History & Values
Fill in the blank:
The Vision of the SLP profession is: Making effective ________, a human right, accessible and achievable for all.
Communication
Which is NOT an overlap between the SLP and OT profession? a) Feeding b) Swallowing c) Cognition d) Social communication
Swallowing
Do SLPs co-treat with other disciplines, such as OT or PT?
Yes! SLPs may co-treat with other disciplines depending on their setting and workplace.
What is the abbreviation for the SLP national professional association?
ASHA, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Which is a diagnosis that is specific to SLP scope of practice and not OT scope of practice? a) Dementia b) Selective mutism c) Intellectual disability d) Autism Spectrum Disorder
b) Selective mutism
Which of the following words is NOT in the core values of the SLP profession?
Collaboration, diversity, equity, inclusion, prudence, innovation, and integrity
Prudence - this is an OT core value! Prudence indicates the ability to govern oneself through the use of reason. The management of one’s own affairs and to temper extremes, make judgments, and respond on the basis of intelligent reflection and rational thought.
What are the 4 professions within the SLP professional association (ASHA)?
There are four unique complementary professions: 1) Audiologists, 2) Speech-language pathologists (aka speech therapists), 3) Certified audiology assistant (C-AA), and 4) Certified speech-language pathology assistant (C-SLPA).
What clinical settings do SLPs work in?
Acute care, inpatient rehab, school-based, pediatrics, NICU, private practice, skilled nursing facilities, home health care, etc.
What website can you go to to find the profession's advocacy efforts and updates?
When is SLP Month?
May
Who is considered the founding father of Speech-pathology?
Robert West -- Active in organizing the American Speech Correction Association, helped develop the first doctoral speech pathology program, and wrote The Rehabilitation of Speech in 1937.
What is the distinct value of the respective profession/discipline?
The areas of practice of SLPs include fluency, speech production, language, cognition, voice, resonance, feeding/swallowing, and auditory habilitation/rehabilitation.
What ages and populations do SLPs work with?
People of ALL ages as long as they have a communication or swallowing need.
Finding equitable funding and timely treatment practices, ensuring coverage under value-based care models as trends move away from fee-for-service, and permanently expanding telehealth services are examples of what type of advocacy effort that ASHA is prioritizing?
Payment coverage priorities
What does it mean for an SLP to earn their three Cs?
Being "certified" means holding the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), a nationally recognized professional credential that represents a level of excellence in the field.
What are the initial roots of the Speech-Language-Pathology profession?
Speech-language pathology has its roots in elocution (speech perfection) stemming from the 18th century in England. At this time, it was just known as speech pathology (not including “language”).
What are the educational requirements to work as a SLP?
SLP’s require a master’s degree in speech language pathology, passage of the Praxis Examination, 9-months of post-grad clinical fellowship experience under a supervising therapist, and state licensure.
In the state of Florida, how much is an SLP paid annually?
Mean annual wage was $86,940 in 2022.
Ensuring licensing requirements are maintained in states, preserving the role of practitioners, targeting productivity levels, salary supplement legislation, and support for school-based practitioners are examples of what type of advocacy effort that ASHA is prioritizing?
Workplace priorities
True or false: Aphasia is an example of a speech disorder.
False - it’s a language disorder. There is a difference between speech disorders, language disorders, and voice disorders.
In the 1940s and 1950s, what event sparked changes to the SLP profession to focus more on language and cognitive ability?
Researchers and practitioners began to focus more on brain processing abilities as many WWII soldiers returned with brain injury, resulting in a dramatic increase in persons with aphasia. Brain studies and technological advances also gave rise to more language assessment and treatment techniques.
Are SLP’s able to diagnose disorders?
Yes! SLP’s work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders (i.e., dysphagia and aphasia) in children and adults. SLPs cannot diagnose things like ASD or Dementia.
Which state in the United States employs the most SLPs?
California at 17,100 in 2022.
Anti-discriminatory policies, promoting hearing loss and communication disorder screenings, operationalizing the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact and adding additional states are examples of what type of advocacy effort that ASHA is prioritizing?
Service delivery and access priorities
Are speech therapists able to provide gender affirming care?
Yes, they can specifically educate and treat individuals about specific voice characteristics which may be instrumental in affirming someone’s gender. However, this can often be billed as an elective service and coverage may vary by insurance provider.