Professional organization for Speech-Language Pathologists:
Contributed by:
Janet Brown, MA CCC-SLP, and Penny Gershman, MS, CCC-SLP, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Janet Brown, MA CCC-SLP, and Penny Gershman, MS, CCC-SLP, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Who is a Speech-Language Pathologist?
A Speech-Language Pathologist is a professional who is educated and trained to assess and treat speech, language, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders.
What does a Speech-Language Pathologist do?
A Speech-Language Pathologist:
What education, training, and experience must one have to function as a Speech-Language Pathologist?
Speech-Language Pathologists certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) hold a master’s or doctoral degree. They have earned 75 credit hours (at least 36 at the graduate level) from an accredited program in communication sciences and disorders. They have completed a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience in the practice of speech-language pathology. Twenty-five hours must be spent in clinical observation, and 375 hours must be spent in direct client/patient contact. In addition, they have passed a national examination and completed a nine-month supervised clinical fellowship.
How and by whom is a Speech-Language Pathologist supervised?
During the clinical fellowship, the Speech-Language Pathologist is supervised by a Speech-Language Pathologist who holds a current Certificate of Clinical Competency (CCC-SLP) from ASHA. Certified Speech-Language Pathologists practice independently.
What are the typical day-to-day activities of a Speech-Language Pathologist?
In health care settings, Speech-Language Pathologists provide and document screenings, assessments, and treatments for individuals with speech, language, cognitive-communication, and swallowing problems. They may perform instrumental assessments, such as videofluoroscopic swallowing studies, in collaboration with radiologists. They may also perform endoscopy or other procedures as part of the assessment of voice and swallowing disorders. Treatment may be provided individually or in groups. Speech-Language Pathologists participate in team and family conferences and collaborate with other professionals, including physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and social workers. They may also conduct research.
Must a Speech-Language Pathologist be licensed or certified to function in his or her role as part of a health care team?
Speech-Language Pathologists must hold state licensure in order to provide services in health care settings in the 47 states that offer licensure currently. State licensure typically is based on the requirements for ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). Requirements for the CCC include:
What types of patients would benefit from the care of a Speech-Language Pathologist?
Infants, children, adults, and senior citizens with speech, language, cognitive-communication, or swallowing disorders could benefit from the care of a Speech-Language Pathologist. Medical diagnoses frequently associated with these disorders in adults include:
Communication disorders include aphasia, dysarthria, apraxia, and cognitive-communication disorders such as impairments in memory, attention, judgment, social pragmatics, and executive functioning.
In children, causes of communication and swallowing disorders include premature birth; craniofacial or other anomalies; and neurological, respiratory, or gastrointestinal disorders. These can include autism, cleft palate, cerebral palsy, and developmental delays.
How and when does a Speech-Language Pathologist become involved in the care of a patient?
In a health care setting, a Speech-Language Pathologist is consulted by the referring physician when a patient exhibits speech, language, cognitive-communication, or swallowing difficulties. This may be determined by routine screenings, incoming reports, or medical evaluations. In some cases, patients may self-refer for evaluation by a Speech-Language Pathologist or be referred by an external source, such as an early intervention agency.
