Semi-Autonomous Entities Agreement Between ASHA and CFCC

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has a semi-autonomous entities agreement with the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC). While the CFCC is largely autonomous in its decision making, the CFCC is not a separately incorporated entity, and receives significant operational and financial support from ASHA. The CFCC's level of autonomy in decision making regarding their specific charges and authority in decision making is listed below.

Charge

The CFCC establishes and maintains the certification program for clinical certification and clinical specialty certification consistent with the stated purpose and mission of ASHA.

Entry-Level Clinical Certification

Currently the CFCC offers entry-level clinical certification in audiology and speech-language pathology.

Areas of CFCC Autonomy

Full and final authority related to the following, with appropriate input from key stakeholders at ASHA and in the professions and communities of interest, in accordance with the CFCC Operating Manual:

Establishing standards and eligibility requirements for clinical certification
Establishing certification maintenance requirements of clinical certification
Development, review, and approval of policies related to certification and certification activities, giving due consideration to potential ASHA liability
Examination development
Examination administration
Examination scoring
Approval of subject matter experts (SMEs) for certification and examination activities
Appointment of chair and two practitioners of CFCC Nominating Committee
Election of CFCC Council members
Election of CFCC Officers
Appointment of one former CFCC member to a Certification Disclosure Appeal Panel
Appointment of one current CFCC member to an Ethics Appeal Panel
Authorizes the Board of Ethics to apply the Code of Ethics to certificate holders
Disciplinary determinations related to applicants for certification

ASHA's Areas of Involvement

Budget approval for certification program operations (including reasonable requests for activities that are essential to the ongoing maintenance of the program)
Appointment of two academic members of CFCC Nominating Committee
Appointment of one member of a Certification Disclosure Appeal Panel
Promotion of value of certification
Staffing, personnel decisions (e.g., salaries and benefits, hiring and terminating staff), office overhead
Management of legal issues/matters and liability avoidance

Clinical Specialty Certification

The CFCC also offers post entry-level clinical specialty certification for audiologists and speech-language pathologists.

Areas of CFCC Autonomy

Full and final authority related to the following, with appropriate input from the CFCC's Committee on Clinical Specialty Certification (CCSC) and key stakeholders at ASHA and in the professions and communities of interest, in accordance with the CCSC Policy and Procedure Manual:

Standards setting and implementation of clinical specialty certification standard
Development and implementation of policies and procedures to manage clinical specialty certification activities, giving due consideration to potential ASHA liability
Review and response to applications submitted by petitioning groups
Final decisions regarding clinical specialty board formation, probation, restoration, and withdrawal of ASHA affiliation
Monitoring compliance by each clinical specialty board with specified requirements
Development of relevant program management documents and resources

ASHA's Areas of Involvement

Budget approval for clinical specialty certification operations
Promotion of the value of clinical specialty certification
Appointment of one member of a Clinical Specialty Certification Appeal Panel for decisions related to areas of clinical specialty certification) as needed
Staffing, personnel decisions (e.g., salaries and benefits, hiring and terminating staff), office overhead
Management of legal issues/matters and liability avoidance