Speech-Language Pathology Assistants Research Articles

The Effects of Practice-Based Coaching on the Implementation of Shared Book Reading Strategies for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants and Paraeducators Working With Children With Language Delays

This study examined the effects of practice-based coaching with scripted supports designed to support paraeducators and speech-language pathology assistants (SLP-As) as they implement evidence-based shared book reading strategies with preschoolers with language delays. A single-case, multiple baseline across behaviors was employed. Five U.S. educators (three SLP-As and two paraeducators) participated in the study. The primary dependent variable was percentage of strategies correctly implemented; the secondary dependent variable was expressive and receptive vocabulary. Results demonstrate that all five educators were able to successfully implement the strategies with high and consistent levels of fidelity during the intervention and maintained similar levels of fidelity even after coaching and scripted supports were faded or removed. All five preschool participants showed gains in both expressive and receptive vocabulary. Social validity results support the feasibility and usefulness of the intervention. Implications for research and practice are provided.

Forum Introduction: Promoting Equity in Speech-Language Services With Indigenous Children.

Forum Introduction: Promoting Equity in Speech-Language Services With Indigenous Children.

Creating opportunities for telehealth education, assessment, and care through Hotspotting (CO-TEACH): An interprofessional telehealth delivery curriculum and guide

Telehealth offers a healthcare solution when functional, social, or geographic barriers arise; however, many clinical education curricula are ill-equipped to prepare learners for effective, multidisciplinary telehealth consultations. The COVID-19 pandemic drastically expanded reliance on telehealth in clinical practice and highlighted the urgent need to educate students across health professions in telehealth delivery. To address this educational gap, student and faculty collaborators from Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill utilized a developmental evaluation approach to rapidly design and pilot a compact, five-session, virtual curriculum to train students from a broad range of health professions in telehealth delivery. Through focused readings, large group didactics, and small group discussion, the curriculum provided a general overview of telehealth, addressed specific issues in health equity and access in virtual care both locally and nationally, introduced skills for conducting telehealth visits, and employed a patient simulation for students to practice their newly learned skills. The curriculum was delivered virtually over eight weeks to 36 students from ten health professions programs (occupational therapy, social work, pharmacy, audiology, speech-language pathology, dentistry, medicine, nursing, physical therapy, and physician assistants) across two universities. End-of-course feedback surveys identified that students most valued the opportunity to work with learners from different professions, practical instruction for telehealth, and a standardized patient experience. On post-course surveys students reported high self-efficacy in their telehealth competencies and indicated very positive attitudes toward interprofessional education. Overall, the compact nature of this curriculum facilitates adaptability to other student-led groups.

Treatment of Speech Sound Errors in Cleft Palate: A Tutorial for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants

Cleft palate is one of the most common birth defects in the United States. Most of these children receive speech therapy by preschool and school-based clinicians. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive tutorial for speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) regarding treatment techniques and principles for children with cleft palate. It has been reported that 68% of preschoolers with repaired cleft palate received speech therapy. Preschool and school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have reported a strong desire for practical professional development and continuing education resources regarding treatment of children with cleft palate. Thus, it seems likely that SLPAs may feel similarly unequipped to provide effective treatment for children with cleft palate. Obligatory and learned speech errors commonly found in children with cleft palate are described. Elicitation strategies for compensatory articulations are detailed. The implementation of evidence-based articulation and phonological treatment approaches is described in a step-by-step manner. "Red flags" that may arise during treatment and require input from the supervising SLP are highlighted. SLPAs will learn elicitation techniques for compensatory articulations and implement evidence-based treatment approaches to improve the speech accuracy of children with cleft palate. It is important for all school-based clinicians to be familiar with speech therapy for individuals with cleft palate.

Practice-Based Coaching for Speech-Language Pathologists Supporting Paraeducators and Speech-Language Pathology Assistants.

This tutorial is designed for speech-language pathologists who supervise speech-language pathology assistants (SLP-As) and/ or paraeducators. SLP-As and paraeducators often support young children with disabilities within early childhood settings, but do not always have access to professional development to learn and/or enhance their skill set. Practice-based coaching (PBC) provides a collaborative framework under which professionals can effectively implement instructional strategies with fidelity to support preschool children with language delays. In this tutorial, we will share the components of PBC including implementation materials that can be immediately utilized by SLPs. We will also share methods for embedding effective vocabulary instruction into shared book reading sessions to ensure early literacy instruction is more accessible to learners with varying educational needs.

“Getting Back Into School Mode”: Experiences of Former Speech-Language Pathology Assistants in Graduate School

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe the speech-language pathology master's program experience for two groups of students: students with former speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) experience (fSLPA) and students without SLPA experience (nSLPA). Results are relevant to current SLPAs who are considering attending graduate school and university faculty members involved in program design. Method: A survey was distributed electronically to students nationwide. The survey included both Likert-style questions and open-ended responses. A total of 85 student responses were included in data, 43 fSLPAs and 42 nSLPAs. Qualitative and quantitative results were analyzed separately and then synthesized together in a mixed-methods analysis. Results: Although the study was not designed to directly measure stressors, bottom-up qualitative analysis resulted in a framework of internal and external stressors, internal and external supports, and learning and growing. Stressors and supports were described by participants as intertwined, and a given event (e.g., the start of clinical rotations) did not map neatly to stressors or supports for all participants. fSLPAs reported higher perceptions of clinical success, feeling different than their peers, and the perception that fSLPAs were more successful in graduate school. Taken together, these results converged to develop seven findings. For instance, one finding was that, although both groups reported external and internal stressors, the specific stressors somewhat varied by group. Conclusions: Findings are discussed in relation to transformational learning theory and prior works on stress within the field. Implications for program development and prospective speech-language pathology graduate students are discussed.

Tutorial: Data Collection and Documentation Strategies for Speech-Language Pathologist/Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Teams.

This tutorial outlines an approach for best practices for speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) to collect data and document services. The tutorial outlines methods for developing accurate and effective data collection skills and provides instructions and tools for collecting various types of data. The authors discuss the importance of data collection as it relates to the roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and SLPAs. The process of planning for data collection, recording the data, and reporting data to the supervising SLP is outlined. Developing competence with a wide variety of data collection methods, data types, and documentation tools will assist SLPAs to accurately communicate the results of the services they provide, therefore enhancing the SLP's ability to make well-informed clinical decisions for the student. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.20277726.

Genesis of a New Generation of Telepractitioners: The COVID-19 Pandemic and Pediatric Speech-Language Pathology Services.

Purpose In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a worldwide shift from in-person care to synchronous videoconferencing or telehealth. Many barriers to remote service delivery were eliminated, effectively creating a new generation of telepractitioners. This study chronicles changes in speech-language pathology clinicians' use and perceptions of telehealth with pediatric populations. Method The Telehealth Services: Pediatric Provider Survey was created in multiple steps and then distributed broadly through social media and professional community sites. Respondents were speech-language pathologists and speech-language pathology assistants in a variety of employment settings from across the country and abroad who were serving primarily pediatric clients (n = 269). Survey questions sought to capture changes in speech-language pathology clinicians' experiences with and perceptions of telehealth before, during, and predictions after the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses identified factors that influenced the use of telehealth services before and after March 2020 (COVID-19). Results Survey results documented the dramatic increase in telehealth use from before March 2020 to October 2020. The reasons pediatric speech-language pathology clinicians used telehealth during the pandemic were mostly a result of employer mandates or lowering infection risk for both client and clinician; however, over time, pediatric speech-language pathology clinicians increased their telehealth proficiency and discovered the benefits of telehealth. Conclusion The adoption of telehealth and the rapid improvement in proficiency is a testament to the resiliency of providers and has long-term effects on the use of telehealth into the future. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.15183690.

Wieloaspektowa rola logopedów w USA

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is a professional association that supports professionals that provide services across a broad range of communication sciences and disorders including speech-language pathologists, audiologists, speech, language and hearing scientists and support personnel including speech-language pathology assistants and audiology assistants. ASHA’s key areas of focus for the future of speech-language pathology includes educating members and faculty to prepare graduate students for practice in these changed arenas. The purpose of the article is to show how ASHA is actively involved globally and locally in establishing standards and providing services in several domains including prevention and wellness, screening, assessment, treatment, collaboration with other professionals, counselling and modalities, technology and instrumentation as well as population and systems.

Finding Answers Regarding the 2 R's of Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPA) Supervision: Regulations and Recommendations

The use of support personnel has the potential to help alleviate the national shortage of speech-language pathologists (SLPs). However, ensuring the proper use of support personnel can be challenging for supervisors due to differences in the regulations and requirements pertaining to speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs). The purpose of this article is to review current regulations and recommendations regarding the supervision and use of support personnel in the field of speech-language pathology. Findings suggest that there are significant national variations in SLPA requirements. Supervisors can approach supervision by first investigating their state/local regulations regarding SLPAs and then familiarize themselves with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA's) recommendations (which are highlighted in this article) for further guidance and clarification in this area. In light of the national inconsistencies in SLPA requirements, SLPAs and their supervisors are encouraged to advocate for more resources and to explore the concept of national standards as a possible way to address critical issues impacting the work of SLPAs and their supervisors.

Special Interest Group 11, Administration and Supervision

You have accessThe ASHA LeaderSIG Spotlight1 Jan 2016Special Interest Group 11, Administration and Supervision Christi MastersMS, CCC-SLP, SIG 11 coordinator Christi Masters Google Scholar More articles by this author , MS, CCC-SLP, SIG 11 coordinator https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.SIGS.21012016.np SectionsAbout ToolsAdd to favorites ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In How many affiliates does your SIG have? SIG 11 has 1,402 affiliates. Is there an important new issue surrounding your SIG’s subject matter right now? Highlight a timely event or trend. SIG 11 had an amazing affiliates meeting during the 2015 ASHA Convention in Denver, and we also have several projects in the works. An important issue in the field right now is the streamlining of information and standards concerning clinical education and supervision. We want to shed light on ASHA’s recently published Practice Portal page on this topic: Clinical Education and Supervision. This page offers vetted information and resources to facilitate decisions associated with educating and supervising graduate student clinicians in university and off-site settings. We encourage everyone, especially students, supervisors and administrators, to learn more about this topic. What upcoming events related to or sponsored by your SIG should everyone know about? Chats, conferences or convention events? SIG 11 was excited to host an invited session at the 2015 ASHA Convention called “Launching a Funded Research Program in Clinical Education and Supervision: Theories, Tips and Tricks,” presented by Stella Ng. Participants in the well-attended session said they came away with new ideas. You can access Ng’s handout on the ASHA website program planner. We are also excited to announce that SIG 11’s upcoming issue of Perspectives will feature a theme: “Supervision Bootcamp.” Stakeholders in clinical entry-level programs should find the clinical supervision-related articles in this issue to be helpful. Which of your recent Perspectives articles is a must-read for CSD professionals, and why? The article “An International Perspective on Speech-Language Pathology Assistants” is a must-read. The authors, Jennifer Ostergren and Sara Aguilar, provide us with an international, evidence-based review of the effectiveness of SLP assistants, including pertinent information related to both training and supervision. We highly recommend this article for affiliates in all SIGs. Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Additional Resources FiguresSourcesRelatedDetails Volume 21Issue 1January 2016 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in print: Jan 1, 2016 Metrics Current downloads: 134 Topicsleader_do_tagasha-article-typesleader-topicsCopyright & Permissions© 2016 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...

An International Perspective on Speech-Language Pathology Assistants

In 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank highlighted several pressing concerns in the area of service provision to individuals with disabilities, including a global shortage of rehabilitation personnel. The use of mid-level workers was recommended as one strategy for improving human resource capacity in this area. In the United States, speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) are one type of mid-level worker that has received recent attention. The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) updated its policy statement on SLPAs in 2013 and also implemented a voluntary affiliation for assistants in 2011. Unfortunately, a paucity of research exists in the United States on this topic. Internationally, however, researchers have reported on the topic of assistants in the field of speech-language pathology. This manuscript serves as an integrative review of the research literature on the topic of assistants in the field of speech-language pathology from an international perspective, including information on the effectiveness of assistants in service provision, important elements related to their training and supervision, opinions from supervisors on this topic, and novel extensions of assistant services to areas such as cross-disciplinary tasks and telerehabilitation.

Building Respect, One Colleague at a Time

Speech-language pathology assistants may struggle with the issue of professional respect, especially in states just beginning to recognize their role. Here’s how the first SLPA in Oklahoma meets this challenge head on.

A Survey of Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) in California: Current Trends in Demographics, Employment, Supervision, and Training

A Survey of Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) in California: Current Trends in Demographics, Employment, Supervision, and Training

School SLPs Brace for Change

School SLPs Brace for Change

Health Care Change Ahead: Are You Ready?

Health Care Change Ahead: Are You Ready?

ASHA Advocacy to Focus on Funding Issues

You have accessThe ASHA LeaderASHA News1 Nov 2011ASHA Advocacy to Focus on Funding Issues George Lyons Jr.JD, MBA George Lyons Jr. Google Scholar More articles by this author , JD, MBA https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.AN2.16152011.28 SectionsAbout ToolsAdd to favorites ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In As Congress, regulatory agencies, and states seek to curtail spending in an election year, ASHA’s advocacy efforts in 2012 will focus on maintaining funding for speech-language and hearing service providers and consumers through public health and education programs. The association’s 2012 public policy agenda, approved by the Board of Directors in October, outlines advocacy priority areas for the second session of the 112th Congress. The Government Relations and Public Policy Board developed the 2012 agenda with input from state association presidents and ASHA committees, staff, and members (2,286 of whom responded to the survey seeking input and/or provided comments). The agenda ranks issues into two categories—proactive and opportunistic advocacy—based on their significance, available resources, and likelihood of advocacy success: ASHA will actively commit resources to achieve the objectives of “proactive” issues. “Opportunistic” issues will receive attention if legislative or regulatory opportunities become available. Each category includes education, health care, and professional issues. Education In 2012, ASHA will use resources to: Advocate that the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) be used as a funding source for early intervening speech-language pathology and audiology services; promote policies addressing the role of the professions in general education; and advocate for consistent terminology in ESEA and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Advocate to maintain IDEA funding levels. Collaborate with members, disability advocates, and the education community to develop paperwork reduction strategies. Support policies that improve classroom acoustics. Opportunistic education issues include promoting reimbursement by Medicaid and other providers for speech-language and hearing services provided under IDEA (IDEA reimbursement does not cover the full cost of providing the services); and advocating to eliminate the reduction to Social Security benefits for audiologists and speech-language pathologists who participate in public retirement plans. Health Care Proactive issues address Medicare, Medicaid, third-party payer plans, the Medicare fee schedule, coding and billing, and child hearing health services, including: A comprehensive Medicare audiology benefit (including screening, diagnosis, monitoring, habilitation, and rehabilitation), with the addition of an opt-out provision for audiologists. Improved public and private coverage policies for speech-language and hearing services for all ages. Goals include appropriate valuation of reimbursement codes, inclusion of speech-language and hearing services as essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act, enactment of a hearing aid tax credit, and changes to Medicare policies that establish fee schedules and place limits on outpatient therapy services. Inclusion of habilitative coverage of speech, language, and hearing services and devices in private and public insurance policies. A comprehensive system of children’s hearing health care services. Goals include intervention and coordinated management across state and federal agencies in the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program (EHDI); insurance coverage of hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other hearing devices; and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss. ASHA was successful in fulfilling a 2011 health care advocacy objective—reauthorization of EHDI legislation. Professional Issues Professional issues affect the professional development, training, scope of practice, licensure, and practices of audiologists and SLPs. The 2012 agenda encourages proactive efforts to: Promote universal licensure and reciprocity to support consistency across states, with the certificates of clinical competence as the qualifications standard. Develop and disseminate model language for states that defines the credentials, competencies, and service delivery options for certified SLPs and speech-language pathology assistants. Support recruitment and retention through financial aid, loan forgiveness, salary supplements, workload models, and research funding opportunities. As opportunities arise, ASHA will address supporting audiologists and SLPs as employees of or consultants to state agencies or other leadership roles to advocate for comprehensive services for individuals with communication impairments; recognition and coverage of speech-language and hearing telepractice services; promoting research funding and evidence-based practice through the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and Veterans Health; and supporting nondiscrimination laws and policies. Author Notes George Lyons, Jr., JD, MBA, director of government relations and public policy, can be reached at glyons@asha.org. Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Additional Resources FiguresSourcesRelatedDetails Volume 16Issue 15November 2011 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in print: Nov 1, 2011 Metrics Current downloads: 79 Topicsasha-topicsleader_do_tagasha-article-typesleader-topicsCopyright & Permissions© 2011 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...

Summit Tackles Speech-Language Provider Roles

You have accessThe ASHA LeaderASHA News1 Aug 2011Summit Tackles Speech-Language Provider Roles Lemmietta McNeillyPhD, CCC-SLP Lemmietta McNeilly Google Scholar More articles by this author , PhD, CCC-SLP https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.AN2.16102011.25 SectionsAbout ToolsAdd to favorites ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2011/110830/Summit-Tackles-Speech-Language-Provider-Roles.htm A group of 70 invited representatives from state departments of education, academic programs, school districts, and state licensure boards, as well as speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs), and SLPA supervisors, met in a two-day summit to discuss the development of an explicit continuum of service-delivery providers. The goal of establishing this continuum is to clarify, articulate, and support the regulation of credentials, models of service delivery, and clearly differentiated roles among those providing services to individuals with communication disorders, primarily in educational settings. ASHA convened the “Speech-Language Pathology Professional Summit: Clarifying and Promoting the Regulation of Clearly Differentiated Provider Roles” July 22–23 in Tysons Corner, Va. The planning committee included Alina de la Paz, Janet Deppe, Laura Campbell-Young, Perry Flynn, Tom Hallahan, Michael Kimbarow, Monica Marrufo, Lemmietta McNeilly, Julie Noel, and Ashley Northam. The summit included several presentations. Shelley Chabon, 2011 ASHA president-elect, spoke on “The Professional Summit: Structured for Success.” Tommie L. Robinson Jr., 2010 ASHA president, provided a rich historical perspective of support personnel dating back to 1967 in “Building on a Tradition of ASHA Reform: What We Can Learn From the Past.” Barbara Ehren offered her perspective in “A Leadership Summons from the Field.” In the plenary session, “A Dialogue on the Issues,” Judy Rudebusch and Monica Marruffo provided an overview of the appropriate use of support personnel to enhance service delivery in the Irving, Texas, school district. In small groups, the participants addressed issues in three categories: delineating and standardizing the roles of various providers (SLPs, those who hold a bachelor’s degree, and SLPAs), defining and standardizing the appropriate skills, competencies, and responsibilities of the various providers, and delineating these roles and responsibilities in legislation. Participants divided into groups based on their positions (state departments of education, academic programs, school districts, supervisors of SLPAs, state licensure boards, and SLPAs) to address how they would engage colleagues to implement summit recommendations. In addition, lunchtime roundtable discussions focused on reimbursement (policies, restrictions, disincentives, protocols, regulations, etc.), the challenge of educating SLPAs, the challenge of educating potential SLPA employers, the challenge of educating the public, the scope of SLPA supervision, considerations regarding clinical experience, and capacity issues and opportunities. The summit outcomes provided recommendations for participants to pursue in their home states as well as recommendations that will be shared with the ASHA Board of Directors. The recommendations call for: Clarity regarding the roles and relationships of SLPs to others in the professional continuum of speech-language service delivery. Further discussions among the academic community and ASHA regarding education of future service providers to work together to deliver services appropriately. Common nomenclature for those who deliver services—specifically support personnel—to individuals with communication disorders. Continuing development of knowledge and competencies required for supervision of support personnel, graduate students, clinical fellows, and colleagues changing practice settings or populations. Research to assess the efficacy of various service delivery models that use individuals across the professional continuum. Tenets for model legislation and regulations that reflect the continuum of service delivery. For more information, visit ASHA’s 2011 SLP Professional Summit webpage. Author Notes chief staff officer for speech-language pathology, can be reached at [email protected]. Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Additional Resources FiguresSourcesRelatedDetails Volume 16Issue 10August 2011 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in print: Aug 1, 2011 Metrics Current downloads: 76 Topicsasha-topicsleader_do_tagasha-article-typesleader-topicsCopyright & Permissions© 2011 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...

State Associations Receive Advocacy Grants

You have accessThe ASHA LeaderASHA News1 May 2011State Associations Receive Advocacy Grants13 Groups Launch Activities for Personnel, Reimbursement Issues Eileen Crowe, and Neela Swanson Eileen Crowe Google Scholar More articles by this author and Neela Swanson Google Scholar More articles by this author https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.AN3.16052011.28 SectionsAbout ToolsAdd to favorites ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2011/110426/State-Associations-Receive-Advocacy-Grants.htm ASHA has awarded grants to 13 state associations to help the organizations pursue state-level grassroots advocacy projects. Six of the grants are for personnel-related projects; seven are for reimbursement-related activities. Personnel Grants Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas will receive grants this year that address personnel issues in education or health care settings. The Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association is developing online information on the qualifications of speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs), and speech-language technicians. This information will be used as part of a grassroots effort to educate students, school administrators, state legislators, and parents. The Colorado Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s grant will be used to continue to build support for the passage of licensure for SLPs. Colorado is one of only two states that do not license SLPs. The Florida Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists’ SLP Leadership Network will receive assistance in implementing a workload analysis in the state’s school districts. The association also will continue efforts to raise the awareness of local policymakers regarding the workload approach. The New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association will hire a public relations firm to assess the best use of association-developed public service announcements on the role of SLPs and audiologists. The association also will create materials on the professions to enhance consumer awareness. The Oklahoma Speech-Language-Hearing Association will create a Multicultural Advisory Council to develop guidelines and recommendations for working with individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds and will help state universities incorporate the guidelines into existing and future academic curricula and clinical practica. The organization also will develop a database of providers experienced in the needs of the CLD population. The Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association will use its personnel grant to develop training modules to increase the knowledge, skills, and competencies of SLPAs working in schools. They will work with education service centers to provide training to SLPAs and SLP supervisors via webinars in the various regions of the state. Reimbursement Grants Reimbursement grants support projects that improve private health plans and Medicaid reimbursement for and coverage of speech-language pathology and audiology services. Alaska, California, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Virginia, and Washington will receive 2011 reimbursement grants. The Alaska Speech-Language-Hearing Association will address Medicaid speech-language pathology provider confusion and punitive audits by creating a process of collaboration with key administrators and developing a provider manual specific to speech-language pathology. The California Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Washington Speech and Hearing Association will build a solid foundation for future health care reimbursement advocacy efforts by developing networks of audiology and speech-language pathology members to help identify and address reimbursement issues in their respective states. The California association also will develop educational seminars on reimbursement issues, based on feedback from a survey. The Washington association will research private health insurance benefits across the state to identify and expand advocacy efforts with insurers who fail to reach selected benchmarks. In Minnesota, grant funds will be used to bring together a group of stakeholders to identify and collect data on critical reimbursement issues. This information will help focus and strengthen future reimbursement advocacy efforts in the state. The Kansas Speech-Language-Hearing Association will address statewide non-coverage of hearing aids and cochlear implants by convening a working group to research the current demand for mandated insurance coverage and the possible benefits and/or costs to the state. The working group will use its research to create a bill calling for insurance reimbursement of hearing aids and cochlear implants. The Idaho Speech, Language, Hearing Association will continue its efforts to raise awareness about speech-language pathology and audiology services and to encourage SLPs and audiologists to participate in reimbursement advocacy. In 2010, Idaho developed a web video to educate stakeholders about the benefits of speech-language pathology services; the 2011 grant will help develop a similar presentation for audiology services. The Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia will provide advanced training about the Virginia legislative and regulatory process in an effort to enhance advocacy for audiology and speech-language pathology reimbursement by Medicaid and private health insurance. Author Notes director of state association relations, can be reached at [email protected] for information on personnel grants. health care financing information coordinator, can be reached at [email protected] for information on reimbursement grants. Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Additional Resources FiguresSourcesRelatedDetails Volume 16Issue 5May 2011 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in print: May 1, 2011 Metrics Current downloads: 69 Topicsasha-topicsleader_do_tagasha-article-typesleader-topicsCopyright & Permissions© 2011 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...

Medicaid and Supervision in Schools

Medicaid and Supervision in Schools