Pennsylvania 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

The use of support personnel in schools is determined at the district level.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

1. A licensee must file the name, location, certification of education and training requirements and confirmation that the supervisor and assistant have read the appertaining statutory chapters.
2. Prior to the use of an assistant, the licensee must obtain evidence of one of the following:
1. completion of 30 semester hours or the equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education in the area of speech-language and hearing as specified for a CCC;
2. the individual has practiced as an assistant in the area of speech-language and hearing since at least June 8, 1989, under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist, audiologist, or teacher of the hearing impaired;
3. the individual has practiced as an assistant since at least June 8, 1989, under the supervision of a speech-language pathologist, audiologist, or teacher of the hearing impaired licensed in another state or DC that has requirements for assistants substantially equivalent to in-state requirements.
3. A licensee may not supervise more than 3 assistants; supervision must be direct, on-site.
4. Prior to assigning a duty to an assistant, a licensee shall perform a task analysis of the expected duties of each assistant the licensee supervises and shall then train the assistant, with an emphasis on competency-based skill acquisition; a minimum of 20 hours of practical training for each duty is required.
5. Supervisor must directly observe the assistant's performance in 25% of each clinical session and disclose to clients when services are being rendered by an assistant.

Speech-Language Pathology

School Setting Requirements

The use of support personnel in schools is determined at the district level.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

1. A licensee must file the name, location, certification of education and training requirements and confirmation that the supervisor and assistant have read the appertaining statutory chapters.
2. Prior to the use of an assistant, the licensee must obtain evidence of one of the following:
1. completion of 30 semester hours or the equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education in the area of speech-language and hearing as specified for a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC);
2. the individual has practiced as an assistant in the area of speech-language and hearing since at least June 8, 1989, under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist, audiologist, or teacher of the hearing impaired;
3. the individual has practiced as an assistant since at least June 8, 1989, under the supervision of a speech-language pathologist, audiologist, or teacher of the hearing impaired licensed in another state or DC that has requirements for assistants substantially equivalent to in-state requirements.
3. A licensee may not supervise more than 3 assistants; supervision must be direct, on-site.
4. Prior to assigning a duty to an assistant, a licensee shall perform a task analysis of the expected duties of each assistant the licensee supervises and shall then train the assistant, with an emphasis on competency-based skill acquisition; a minimum of 20 hours of practical training for each duty is required.
5. Supervisor must directly observe the assistant's performance in 25% of each clinical session and disclose to clients when services are being rendered by an assistant.

Resources

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

Laws for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology 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.