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Supervision

 

Who is supervised?

  • Graduate students during clinical and external practicum experiences;

  • New Masters-level graduates, also known as Clinical Fellows (CFs) in their Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY);

  • Audiology Assistants (AAs) and Speech Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) during training programs, clinical fieldwork experiences, and employment.

Who is qualified to supervise?

  • For supervision, it is important to follow the requirements of both our Practice Act and ASHA guidelines.

  • For supervision of Graduate Students:  licensed speech-language pathologists or audiologists.

  • For supervision of Clinical Fellows during the CFY:  licensed and CCC’d SLPs and Audiologists. CF mentors must:

    • hold a current CCC-SLP throughout the entire CF experience.

    • not be related in any way to the CF.

    • have 9 months of full-time practice experience (or its part-time equivalent) working as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) after being awarded the CCC-SLP and

    • have completed 2 hours of professional development in the area of supervision and/or clinical instruction at least once in their career after being awarded the CCC-SLP.  IL IDFPR renewal requires 2 hrs CE in the area of supervision for each renewal cycle.

  • For supervision of AAs:  licensedAudiologists.

  • For supervision of SLPAs: [per the IL Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act] Sec. 8.8. Supervision of speech-language pathology assistants. A speech-language pathologist who has… 

    a. at least 2 years experience in addition to the supervised professional experience required under subsection (f) of Section 8 of this Act. 

    b. must have completed at least 6 clock hours of training in supervision related to speech-language pathology, and

    c. must complete at least 2 clock hours of continuing education in supervision related to speech-language pathology in each new licensing cycle after completion of the initial training required under item (i). 

    d. The rules may allow a speech-language pathologist to apply to the Board for an exemption from this training requirement based upon prior supervisory experience.

What are the requirements of supervision?

  • Supervision of speech-language pathology or audiology students in their course of study in programs approved by the Department must be under the direction of licensed speech-language pathologists or audiologists.

  • Supervision, or mentorship, of CFs during their initial 9 months of professional experience must be provided by SLPs who hold IDFPR licenses as well as ASHA CCCs.  See ASHA’s guidelines.

  • Supervision of AAs:  Services provided and performed by AAs must be under the supervision and full responsibility of a licensed audiologist.  See ASHA’s guidelines for Audiology Assistants.

  • The SLPA must be under the direct supervision and full responsibility of a speech-language pathologist—

    1. at least 30% of the speech-language pathology assistant's actual patient or client contact time per patient or client during the first 90 days of initial employment as a speech-language pathology assistant. 

    2. After first 90 days, the SLPA must be under the direct supervision of a speech-language pathologist at least 20% of the speech-language pathology assistant's actual patient or client contact time per patient or client. 

    3. Supervision of a speech-language pathology assistant beyond the minimum requirements of this subsection may be imposed at the discretion of the supervising speech-language pathologist. A supervising speech-language pathologist must be available to communicate with a speech-language pathology assistant whenever the assistant is in contact with a patient or client.

  • Required documentation of direct and indirect supervision, “…at a minimum, supervision documentation must provide (i) information regarding the quality of the speech-language pathology assistant's performance of assigned duties, and (ii) verification that clinical activity is limited to duties specified in Section 8.7.”  Here is a sample document that is designed to cover the supervision requirements:  Documentation of Supervision.

  • Full-time SLPs may supervise no more than 2 SLPAs, while part-time SLPs may supervise no more than 1 SLPA.  It may be reasonable to consider that a full-time SLP could supervise/mentor 2 SLPAs + 1 CF, but this is highly dependent on the SLP’s workload, experience, and willingness.  

  • Direct supervision means on-site, in-view observation and guidance by an SLP while an assigned activity is performed by an SLPA, OR supervision by an SLP by way of video conferencing technology during telehealth practice.  Telehealth platform/application must comply with HIPAA confidentiality requirements. (Source: P.A. 103-1, eff. 4-27-23.)

What are appropriate work settings and populations for SLPAs?

  • Early Intervention

  • Schools

  • Pediatric settings

  • Private Practice

  • Healthcare settings

  • SLPAs are prepared to assist SLPs by working with clients/students who present with mild to moderate, less complex needs.

FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS, see the following resources:

ASHA Guidelines for Supervision of Audiology Graduate Students, Audiology Assistants, Speech Language Pathology Graduate Students, Speech Language Pathology Assistants, and Clinical Fellows.