FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Continuing Education for Licensure Renewal

For  Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Licensing Board (SLPAB)  Regulations on mandatory professional development (continuing education) requirements for professional licensing renewals, see:

CSHA was asked to address this issue by the profession's hospital clinic directors' organizations. Thus AB 205 of 1998 established mandatory professional development for licensed SLPs and audiologists.

• Consumers, patients and their families expect professionals to re-certify competency standards or at least continue professional development as one avenue in maintaining competencies.
  

• Cost-containment policies of managed care are budgeting for staff time off and conference expenses for those professionals whose licensing requires continuing education. In healthcare settings, SLPs were one of the few professionals that were not receiving professional development resources.
  

• SLPs with CTC school credentials issued after 1995 must satisfy a plan of mandatory professional development requirements prior to their five-year renewal cycle.
  

• Hearing aid dispensers licensing requires mandatory CE hours.
  

• Nationally, ASHA is planning for mandatory continuing education for maintaining the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) for Audiology and discussing the same for SLPs.

CE Providers can make application to the licensing board to become a Professional Development Provider (PDP). 

 

Below are some frequently asked questions:
Q:  When I renew for the first time after the CE start date of January 1, 2001 how many hours of continuing education do I need?	A:  Note new information! The licensing board has just altered the proposed regulations to make it easier for those renewing in 2001. For those renewing in 2001, you will only be required to have completed one-half, or 12 hours of the normal CE requirements between April 12, 1999 and your renewal date.  Those renewing in 2002, will have the normal two-year renewal requirement of 24 CE hours.
Q:  Explain what kinds of CE hours I can use for licensing renewal.	A:  The licensing board is beginning this mandatory CE program on a conservative note. Some entities have argued for competency testing for renewal, suggesting that continuing education may not do enough to keep professionals current. The licensing board, being sensitive to CE criticism, decided to initially require that all mandatory licensing CE hours, even Self-Study hours, will have to be from a SLPAB "Approved Provider". While CE Providers must be approved, the licensing system will not be approving "individual courses". There is however, course content criteria that all Providers must meet (i.e., relevant to profession, relates to direct/indirect patient care; specific course objectives that are measurable; not personal business matters, such as money management or personal finances, etc.). Note: The California SLPAB licensing system requires CE hours (60 minutes). ASHA uses the CEU system of one (1.0) CEU which equals 10 contact hours. Thus ASHA 0.1 CEU would be equal to a SLPAB one hour CE course.
Q:  I understand that of the normal 24 CE hours, 8 hours can be self study. Can I read professional journals for this self-study?	A:  For those renewing in 2001, you can complete one-half (4 rather than 8 hours) of the normal requirement of self-study hours. Normally, out of the 24 hours, 8 hours can be self-study. For a 2001 renewal, you can use four hours toward self-study. Under the current regulations, self-study materials must be from a SLPAB approved CE Provider. Self-study is defined as a form of systematic learning performed at a licensee’s residence, office, or other private location including, but not limited to, video-tapes, audio-tapes, or participating in "self-assessment testing" (open-book test which has been submitted to the SLPAB approved provider, graded and returned with correct answers). If you will be renewing your license in 2001, and  attended the April 1999 CSHA Pasadena State Conference, AB124 of 1999 allows you to accumulate the April '99 coursework for your 2001 renewal.   CSHA has those records on file.
Q:  Will I be able to use in-service courses from my school or hospital site?	A:  Yes, if your school or hospital site is a PDP through the State Licensing Board.  Also, if you take a course offered through ASHA, AAA or CMA's/CME.  These providers are automatically SLPAB Licensed Providers  for license renewal CE.
Q:  How can I get my local association, agency, etc. to become a SLPAB licensed provider?	A:  There is an SLPAB application form to become a Professional Development Provider (PDP), a requirement for an "operational plan" and a  two-year provider fee of $200. Check with the SLPAB licensing office for details. . Also, you can visit their web site for more information at: .  CSHA will offer co-sponsor options to  non-CE providers for a nominal fee. For this service email:
Q:  In future renewal of my audiology license, can I use my audiology CE coursework for the Hearing Aid Dispensers Examining Committee’s licensing CE requirements?	A:  Not automatically. However, if you attend coursework from a provider who has been  approved by both SLPAB and HADEC, then you could probably use the same  coursework for both licenses. For instance, this CSHA conference has approved HADEC courses. CSHA, as an approved SLPAB provider, has declared that those HADEC courses are within the SLPAB course criteria (relevant to the profession of audiology, etc.).
Q:  My school credential issued in 1995 is up for renewal in the year 2000. Can I use the same CSHA licensing renewal coursework for my school credential mandatory professional development requirements?	A:  Yes, you can use CSHA courses for CTC credentialing professional development requirements. Refer to A:  In order to restore an inactive license to active status, the licensee must pay the renewal fee and complete the continuing professional development requirement for a single renewal period.
Q:  How can I place my license in inactive status?	A:  Licensee may request that his or her license be placed on inactive status.  The licensee shall pay the full renewal fee to renew the license, but shall be exempt from completing the continuing professional development requirements.   Licensees holding an inactive license shall not engage in the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology.
Q:  Do I register my CEUs with ASHA or CSHA?	A:  There is often confusion here due to the ASHA CEU registry. For an annual fee, ASHA members can choose to have their CEUs tracked in the ASHA CEU registry. There is a special form for them to fill out at each education event to accomplish this -- the ASHA "bubble sheet".   However, CSHA ONLY tracks an individual's CE hours from CSHA sponsored and co-sponsored events. CSHA maintains copies of CE slips from each course it presents and sends out CE certificate to those participants who pay the CSHA CEU administrative fee. These forms are available, filed by course and date, on the off chance that a member has their CEUs audited by the State Board and has lost their certificate.
Q:  How do I find out how many CE hours I have in the CSHA database?
Q:  Still Have Q's?  Email	A:  or

SLPAB Frequently Asked Questions