Oregon 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 by the state.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

Not regulated by the state.

Speech-Language Pathology

School Setting Requirements

All speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs), including those working in the schools, must be certified by the state licensure board. The Teacher Standards and Practices Commission does not license, register, or certify, speech-language pathology assistants.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

1. All SLPAs (including those working in the schools, known as educational assistants) must be certified by the state licensure board. Individuals applying on or before August 31, 2021, must provide official transcripts showing 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours of speech-language pathology technical coursework and official transcripts showing 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours of general education credits and written evidence of 100 clock contact hours of clinical interaction and 8 hours of consultation and assessment over a recommended 8–12 week period..
2. All SLPAs must have one of the following degrees from a regionally-accredited program
   1. Associate’s degree in speech-language pathology assisting, or
   2. Bachelor’s degree in communication sciences or disorders, or
   3. Post baccalaureate certificate in communication sciences and disorders
3. All SLPAs must complete clinical fieldwork consisting of a minimum of 100 clock hours of clinical interaction and 8 hours of consultation and assessment over a recommended 8–12 week period. Clinical interaction must be face-to-face interaction with clients and directly supervised 100% of the time. The supervisor must have held their ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence while supervising the SLPA. The supervisor must also have at least two years of professional speech-language pathology work experience following completion of their graduate degree in speech-language pathology or communication disorders. The supervising speech-language pathologist (SLP) must also have a minimum of two hours of qualifying professional development regarding speech-language pathology assistant supervision on file with the licensure board office.
4. The amount and type of supervision required will be based on the skills and experience of the SLPA. A minimum of one hour per month of consultative supervision time must be documented for each SLPA.  Every 60 days the SLP must treat, or cotreat with the SLPA, every patient/client/student on the SLPs caseload.
5. The caseload belongs to the SLP. The supervising speech-language pathologist must be able to be reached at all times and may supervise 2 full-time SLPAs. One year exemptions can apply to certain educational facilities allowing a licensed speech-language pathologist to supervise up to four full-time equivalent certified speech-language pathology assistants.
6. In remote geographic areas of the state or in other situations with severe shortages of licensed personnel, where direct supervision requirements cannot be met by an on-site SLP, educational facilities may apply for a one year exemption from certain requirements for supervision of certified SLPAs. During the exemption period, a licensed speech-language pathologist may supervise up to four full-time equivalent certified speech-language pathology assistants.
7. Each assistant must complete 7.5 hours of professional development within the 12 months prior to application. 

Temporary License-Provisional SLPA Certificate

1. A provisional SLPA certificate is a temporary license certificate issued by the Licensure Board to SLPAs who have completed 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours of speech-language pathology technical course work; and 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours of general education credit while they are actively engaged in completing the clinical fieldwork hours outside of an academic program.
2. A provisional SLPA certificate may be issued for up to 180 days. It may be renewed once. A provisional certificate may be upgraded to a regular SLPA certificate.
3. A holder of a provisional SLPA certificate must be directly supervised 100% of the time they are engaged in clinical fieldwork. The supervisor must be qualified and the clinical fieldwork documented.
4. A holder of a provisional SLPA certificate must clearly identify themselves as a "provisional speech-language pathology assistant," and may not hold a job title of or be employed as a "speech-language pathology assistant." The provisional certificate holder may be employed in a unlicensed position such as educational assistant, may be paid a stipend, or may be uncompensated.

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 and Regulations for Speech Language Pathology Assistants:

• Chapter 681—Hearing, Speech, Music Therapy and Art Therapy Professionals
• Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Rules

To see where your state stands on support personnel licensure trends, please view the trend chart which is updated at the end of each calendar year:

• 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.