who is employed part-time may supervise no more than one assistant at any one time.
5. Licensees who register an assistant must be licensed in North Carolina, or hold equivalent qualifications from another state, for the previous two years prior to registering an assistant with the Board. Temporary license holders cannot register assistants.
6. Licensees must inform all patients when services are being provided by an assistant and the assistant must wear a badge that includes the job title: "Audiology Assistant.
7. Registered audiology assistants under the supervision of licensed providers are allowed to engage in telepractice under the same level of direct supervision as specified in the North Carolina laws.
8. The audiometric technician must receive appropriate instruction, including supervised practicum, in the principles and specific techniques for testing hearing in the industrial environment. The standards established by the Council for Accreditation of Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) for certified occupational hearing conservationists meet this training requirement. Where other training programs are used, the curriculum shall be in writing and available for inspection by the Board of Examiners.
9. Supervision of the audiometric technician must be vested in a licensed physician or licensed audiologist.
10. A licensed audiologist who supervises the activities of audiometric technicians, whether as employer or program consultant, must provide sufficient on-site supervision of the technicians.

Speech-Language Pathology

Beginning in November 2020, the licensing board started accepting ASHA Assistant Exam in lieu of the North Carolina SLP-Assistant administered exam. They are also still accepting passing scores on both exams for those who don’t have the ASHA Assistant Certification. 

School Setting Requirements

Speech-language pathology assistants must register with the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech and Language Pathologists and Audiologists. Qualifications include: an associate's degree in speech-language pathology assisting or completion of a bachelor's degree, as well as courses in speech-language pathology assisting developed by the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges and a passing score on a competency test approved by the Board of Examiners for Speech and Language Pathologists and Audiologists.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

1. Speech-language pathology assistants must register; qualifications include: associate's degree in speech-language pathology assisting from an accredited institution of higher learning, community college, or equivalent program; or successful completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution as well as evidence of successful completion of courses in speech-language assisting developed by the N. C. Department of Community Colleges and a passing score on a competency test approved by the Board.
2. Those who meet degree and coursework requirements must obtain a temporary speech-language pathology assistant registration, then complete the 100 hours of supervised Clinical Fieldwork. Passing the jurisprudence exam is part of meeting this requirement.
3. A licensed speech-language pathologist employed full-time may supervise no more than two assistants at any one time; a licensed speech-language pathologist employed part-time may supervise no more than one assistant at any one time.
4. The assistant must wear a badge that includes the job title "Speech-Language Pathology Assistant."
5. When services are to be rendered by an assistant, the patient or family must be informed in writing.
6. Continuing education needs are determined by the supervising SLP.
7. Registered speech and language pathology assistants under the supervision of licensed providers are allowed to engage in telepractice under the same level of direct supervision as specified in the North Carolina laws.

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:

• Laws for Speech Language Pathology Assistants
• Assistant Temporary Registration Policy
• Department of Public Instruction-Class Specifications for Noncertified Public School Employees, SLP Assistants 

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

• Support Personnel in Schools Settings [PDF]
• Support Personnel Excluding Schools Settings [PDF]

Questions regarding state advocacy issues? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.