24.222.701    SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITY

(1) Speech-language aides and assistants must work directly under the supervision of a Montana licensed speech-language pathologist. Audiology aides and assistants must work directly under the supervision of a Montana licensed audiologist. All supervisors must have been fully licensed in Montana or another state or jurisdiction for at least one full year to qualify as a supervisor.

(2) This supervisor assumes full legal and ethical responsibility for the tasks performed by the aide or assistant and for any services or related interactions with a client.

(3) When aides or assistants are providing direct services under a licensed supervisor to individuals under 18 years of age, the supervisor is responsible for so informing, in writing, the parent, guardian, surrogate parent, or person acting as a parent of a child in the absence of a parent or guardian.

(4) The speech-language pathology or audiology supervisor and/or appropriate administrative agency is responsible for ensuring that the speech-language pathology or audiology aide or assistant is adequately trained for the tasks the aide or assistant will perform. The amount and type of training required must be based on the following:

(a) the skills and experience of the speech-language pathology or audiology aide or assistant;

(b) the needs of the patients/clients served;

(c) the service setting;

(d) the tasks assigned; and

(e) any other factors as determined by the supervising speech-language pathologist or audiologist.

(5) Speech-language pathology and audiology supervisors shall be required to provide ten percent of direct services to each individual client.

(6) The board or board designee shall review and approve all registration forms that indicate the supervision of three or more speech-language pathology or audiology aides or assistants.

(7) The supervisor is responsible for keeping records to demonstrate compliance with the supervision schedule and must provide proof of compliance to the board upon request.

(8) The supervisor must complete and submit to the board a midyear verification form by February 25 of each year, on the supervisor's renewal form, to indicate continuing compliance with the schedule of supervision previously filed under ARM 24.222.702(1).

History: 37-1-131, 37-15-202, MCA; IMP, 37-15-102, 37-15-313, MCA; NEW, 1981 MAR p. 363, Eff. 4/17/81; TRANS, from Dept. of Prof. & Occup. Lic., Ch. 274, L. 1981, Eff. 7/1/81; AMD, 1983 MAR p. 274, Eff. 4/1/83; AMD, 1989 MAR p. 2194, Eff. 12/22/89; AMD, 1999 MAR p. 408, Eff. 3/12/99; TRANS, from Commerce, 2004 MAR p. 2284; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 2413, Eff. 10/6/06; AMD, 2008 MAR p. 385, Eff. 2/29/08; AMD, 2013 MAR p. 1833, Eff. 10/18/13