Review of Ethics Continuing Education Requirements in State Licensure Laws for Speech-Language Pathologists

Abstract

Every state has autonomy in setting requirements for achieving and maintaining licensure for speechlanguage pathologists (SLPs), and there is no nationally accepted mandate for the content of CE in speechlanguage pathology. The purpose of this study was to analyze the continuing education/professional development requirements for ethics education necessary for renewal of licensure in speech-language pathology, and to recommend the consideration of ethics education by state licensure boards and regulatory agencies. All 50 states and the District of Columbia were found to require professional registration or licensure to practice as an SLP. Continuing education requirements were found in 49/51 states, ranging from zero hours to 40 hours per biennial renewal cycle. The mean CE contact hours per year was 11.14 (SD = 3.47; range 8-20) with licensure cycles ranging from annual to triennial. Ethics education requirements were identified in 8/51 states. As only eight states have specific requirements of professional development in ethics for licensure renewal, the importance of training in ethics as part of ongoing professional development is emphasized. In early 2016 the ASHA Council for Clinical Certification recommended inclusion of ethics education as a requirement for maintenance of the Certificate of Clinical Competence in the triennial renewal cycle for all certificate holders starting in 2019. Changing regulatory policy to include mandatory ethics education at the state level would ensure inclusion for all practicing clinicians, raising the bar and the standard of practice on a national level.