4590639 This rulemaking updates the requirements for clinical fellowship in speech-language pathology and practice by graduate students.
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
NOTICE OF FINAL RULEMAKING
The Director of the Department of Health, pursuant to the authority set forth in Section 302(14) of the District of Columbia Health Occupations Revision Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-99; D.C. Official Code § 3-1203.02(14) (2012 Repl.)), and Mayor’s Order 98-140, dated August 20, 1998, hereby gives notice of the intent to take action to adopt the following amendments to Chapter 79 (Speech-Language Pathology) of Title 17 (Business, Occupations, and Professions) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR).
This rulemaking will update the requirements for clinical fellowship in speech-language pathology and practice by graduate students.
These rules were previously published in the D.C. Register as a proposed rulemaking on July 12, 2013, at 60 DCR 10098. No written comments were received from the public in connection with this publication during the thirty (30)-day comment period and no changes have been made to the rules.
Final action to adopt the rules took place on September 16, 2013. These rules will be effective upon publication of the notice in the D.C. Register.
Chapter 79, SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY, of Title 17, BUSINESS, OCCUPATIONS, AND PROFESSIONS, of the DCMR is amended as follows:
SECTION 7903, CLINICAL FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS, is amended as follows:
Subsection 7903.4 is amended to read as follows:
7903.4 To complete a clinical fellowship, the clinical fellow shall be employed, with or without direct compensation, as a professional in the field of speech-language pathology under general supervision for a period of not less than nine (9) months with a minimum of thirty (30) hours of work per week. This requirement may also be met with part-time employment as follows:
(a) Fifteen (15) to nineteen (19) hours a week, for a period of eighteen (18) months;
(b) Twenty (20) to twenty-four (24) hours a week, for a period of fifteen (15) months; or
(c) Twenty-five (25) to twenty-nine (29) hours a week, for a period of twelve (12) months.
Subsection 7903.5 is amended to read as follows:
7903.5 At least eighty percent (80%) of the clinical fellow’s clinical fellowship shall involve direct client contact, which includes the following:
(a) Assessment, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment;
(b) Screening;
(c) Habilitation and rehabilitation; and
(d) Activities related to case management.
Subsection 7903.8 is amended to read as follows:
7903.8 Clinical fellow supervisor shall:
(a) Hold a valid District of Columbia license in speech-language pathology, a license in another jurisdiction with requirements substantially similar to the licensure requirements in the District, or, if in a state that does not require licensure, a Certificate of Clinical Competence in speech-language pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association;
(b) Have been in practice for a minimum of two (2) years after licensure or certification;
(c) Not supervise more than three (3) clinical fellows at one (1) time;
(d) Not have been disciplined by a board or regulating body within the previous five (5) years; and
(e) Provide a minimum of thirty-six (36) hours of supervisory activities during the clinical fellowship, including a minimum of two (2) hours of monitoring activities each month.
Subsection 7903.9 is amended to read as follows:
7903.9 A clinical fellow supervisor in the District of Columbia shall be responsible for the services and care provided by the clinical fellow, and shall also be subject to disciplinary action for any violation of federal or District of Columbia laws or regulations by the clinical fellow.
Subsection 7903.10 is amended to read as follows:
7903.10 An applicant for a license shall demonstrate qualifications required by §§ 7903.3–7903.6 by submitting, with the application, a signed statement from each clinical fellow supervisor who supervised the applicant during the required clinical fellowship period, which sets forth the following:
(a) The number of hours of the applicant’s supervised practice of speech-language pathology;
(b) The number of hours of general supervision of the applicant;
(c) The specific nature of responsibilities included in the applicant’s practice;
(d) The rating of the applicant’s performance;
(e) Where and when the supervision occurred; and
(f) The license number and jurisdiction in which the clinical fellow supervisor was licensed during the supervised period, or proof that the clinical fellow supervisor has a Certificate of Clinical Competence if the clinical fellowship was in a state that does not require licensure.
Subsections 7903.11, 7903.12, 7903.13, and 7903.14 are added to read as follows:
7903.11 A clinical fellow supervisor in the District of Columbia shall:
(a) Submit a notification of supervision to the Board at least two (2) weeks prior to the commencement of the clinical fellowship;
(b) Notify the Board, in writing, if the c1inical fellow leaves the clinical fellowship prior to completing training and specify the reason for leaving. Notification shall be provided to the Board no later than ten (10) business days after the date the clinical fellow leaves the clinical fellowship; and
(c) Notify the Board, in writing, if the clinical fellow changes his or her clinical fellow supervisor and specify the reason for the change. Notification shall be provided to the Board no later than ten (10) business days after the change of the clinical fellow supervisor.
7903.12 A clinical fellow may participate in patient care activities under the general supervision of a speech-language pathologist who is licensed in the District of Columbia, if clinical fellow’s supervisor properly submitted notification to the Board in accordance with § 7903.11(a).
7903.13 A clinical fellow in speech-language pathology shall identify himself or herself as a clinical fellow at all times when providing speech-language pathology services.
7903.14 A clinical fellow in speech-language pathology may practice in the District of Columbia, pursuant to this Section, for a maximum of eighteen (18) months, unless the Board extends the period for good cause shown.
SECTION 7912, PRACTICE OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY BY GRADUATE STUDENTS, is amended as follows:
Subsection 7912.10 is added to read as follows:
7912.10 Practice of speech-language pathology by graduate students in the District of Columbia shall comply with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s current Standards for Accreditation of Graduate Programs in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.
SECTION 7913, STANDARDS OF CONDUCT, is amended as follows:
Subsection 7913.1 is amended to read as follows:
7913.1 A licensee, graduate student, or clinical fellow shall adhere to the standards set forth in the most current publication of the “Code of Ethics” as published by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, as it may be republished from time to time.
SECTION 7999, DEFINITIONS, is amended as follows:
Subsection 7999.1 is amended to include:
Board – the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.
Clinical fellow – a person who is completing the clinical fellowship requirements set forth under 17 DCMR § 7903.
Clinical fellow supervisor – a person who is the supervisor of a clinical fellow.
Dual licensure renewal – renewal of both an audiology and a speech-language pathology license in the District of Columbia, within the same renewal period.
General supervision – supervision in which the supervisor is available to the person supervised, either in person or by a communications device.
Graduate student – a person enrolled in a Master’s or Doctoral degree program in speech-language pathology.
