West Virginia 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

The speech assistant shall conduct only specific components of a speech and language delivery program under the direction and guidance of a certified speech-language pathologist. Speech assistants may execute only those tasks that are within their scope of responsibilities and that they have training and expertise to perform as determined by the West Virginia Department of Education, Office of Special Education Achievement, provide they secure the appropriate authorization. A speech assistant may be employed only in the event that no fully West Virginia-certified speech-language pathologist applied for the vacant position.

Speech assistants must receive an authorization from the West Virginia Board of Education. The applicants must

hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree in speech pathology or communication disorders from an accredited institution;
be employed by a local West Virginia Board of Education; and
receive the recommendation of the district superintendent verifying that the applicant is the most qualified candidate for the position and that no fully certified speech-language pathologist has applied for the available position.

An authorization is valid for one school year.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

Speech language pathology assistants must be registered with the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (Board).
Speech-language pathology assistants must have an associate's or bachelor's degree from an program designed to prepare the student to be in speech-language pathology; all training requirements apply including a supervised practicum, on-the-job training, and demonstrated competence through outcome based measures.
Supervisors must have two years post-licensure clinical experience and must complete initial supervision training prior to accepting an assistant.
Supervisors may supervise no more than two full-time assistants.
Supervisors must provide direct supervision of the first 3 hours of treatment by the speech-language pathology assistant for each patient followed by a minimum of one direct observation for each subsequent 2-week period.
Provide 20% direct supervision and 10% indirect supervision for the first ninety (90) days, and thereafter ensure that they have direct contact with each patient/client at least once for every two weeks of treatment provided. Supervisors shall provide 100% direct supervision of an assistant who is providing treatment to a medically fragile patient/client.
Assistants must complete 5 hours of Board-approved continuing education per year for the renewal of assistant registration.

Audiology

School Setting Requirements

Audiology support personnel are not regulated in this setting.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

Audiology assistants must be register with the Board.
Audiology assistants must have an associate's or bachelor's degree from an program designed to prepare the student to be an audiology assistant; all training requirements apply including a supervised practicum, on-the-job training and demonstrated competence through outcome based measures.
Supervisors must have two years post-licensure clinical experience and must complete initial supervision training prior to accepting an assistant.
Supervisors may supervise no more than three full-time assistants.
Provide 20% direct supervision and 10% indirect supervision for the first ninety (90) days, and thereafter ensure that they have direct contact with each patient/client at least once for every two weeks of treatment provided. Supervisors shall provide 100% direct supervision of an assistant who is providing treatment to a medically fragile patient/client.
Assistants must complete 5 hours of Board-approved continuing education per year for the renewal of assistant registration.

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:

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

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