Licensure Alerts

Urgent Licensure Update!
In the next few days, Senator John Gordner will be formally introducing Senate Bill 1352.  It is our understanding that this bill will propose updated licensure for only audiology.  As an organization that represents both speech-language pathologists and audiologists, PSHA opposes any licensure legislation that does not update the law for both speech-language pathologists and audiologists.
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Highlighted Updates -- The Importance of Universal Licensure.

PA Licensure Update - Provisional Licensure

Breaking News

SLP Services in Schools
PSHA is receiving many questions about the provision of school-based speech-language services by other school personnel due to school districts’ decisions based on fiscal/budgetary constraints.  In an effort to answer these questions, PSHA provides the following:

Although PDE requirements allow a person holding a Bachelor’s degree in speech/language and a PA teaching certificate to work as a school-based speech therapist, such an individual is not qualified nor licensed as a speech-language pathologist, cannot bill for Medical Assistance services, and does not constitute best practices for students.

ASHA-certified or licensed SLPs can bill for Medical Assistance (ACCESS) for speech-language services.  There are specific guidelines set forth by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania regarding Medical Assistance billing, including qualifications for billable professionals and for those “under the direction” of a billable professional. (See School-based ACCESS Program at  http://www.leaderservices.com/services/pa/)

Situations such as these (i.e. under-qualified personnel providing speech/language services in the schools of the Commonwealth) underscore the importance of every speech-language pathologist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania operating under the same credentials. Currently, no license is required for employment in a school setting. Our new licensure act includes a provision for “universal licensure”.  This is a term we have coined to refer to the mandatory licensing of all speech language pathologists in Pennsylvania, regardless of practice setting. You can find up-to-date information about our efforts to obtain universal licensure on the PSHA website homepage, and under the licensure/advocacy tab.