I am a speech-language pathologist providing speech therapy services in an outpatient clinic in the state of Virginia, and am in favor of revoking Virginia 18VAC30-21-60(A)(2)(c), adopted by the Virginia State Board in earlier this year.

I believe that graduates of Speech-Language Pathology/Communication Science Disorders programs who have passed the PRAXIS examination in Virginia have attained an appropriate level of study and clinical experience to competently provide therapy services across a wide range of communication disorders.

Requiring CFs to wait six months before they can receive full licensure hinders their ability to provide speech therapy services to patients waiting for treatment.  While timely diagnosis and treatment correlates with more favorable patient outcomes, those forced to remain on waitlists due to the shortage of SLPs are surely at a disadvantage.

Therefore, I fully support the pending resolution being considered by the Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology to eliminate the six-month waiting period for Clinical Fellows to obtain full, unrestricted licensure in the state of Virginia.