24.222.2102    CONTINUING EDUCATION – SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS

(1) Continuing education consists of educational activities designed to:

(a) review existing concepts and techniques;

(b) convey information beyond the basic professional education; and

(c) update knowledge on advances in speech-language pathology or audiology practices.

(2) Licensees are required to obtain the following continuing education hours annually, prior to renewal on February 1:

(a) ten continuing education hours for speech-language pathology or audiology; or

(b) 15 continuing education hours for dual licensure in speech-language pathology and audiology, with at least five hours each in speech-language pathology and audiology.

(3) Continuing education requirements will not apply until the licensee's first full year of licensure.

(4) All licensees will affirm on the annual renewal form that they have completed the appropriate number of continuing education hours.

(5) The board will randomly audit up to 50 percent of renewed licensees' continuing education annually.

(6) All continuing education must be documented with evidence from the instructor or sponsoring organization. The licensee is responsible for maintaining those records and making those records available upon board request. Documentation must include the following information:

(a) participant's name;

(b) sponsor;

(c) course title and/or description of content;

(d) date(s);

(e) location; and

(f) number of continuing education hours granted.

(7) Credit will be granted only for continuing education completed during the one-year period prior to renewal.

(8) Continuing education offered by the following sponsors is approved by the board:

(a) American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA);

(b) Montana Speech and Hearing Association (MSHA);

(c) American Academy of Audiology (AAA);

(d) Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA); and

(e) Montana Audiology Guild (MAG).

(9) Sponsors not meeting the criteria in (8) will be evaluated by the board on an individual basis.

(10) Licensees who serve as instructors in approved programs or academic courses may be allowed appropriate credit for one-time presentation. No credit will be allowed for repeat sessions.

(a) These programs and academic courses must also be approved by the board per (9).

(b) One quarter credit hour of academic course work shall be considered ten continuing education hours, and one semester credit hour of academic course work shall be considered 15 continuing education hours. Formal educational activities clearly related to the contemporary practice of speech-language pathology or audiology offered by a recognized post-secondary training institution documented by transcript or grade sheet meet this criteria.

 

History: 37-1-131, 37-1-319, MCA; IMP, 37-1-131, 37-1-306, MCA; NEW, 1982 MAR p. 378, Eff. 2/26/82; AMD, 1983 MAR p. 274, Eff. 4/1/83; AMD, 1985 MAR p. 1611, Eff. 11/1/85; AMD, 1989 MAR p. 2194, Eff. 12/22/89; AMD, 1996 MAR p. 2976, Eff. 11/8/96; AMD, 1998 MAR p. 2165, Eff. 8/13/98; AMD, 1999 MAR p. 408, Eff. 3/12/99; TRANS, from Commerce, 2004 MAR p. 2284; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 1583, Eff. 7/1/06; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 2413, Eff. 10/6/06; AMD, 2008 MAR p. 385, Eff. 2/29/08; AMD, 2017 MAR p. 1401, Eff. 8/19/17.