L. B. E. S. P. A.
Louisiana Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
Summer 2001
Printed Newsletter Editor: Gay T. Vekovius / Online Newsletter Editor: Erica L. Dyeson
Check out www.lbespa.org. It is your portal to the Board office, available even after-hours. Here's what you can find:
 |
The
Practice Act and The Rules, Regulations and Procedures |
|
The Video Catalogue with ordering instructions |
|
Board Members and Staff |
|
Your own license information |
|
LBESPA's entire database, updated monthly |
|
Documents
and forms |
A free version of Adobe Reader is available on the website, Licensing Page, to use when downloading documents and forms.
In addition you can link to other professional sites through the LBESPA website. ‘Links’ available are:
|
Louisiana Department of Education |
|
Louisiana Speech-Language Hearing-Association (LSHA) |
|
Speech Pathologists and Audiologists in Louisiana Schools (SPALS) |
|
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) |
Dr. Timothy Dyeson, webservant extraordinaire, constructed and maintains the website on a daily basis. The email address is aud-speech@lbespa.org for sending comments, suggestions, questions and requests.
WE'VE MOVED...AGAIN
The Board’s office moved to a new location on May 4, 2001. Since 1996, the office has been on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Board shares staff, space, some consultants, and equipment with two other professional boards, the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners and the Louisiana Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition.
Due to a law change in social work and an increase in the number of licensees across the professions, the Boards needed a larger facility. The new office contains 3,000 square feet of space.
The office is conveniently located. Call for directions or visit the website (lbespa.org) if you need to go to the office. The new address and telephone numbers are below. Office hours are the same: 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
18550 Highland Road, Suite B
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809
Telephone: 225-756-3480
Fax: 225-756-3472
Clarifying the Role of the SLP--Hearing Services
A request was recently made that the Board clarify the role of the speech-language pathologist in the provision of hearing services.
Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 37. Professions and Occupations, Chapter 34. Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology states, ‘Practice of Speech-Language pathology may include performing a hearing screening limited to a pass/fail determination for the purpose of identifying or referring individuals suspected of having disorders of hearing.’
Title 46 of the Louisiana Administrative Code covers professional and occupational standards for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and provides the Rules and Regulations for implementing licensure in Louisiana. It provides further clarification: ‘Hearing screening consists of pure-tone air conduction screening, and screening tests of auditory function such as tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing, for the purpose of the initial identification and/or referral of individuals with suspected hearing problems and/or middle ear pathology.’
Section 107 of Louisiana’s Rules and Regulations, addressing qualifications for licensure, goes on to say that licensed speech-language pathology assistants and provisional speech-language pathology assistants may ‘perform hearing screenings limited to a pass/fail determination, for the purpose of initial identification of disorders following specified protocols approved by the supervising speech-language pathologist and shall be supervised in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Board.’ Section 301 adds that aides ‘may perform hearing screenings limited to pure-tone air conduction screening and screening tympanometry’ if preparation, training and supervision are appropriate.
The Bottom Line: Based on Louisiana=s statute and accompanying rules and regulations, it is interpreted that appropriately licensed speech-language pathologists can provide audiological screenings, but it is not within the scope of practice for a speech-language pathologist to do audiological threshold testing or other diagnostic audiological test procedures.
5th Annual Continuing Education Conference
LBESPA=S 5TH Continuing Education Program, held April 28, 2001 in Baton Rouge, was the best attended ever. There were 119 SLPs and 29 AUDs. The audiology speakers were: Barbara Wendt-Harris, Ph.D., L-AUD, C. Robin Morehouse, M.S., L-AUD, Peggy Pollack, M.C.D., L-AUD, and Wendy Jumonville, M.S., L-AUD. Speakers for speech-language pathology were: Amelia Hudson, Ph.D., L-SLP, Jerri Reeves, M.S., L-SLP, Daphne Washington, M.A., L-SLP, and Susan Rampp, M.C.D., L-SLP.
Colleen Hruska, M.S., L-AUD, luncheon speaker, spoke on ‘Patient Advocacy.’ She shared personal experiences concerning her child, who is hearing impaired.
LBESPA officially designated the luncheon as the ‘Flower Hour’ in honor of Yvonne Fowler, Administrative Assistant, who retired in June 2000. Yvonne organized and monitored continuing education programs for the Board for more than ten years.
REGULATION FACTS
| 47 states regulate SLP, AUD or both |
| 3 states have no regulation, Idaho, Michigan and Vermont |
| 45 states regulate through licensure; 2 regulate through registration or certification (Colorado and Minnesota, Colorado and South Dakota regulate audiology only) |
| Florida was the first state to implement licensure in 1969; the most recent was South Dakota in 1997 |
| 40 states have mandatory continuing education requirements |
|
Most states exempt physicians, students, nurses, hearing aid fitters, and federal employees, but 15 have exemption-free licensure (AZ, CN, DE, HI, IL, KS, KY, LA, MD, MS, MT, NH, NM, SD, WA) |
The information presented above was obtained from a summer 2000 survey conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question: I attended the LSHA Convention in June, but I already had my continuing education hours for renewal. Can I use these hours the next time I have to renew my license?
Answer: Yes, According to Rule 115.3., ‘Continuing Education events occurring in the month of June will be accepted for the collection period in which they occur or they may be counted in the following collection period which begins on July 1. Hours from one (1) event may not be divided between two (2) collection periods.’
Question: Have the supervision requirements for restricted and provisional licensees changed?
Answer: Yes, included in the rules revision adopted by LBESPA in January 2001 is a requirement for quarterly on-site, in-view observations for 12-month employees who hold a restricted or provisional license. For 9-month employees, there must be at least 2 on-site, in-view observations each semester. (Reference: Rule 119.C.)
Question: How can I obtain continuing education units near the end of the renewal period when conference attendance is a problem?
Answer: To finish up your hours LBESPA has 2 policies that may help. 1. LBESPA does not require pre-approval for videotapes from the LBESPA Video Library. 2. LBESPA will consider a written request for an extension to complete continuing education hours in the event that extenuating circumstances prevent you from obtaining your hours.
Question: I am a speech-language pathology assistant. Last year my school district did not assign a licensed SLP to supervise me until after the school year started, and I had begun to see children. Am I placing my license in jeopardy if this happens again this year?
Answer: Yes, An assistant must be supervised weekly and cannot independently perform many of the tasks that would be expected at the beginning of the school year. Assistants may not perform activities with patients/students unless appropriate supervision is being provided in accordance with the Rules, Regulatins and Procedures.
License Count
Here are the numbers of current licensees.
| Audiology |
66 |
| Audiology/HA dispensing |
152 |
| Audiology/Provisional HA dispensing |
8 |
| Provisional Audiology |
1 |
| Provisional Audiology/HA dispensing |
7 |
| Restricted Audiology |
2 |
| Speech-Language Pathology |
2080 |
| Provisional Speech-Language Pathology |
129 |
| Restricted Speech-Language Pathology |
210 |
| Speech-Language Pathology Assistant |
165 |
| Provisional Speech-Language Pathology Assistant |
28 |
OPEN BOOK EXAMINATION
The individuals listed below practiced more than 10 days in the State of Louisiana without applying for a license in accordance with LA R.S. 37:2652. By Board rule, these individuals were required to take and pass an Open Book Examination on the Practice Act, Rules, Regulations and Procedures, and Ethical Standards in order to receive their license:
|
Mary Kenney, Provisional Audiology/HA dispensing |
|
Lorraine LeBlanc, Audiology/HA dispensing |
|
Gregory W. Lilley, Audiology/HA dispensing |
|
Christi D. Raper, Provisional Speech-Language Pathology |
MEETING DATES FOR 2001
The Licensure Board has had 5 meetings this year: January 5, March 5, April 27, June 15, and August 10. Highlights of these meetings are available on the website: http://www.lbespa.org.
Remaining Board Meeting Dates
|
October 12, 2001--Board Office-Baton Rouge, LA |
|
December 7, 2001--New Orleans, LA |
These meetings are open to the public unless the Board goes into Executive Session.
Board meetings are open to the public. Please contact the Board office for additional information for any meeting which you wish to attend.
|
Glenn M. Waguespack, L-AUD, Chair |
|
Kerrilyn Phillips, L-SLP, Vice-Chair |
|
Annie Mouton, L-SLP, Secretary/Treasurer |
|
Melinda Peat, L-AUD, Board Member |
|
Theresa H. Rodgers, L-SLP, Board Member |
|
Hope D. Hebert, Public Member |
|
Lawrence Braud, M.D., Medical Advisor |
CONTACT LBESPA
LBESPA
18550 Highland Road, Suite B
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
(225) 756-3480 Telephone
(225) 756-3472 Fax
Email: aud-slp@lbespa.org
Website: www.lbespa.org
Staff:
|
Suzanne Pevey, Administrator |
|
Judy Graham, Administrative Assistant |
|
Deborah Pratt, Clerical Assistant |
|
Terry Martin, Clerical Assistant |
|
Newsletter Editor: Gay T. Vekovius |
NEW LICENSEES (Oct.1, 2000-June 30, 2001)
|
Aaron, Jane |
Aevermann, Marcia |
Ambres, Bernetta |
Anderson, Sharon |
|
Arbour, Lauren |
Authorlee, Paula |
Bailey, Christy |
Begneud, Karen |
|
Belue, Kimberly |
Blanks, Lori |
Branton, Lucie |
Brasseaux, Margaret |
|
Broussard, Laura |
Burke, Alice |
Burvant Karin |
Byrd, Erin |
|
Caldwell, Jessica |
Chighizola, Allison |
Costanza, Anna |
Crochet, Selena |
|
Cupstid, Lynnly |
Daniel, Kelly |
Deibel, Leanne |
Deville, Vanessa |
|
Diebell, Leanne |
Dittes, Julie |
Dumars, Marsha |
Dupont, Jeanne |
|
Edie, Gail |
Edmonson, Julia |
Ellington, Cynthia |
Falcon, Patricia |
|
Finley, Kathleen |
Frasier, Jerrilyn |
Frasier, Jerrilyn |
Galmon,Keisia |
|
Gandy, Natalie |
Gaudet, Jill |
Gnann, Anna |
Guarino, Monica |
|
Hader, Keescha |
Hall-Carter, Constance |
Harvey, Kacie |
Hawkins-Hall, Tiffany |
|
Hawley, Holly |
Himel, Tessa |
Hotard, Mark |
Hotard, Mark |
|
Hubbard, Cheri |
Jones, Emma |
Joseph, Varron |
Kelly, Doreen |
|
Kennedy, Lanette |
Kronlage, Angelea |
Landry, Shellie |
Langlinais, Leah |
|
Langlois, Juliane |
LeBlanc, Lorraine |
Leboeuf, Courtney |
Lemmond, Tina |
|
Levert, Elizabeth |
Liotta, Michelle |
Madix, Steven |
Maggio, Erin |
|
Markson, Donna |