The Council of State Governments (CSG) continues to work collaboratively with the Advisory Committee and the Drafting Team to offer a Draft Licensure Compact for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. Members are working hard to ensure the project is successful and represents a diverse group of Audiologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Board Administrators, Legislators, Board Attorneys, Professional Associations (ASHA and AAA) as well as a member from the Department of Defense. CSG will offer the Draft Licensure Compact for review for the first time at the annual NCSB conference in October 4-6, 2018. The annual conference is being held at the Tyson’s Corner Marriott, Tysons Corner Virginia.

Conference Registration is now open and can be found on the NCSB Website: http://ncsb.info/event-2967753.

Please make plans to attend the conference and provide CSG with feedback on the Draft Compact. For the last two years, NCSB has been presenting information on the multi-year process and the next step is to gather information from you!

Here are some of the key milestones met thus far:

• Traveled twice to the CSG offices on Capitol Hill to brainstorm and keep activities on task and harness the power of the diverse work group.
• Completed more than 30conference calls since last September.
• Completed calls with Physical Therapy Compact as well as Nursing and the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.
• Completed a Draft Licensure Compact for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

Any change can create challenges, but our community of stakeholders have approached this challenge head-on to create solutions/dialogue. As more milestones are reached, presentations are added and resources become available, you will be informed.

If you have questions or concerns about the Draft Licensure Compact for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, please email me: kphillip@latech.edu.

Kerri Phillips

NCSB Newsletter

Summer 2018

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

BY: Vickie Pullins

Summer is fleeting and fall is fast approaching which means it is almost time for our 31st NCSB conference which will be held at Tysons Corner Marriott on Leesburg Pike in Vienna, Virginia, on October 4-6, 2018. Kerri Phillips, President Elect, has worked tirelessly to put together an agenda for our conference that will broaden our horizons. The conference will equip and encourage us to “Fight the Good Fight- Regulating AUD/SLP in the Anti-Regulatory Ring”. Because we are all facing numerous challenges as legislators across the nation introduce and promote legislation to consolidate and/or eliminate regulatory boards, this conference will be of utmost importance to all board members nationwide. We will be hearing from Kathy Arney from the North Carolina physical therapy board about the physical therapy compact and from Elliot Vice regarding the nursing compact. Rick Masters and Daniel Logsdon will return again this year to update us on the compact that NCSB has been leading, along with ASHA support and support from other professionals, for speech-language pathologists and audiologists.

Nathan Standley will be our keynote speaker addressing how antitrust laws have facilitated a national deregulation movement against occupational licensing. He will also help us to develop a working knowledge of the primary groups behind the deregulation agenda and the policies they are advancing. A feature of the conference will be an update on the National Practitioner Data Bank presented by William West from HRSA. In addition to this session, Mr. West will participate in a panel discussion with Board administrators as they discuss scenarios related to appropriate coding for reporting violations and sanctions to the NPDB. One of the highlights of each NCSB conference for me is the state information exchange where we will hear from each state represented, their greatest challenges and their sweetest victories over the past year. In this deregulation climate, this session is poised to be one of our best. Tysons Corner is a great venue for our conference as it close to a wide variety of renowned shopping and dining destinations. Within less than a mile from the hotel is the Tysons Corner Mall known for its many shops and restaurants. Vienna is also close to numerous places to visit in Washington, DC, so plan to take advantage of sightseeing opportunities while you are so close to DC.

We are excited to provide a venue for you to acquire more knowledge equipping you to return to your respective states to advocate for occupational licensure and the protection of consumers since the primary purpose of NCSB is to:

• Facilitate communication and interaction among state boards
• Promote the protection of consumers
• Stimulate interest in and discussion of issues pertaining to licensure boards
• Provide a forum for discussion
• Assist licensing boards in fulfilling statutory, professional and ethical obligations
• Promote uniform standards for licensure

So, put on your boxing gloves, weigh in and join me at ringside to bob and weave with numerous hooks and jabs as we counterpunch and hope to win the main event for consumer protection and occupational licensure. This fall conference will advance our purpose and equip us for the battles that lie ahead in our respective states. See you at Tysons Corner!
Respectfully,

Vickie Pullins, NCSB President

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PRESIDENTS CORNER - See above

NCSB TO PRESENT POSTER SESSION AT ASHA - SEE BELOW

NCSB 2019 BOARD OF DIRECTOR ELECTION RESULTS

NCSB’s 31st ANNUAL CONFERENCE, OCTOBER 4-7, 2018, TYSONS CORNER, VIRGINIA

LICENSURE COMPACTS

JOIN NCSB ON FACEBOOK

NCSB BOard of directors

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NCSB TO PRESENT POSTER SESSION AT ASHA

Please view the NCSB poster during the ASHA Convention. Plan to attend and share your licensure experiences with others who have an interest in licensure. The poster will include demographic data on a number of topics, including continuing education, hearing aid dispensing, telepractice, universal licensure, support personnel, and others. Handouts will be provided, as will a listing of web addresses for audiology and speech-language pathology boards.

“Licensure Compacts in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology: Enhancing Service Delivery”
Session Number 6152, Poster Board 274
Thursday, November 15, 2018
4:30-6:00 PM
Location: Hall C, Boston Convention & Exhibition Center

Hope to see you in the Convention Center in Boston.

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NCSB 2019 BOARD OF DIRECTOR ELECTION RESULTS

NCSB is pleased to announce the results of the recent ballot and vote for the following Board positions:

President Elect
Gregg Thornton, Ohio

Directors (3)
Jayme Pultro, Arkansas
Rachel Thompson, Wyoming
Nahale Kalfas, North Carolina

Terms for the above positions will begin in January. NCSB would like to thank each candidate along with the outgoing Board/Committee members for their interest and dedication to serving the Speech - Language Pathology and Audiology community.

 

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NCSB’s 31st ANNUAL CONFERENCE, OCTOBER 4-7, 2018, TYSONS CORNER, VIRGINIA

Registration brochures announcing the 31st annual NCSB Conference have been mailed. If you or your state board did not receive one of the brochures, a registration form and hotel information are included in this newsletter. As in past years, a pre-conference workshop on Training for Board Members will be held on Thursday, October 4, 2018, and the one and one-half day conference will follow on October 5 & 6. NCSB invites boards to participate in both the board training and the conference. Following is a synopsis of the pre-conference workshop and the conference.

Visit the conference website at http://www.ncsb.info/2018/schedule to view the schedule or download a registration form.

Venue

Conference Hotel
Tysons Corner Marriott
8028 Leesburg Pike
Tysons Corner, VA 22182

P: 703-734-3200

Guest Room Group Rates: Single/Double: $139, per night, not including taxes (additional charges may apply for triple/quad). The group rate is available through September 13 or when rooms sell out.

Room Reservation Procedures:
Click to reserve your room online or contact the hotel directly at 703-734-3200, mention the NCSB Conference to receive the group rate. The group rate is available through September 13 or when rooms sell out.

Registration

CONFERENCE FEE (includes continental breakfast and lunch on Friday, plus breaks)

• Individual from National Council member state - $325
  • If more than one individual from member state - $300
• Individual from non-member state - $500

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP (Includes refreshment break and flashdrive with NCSB Reference Manual)

• Training for Board Members-Individual from member state - $210.00
• Training for Board Members-Individual from non-member state - $300.00

Registration Cancellation
Refunds due to cancellation will be processed as follows:

• On or before September 13: 90% of registration fees
• After September 13: No refund due to cancellation

Sponsorship & Exhibits

An exhibit table ($450) includes one conference registration.  Exhibits will be open for the duration of the conference. Contact Kerri Phillips NCSB President-Elect, at kphillip@latech.edu for additional information. The sponsorships listed below do not include an exhibit table.

• Keynote Speaker Sponsorship - 2 @ $1,500 each
• Council Luncheon at Conference - $1,000
• Breakfast - $1,000
• Morning/Afternoon Breaks - $500
• Program Sponsorship:
  • Platinum Level - $2,000
  • Gold Level - $750
  • Silver Level - $500
  • Bronze Level - $100

Schedule

Time	Thursday, October 4
	Pre-Conference Workshop - Training for Board Members (Additional Fee Required)
Time	Friday, October 5 (subject to change)
8:00 - 8:30	Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:30 - 8:45	The Card; Welcome and Introductory Remarks Vickie Pullins, NCSB President Kerri Phillips, NCSB President-Elect
8:45 - 10:00	Counterpunch; KEYNOTE SPEAKER Nathan E. Standley, Esq., CIPP/US
10:00 - 10:15	BREAK
10:15 - 11:00	Weigh In; National Practitioner Data Bank William West, HRSA
11:00 - 11:30	Bobbing and Weaving; Administrator Panel Jolie Jones, LA Patti Nesbitt, WV Gregg Thornton, OH William West, HRSA
11:30 - 1:00	Saved by the Bell; LUNCH and CORPORATE BUSINESS MEETING
1:00 - 2:15	Split Decision; Compact Update Dan Logsdon, CSG Rick Masters, CSG
2:15 - 2:30	BREAK
2:30 - 3:30	Coming Around the Turn; PT Compact Kathy Arney, North Carolina Physical Therapy Board
3:30 - 4:30	Hook and Jab; Updates Lynn Flahive & Todd Philbrick, CFCC Adam Finkel, AAA Kathy Pruner, ETS
Time	Saturday, October 6 (subject to change)
8:30 - 10:30	Main Event; State Information Exchange Amy Goldman, Facilitator, PA A state representative should come prepared to speak for 5 minutes on successes and challenges in the respective state.
10:30 - 10:45	BREAK
10:45 - 11:45	Ringside; Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact Elliot Vice, Director of Government Affairs, Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact
11:45 - 12:00	Final Bell; Wrap-up and 2019 Preview Vickie Pullins and Kerri Phillips

 

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LICENSURE COMPACTS

NCSB has been involved in the development of licensure compacts designed to facilitate practice across borders. A working group has been formed within NCSB, and plans are also underway to construct a similar committee that will include a representative from NCSB as well as individuals from professional associations. Kerri Phillips is spearheading the NCSB efforts and is also assisting in the facilitation of the national working group.

Note: The following articles are reprints from a previous newsletter. More information regarding the licensure compact will be made available at the 31st NCSB Conference in Vienna, Virginia.

NCSB: State Compacts

Dialogue continues with NCSB, the Council of State Governments (CSG), and ASHA regarding interstate compacts for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists..Since the September NCSB meeting in New Orleans, the CSG Speech-Language Hearing Advisory Group members have been engaged in monthly phone conferences as well as a face-to-face meeting in October at the CSG offices in Washington, DC.

Members of the CSG Speech-Language Hearing Advisory Group include a diverse group of audiologists, speech-language pathologists, executive directors, and state legislators. The following attendees participated in the face-to-face meeting in Washington:

Audiologists	Miranda Ross (GA) – Board Chair, Aud Florence Cueno (AL) – Board Chair, Aud Nancy Pajak (WY) – Board Member, Aud Richard Cram (NM) – Board Chair, Aud
State Legislators	Sen. Stephan Pappas (WY)
Speech-Language Pathologists	Luis Riquelme (NY) – Board Past Chair, SLP Sherry Sancibrian (TX) – Board Chair, SLP Julia Lidgard (UT) – Board Member, SLP
Executive Directors	Erin Haag (OR) – Board ED Gregg Thornton (OH) – Board ED
Board Attorneys	NahaleKalfas (NC) – Board Attorney
NCSB	Kerri Phillips (LA)
Department of Defense	Marcus Beauregard – DOD
Council of State Governments	Mike McCabe – CSG Dan Logsdon – CSG John Mountjoy - CSG
ASHA	Susan Adams

The group was led in discussion by Mike McCabe, CSG, to discuss if a need existed for an interstate compact for the professions of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. The group identified many reasons for a compact including: telepractice/rural needs, military spouses, costs of multiple licenses, consumer protection, portability of licensure, and disciplinary information sharing/database. The Advisory Group reviewed and discussed three different compact models: Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact, and the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact.

Further discussion centered around what should be included in a compact for audiologists and speech-language pathologists. The Advisory Group discussed the need to be able to address the purpose of the compact; the types of licenses that should be given and who grants them; how one qualifies for a license; how disciplinary actions would be addressed; could reinstatement occur after a disciplinary action; the types of information to include in databases; telehealth requirements; structure of a compact commission including its power and duties; and how to finance a commission.

What are the next steps?
During the February 14, 2018 teleconference meeting, the Advisory Group decided to move to the next step which is to move discussion to a drafting team. The charge of the drafting team will be to begin developing the compact using the Advisory Group’s recommendations. On March 20th, the Advisory Group will review the charge to the drafting team and the members of the drafting team.

NCSB: State Compacts Update
The NCSB Task Force has met and is currently working on a draft compact. Ayn Stehr, Task Force Chair, drafted the initial document and presented it to committee members. Committee members have reviewed the document, and discussions are on-going with the draft compact. The draft compact is designed as a starting point for the discussion of a compact in our professions. The draft compact will be shared with the NCSB Board of Directors and the membership for additional input upon completion. Remember that this is a process that will take time (years) to develop and finalize.

Things are moving quickly with the Council of State Government (CSG) Advisory Committee. The invitations have been sent to the potential members of the CSG Advisory Committee. Daniel Logsdon, CSG, Kerri Phillips, NCSB, and Susan Adams, ASHA have held several phone conferences regarding meeting dates for the initial Advisory Committee meeting. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for either the first or second week of October.

The task force has held a number of conference calls, as well as a face-to-face meeting. These reports will be presented at the NCSB Conference.

The following table represents occupational licensing bills that were presented across the country this past year. More information can be obtained from accessing the specific web sites.

State Abbreviation, Senate/House Bill #, (additional info)	Date	Passage
AZ SB 1273 (petition the board)	5/16/2018	(S) Signed into law
AZ SB 1470 (sunrise)	5/4/2018	(H) Died upon adjournment
AZ SCR 1037 (right to engage in occupation)	5/4/2018	(S) Died upon adjournment
CA AB 2409 (petition the board)	4/17/2018	(A) Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.
CA AB 2483 (active supervision)	5/17/2018	(S) Referred to Com. on JUD.
CO SB 236 (least restrictive regulation)	5/3/2018	(H) House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
IL HB 3320 (least restrictive environment)	4/28/2017	(H) Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
IL HB 3451 /  SB 1228 (review)	3/31/2017 3/17/2017	(H) Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee (S) Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
IL SB 2776 (sunrise)	5/3/2018	(S) Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
IN HB 1299 /  SB 399 (least restrictive regulation)	01/16/2018  3/14/2018	Died upon adjournment
KY HB 50 (comprehensive review)	4/13/2018	(H) Died upon adjournment
KY HB 465 (oversight)	4/13/2018	(H) Died upon adjournment
LA HB 372 (active supervision)	5/30/2018	(S) Signed into law
LA HB 748 /  SB 494 (review)	5/30/2018 4/13/2018	(H) Signed into law (S) Died upon adjournment
LA HB 825 / SB 504 (right to earn a living)	4/16/2018 4/24/2018	(H) Died upon adjournment (S) Died upon adjournment
MI HB 6114 (least restrictive environment)	6/6/2018	(H) referred to Committee on Regulatory Reform
MN HB 2225 / SB 1776 (regulation)	5/20/2017 5/20/2017	(H) Died upon adjournment (S) Died upon adjournment
MO HB 1719 (least restrictive regulation)	5/18/2018	(H) Passed both houses
MO HB 1928/ SB 677 /  SB 835 (least restrictive regulation)	5/18/2018 5/18/2018 5/18/2018	(H) Died upon adjournment (S) Died upon adjournment (S) Died upon adjournment
MO HB 2312 (defense against regulation)	5/18/2018	(H) Died upon adjournment
NE LB 299 (least restrictive regulation)	4/23/2018	Signed into law
NE LR 401 (interim study)	4/18/2018	Died upon adjournment
NH HB 1685 (oversight)	4/5/2018	(S) Roll Call Vote #167; Question/Motion: Inexpedient to Legislate
NJ AB 2810 (active supervision)	2/1/2018	(A) Introduced 1st Reading Assembly Referred to Regulated Professions
NJ AB 3358 /  SB 2352 (active supervision)	2/12/2018 4/5/2018	(A) Introduced 1st Reading Assembly Referred to Regulated Professions (S) Introduced 1st Reading Senate Referred to Commerce
OH HB 289 (comprehensive review)	9/12/2017	(H) Refer to Committee
OK SB 1174 / SB 1475 (review)	5/3/2018 5/7/2018	(H) Died upon adjournment (S) Signed into law
VA HB 880 (least restrictive regulation)	01/26/2018	(H) Passed by indefinitely in Rules
WI AB 369 / SB 288 (oversight)	3/28/2018	(A) Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1;  (S) Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

 

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JOIN NCSB ON FACEBOOK

Keep up to date on the latest news and information from NCSB. Join Facebook and have access to early announcements of conference locations, accommodations, and programs.

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NCSB BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Position	Held By	Email
President	Vicki Pullins	vickie@linguacare.com
President-Elect	Kerrilyn Phillips	kphillip@latech.edu
Treasurer	Doreen Oyadomari	doreenphd@gmail.com
Secretary	Amy Goldman	amy.goldman@ataporg.org
Past-President	Alison Lemke	Alison.lemke@colorado.edu
Directors:
	Gregg Thornton	gregg.thornton@slpaud.ohio.gov
	Glenn Waguespack	audmath1@aol.com
	Tracy Grammer	tgrammerslp@yahoo.com
	George Murphee	hearclin@aol.com
	Nahale Kalfas	enkalfas@aol.com

END

NCSB Newsletter

Spring 2018

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

BY: Vickie Pullins

Greetings from Daniels, West Virginia, where we have 5 inches of snow with more coming down. It is always this time of the year that I am looking forward and glancing backward.

Our conference last September, 2017, was the 30th year celebration of NCSB in New Orleans, LA. We focused our conference on licensure portability, threats to licensure across the nation and the importance of story telling as we navigated the climate of de-regulation. We wore our beads, ate some crawfish, drank some hurricanes, and cut the cake to celebrate our 30th birthday. It was a memorable celebration!

As we look forward, my thoughts are drawn to the amazing FARB (Federal Association of Regulatory Boards) conference I attended in January.. It was a time to get recharged and empowered to carry out the mission and vision of our regulatory boards. We heard a lot of chatter about de-regulation and the importance of “story telling” related to consumer protection. We all left California determined to tell our stories.

As a business leader for 30 years, I know that to lead any effective organization we must know “why” we do what we do. So why does NCSB exist?

• To facilitate communication and interaction among state boards concerning licensure
• To promote the protection of consumers
• To stimulate interest in and discussion of issues pertaining to licensure boards
• To provide a forum for discussion

If I were to tell my story of NCSB, I would begin with my first NCSB conference in 2010 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I attended that conference with our executive director, Patty Nesbitt. We attended the pre-conference training and listened as the presenters told their stories of challenge and success across the nation regarding regulation. We sat at table with other board members to exchange stories concerning licensure. We heard the importance of consumer protection and listened to stories about consumers who were protected by the regulatory boards. The conference was filled with discussions of issues pertaining to licensure boards.
And even after daily sessions ended, NCSB provided an informal forum for discussions related to our responsibilities as members of our respective boards. We returned to WV and began telling “our story” to our other board members and the rest is history. We are now active participants in NCSB because we believe in the vision and mission.

You are encouraged to send one or more Board representatives to the 31st annual NCSB conference. The conference will be held in Vienna, Virginia, October 4-6, 2018. The Board of Directors met the first weekend in March to develop the agenda, and while topics are still being discussed, the conference will touch on many issues facing our regulatory boards, issues that deal with both regulation and de-regulation.

While leading NCSB this year, I want to encourage you to “tell your story”. Tell your story to consumers, professionals, state and federal legislators and yes, to other states who have not yet seen the value in our national organization. As we have seen across our nation in the most recent weeks, there is power in numbers and collaboration. We need each other to form a more empowered band of professionals who believe that consumer protection is essential and non-negotiable.

I would like to challenge each of our member boards to reach out to at least one other board that does not belong to NCSB and “tell your story”. Invite them to join you in carrying out our vision and mission at NCSB. I’ve tried many marketing strategies over the years in my business. However, none is more effective than one patient telling another patient “their story”.

I’m excited about the year ahead! We will face some challenges and celebrate some victories. My hope is that we will expand our membership to create a strong, more empowered band of advocates for consumers. TELL YOUR STORY!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PRESIDENTS CORNER - See above

30th ANNUAL CONFERENCE HELD IN NEW ORLEANS - See Below

31st ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN VIENNA, VIRGINIA

NCSB: State compacts

NCSB SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS

Call for nominations

membership in ncsb

Ncsb welcomes gregg thornton

JOIN NCSB ON FACEBOOK

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30th Annual Conference Held in New Orleans

In New Orleans, Louisiana, from September 14-16, 2017, NCSB hosted its 30th annual conference. The conference began with Board Member Training and included a presentation by a board attorney. Following the statutory authority session in the morning, attendees participated in a mock disciplinary hearing, discussed ethical decision-making utilizing board scenarios, examined complaints, and drafted a consent order.

The next morning began with a presentation by Rick Masters who discussed the issue of licensure portability. Following that presentation, Kerri Phillips and Susan Adams presented an update on the status of the licensure compact. NahaleKalfas then provided an FTC update related to the North Carolina Dental Board issue and its subsequent Supreme Court decision.

Attendees then participated in the corporate business meeting where an anniversary luncheon spotlighting the 30 year history of NCSB was held. In addition to a historical perspective relating to the formation of the group, information was also presented regarding the original NCSB mission and how that mission has changed because of the importance of speech-language pathology and audiology licensing across the country.

That afternoon a panel presented threats to licensure, and a session followed relating to supervision and regulation in the professions. Updates to the Praxis and a discussion of new CAA standards updated licensees on recent changes to the professions.

As was expected, the state information exchange the following morning proved to be a very interactice session where attendees shared successes and challenges in their respective states. A closing session focusing on social media and its relation to speech-language pathology and audiology provided attendees with “food for thought” as they considered the ethical challenges involved with the implementation of social media in the area of regulation.

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NCSB’s 31st AANNUAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN VIENNA, VIRGINIA

The NCSB Board of Directors met March 1 and 2 to develop the program for the next NCSB Conference to be held October 4-6, 2018. Although the program is still in the development stage, NCSB is pleased to report that a representative from the National Practitioner Data Bank will be present to provide an update on the data bank, as well as to assist individuals in reporting practice violations to the data bank. There will also be an update on the formation of a licensure compact, and other issues related to the regulation of the professions will be discussed. As always, the State Information Exchange will provide attendees with an opportunity to share successes and challenges. REGISTRATION BROCHURES CONTAINING A FINALIZED PROGRAM AND HOTEL INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO BOARDS THIS SUMMER.

TYSONS CORNER MARRIOTT TO SERVE AS HOST HOTEL FOR CONFERENCE

The Tysons Corner Marriott on Leesburg Pike in Vienna, Virginia will host the 31st annual NCSB conference. The hotel is located within walking distance of the Tysons Corner Mall and is convenient to a number of restaurants. A rate of $139 per night will be provided for registrants, as well as complimentary internet service. HOTEL REGISTRATION INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE BROCHURE SENT THIS SUMMER.

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NCSB: STATE COMPACTS

Dialogue continues with NCSB, the Council of State Governments (CSG), and ASHA regarding interstate compacts for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists.. Since the September NCSB meeting in New Orleans, the CSG Speech-Language Hearing Advisory Group members have been engaged in monthly phone conferences as well as a face-to-face meeting in October at the CSG offices in Washington, DC.
Members of the CSG Speech-Language Hearing Advisory Group include a diverse group of audiologists, speech-language pathologists, executive directors, and state legislators. The following attendees participated in the face-to-face meeting in Washington:

Audiologists	Miranda Ross (GA) – Board Chair, Aud Florence Cueno (AL) – Board Chair, Aud Nancy Pajak (WY) – Board Member, Aud Richard Cram (NM) – Board Chair, Aud
State Legislators	Sen. Stephan Pappas (WY)
Speech-Language Pathologists	Luis Riquelme (NY) – Board Past Chair, SLP Sherry Sancibrian (TX)  – Board Chair, SLP Julia Lidgard (UT) – Board Member, SLP
Executive Directors	Erin Haag (OR) – Board ED Gregg Thornton (OH) – Board ED
Board Attorneys	NahaleKalfas (NC) – Board Attorney
NCSB	Kerri Phillips (LA)
Department of Defense	Marcus Beauregard – DOD
Council of State Governments	Mike McCabe – CSG Dan Logsdon – CSG John Mountjoy - CSG
ASHA	Susan Adams

The group was led in discussion by Mike McCabe, CSG, to discuss if a need existed for an interstate compact for the professions of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. The group identified many reasons for a compact including: telepractice/rural needs, military spouses, costs of multiple licenses, consumer protection, portability of licensure, and disciplinary information sharing/database. The Advisory Group reviewed and discussed three different compact models: Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact, and the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact.

Further discussion centered around what should be included in a compact for audiologists and speech-language pathologists. The Advisory Group discussed the need to be able to address the purpose of the compact; the types of licenses that should be given and who grants them; how one qualifies for a license; how disciplinary actions would be addressed; could reinstatement occur after a disciplinary action; the types of information to include in databases; telehealth requirements; structure of a compact commission including its power and duties; and how to finance a commission.

What are the next steps?
During the February 14, 2018 teleconference meeting, the Advisory Group decided to move to the next step which is to move discussion to a drafting team. The charge of the drafting team will be to begin developing the compact using the Advisory Group’s recommendations. On March 20th, the Advisory Group will review the charge to the drafting team and the members of the drafting team.

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NCSB SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS

Each year at its Corporate Business meeting, NCSB recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the professions through involvement with licensure. Two awards have been established to honor individuals, and these include Honors of the Association and the Special Recognition Award. Briefly, Honors of the Association is intended to recognize an individual for his/her exemplary contributions to NCSB, to a licensing board in the state, or to an individual employed by an organization or other entity that addresses regulatory concerns for the professions. The Special Recognition Award is given to individuals who have demonstrated exemplary commitment and contributions in the area of regulation at the state level. Criteria for these awards and detailed nomination procedures can be found at http://www.ncsb.info/ncsb-awards.  NCSB encourages member boards to respond to the Call for Nominations for these two awards. Recipients will be recognized at the Business Meeting Friday, October 5, 2018.

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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

NCSB is seeking nominations to fill the positions of President-Elect and three Board members. In keeping with the Bylaws, the President-Elect must be selected from the current Board of Directors. Directors eligible to serve as President-Elect are:

• Amy Goldman
• Tracy Grammer
• Nahale Kalfas
• Alison Lemke
• George Murphree
• Doreen Oyadomari
• Gregg Thornton
• Glenn Waguespack

The requirements for a member of the Board of Directors are that the nominee be either a board member or an individual member from a state board that is currently an NCSB member. Such individual may be a licensed speech-language pathologist, s licensed audiologist, a board administrator, a board attorney, or a public member of the board. The Bylaws stipulate that at least two Directors be speech-language pathologists and two be audiologists. As such, one of the elected individuals in this election must be an audiologist.

A call for nominations will be sent to member boards in late Spring. Member boards may submit nominations from this notice as well as by sending nominations by email to info@ncsb.info. Once the nominations have been received and nominees have agreed to serve, an official ballot will be forwarded to member boards for voting. The individual(s) elected will be recognized at the Fall Business Meeting and will take office January 1, 2019.

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MEMBERSHIP IN NCSB

NCSB encourages interested individuals/board to join NCSB. Categories of membership are as follows:

1. Full Membership - Organizations eligible to apply for Full Membership are those boards, advisory councils, committees, or comparable bodies which conduct and maintain programs for the licensing of speech-language pathologists and audiologists in their respective states or provinces. The cost for Full Membership is $450.
    
2. Individual Membership - This category is available to any individual who presently has served as a member, executive director, administrator, or attorney affiliated with a speech-language pathology and/or audiology board. Additionally, any SLP or AUD holding current licensure and with an interest in regulatory matters is entitled to apply for this affiliation. Individual members from states that are member boards in good standing shall receive discounted membership. The cost for Individual Membership is $35 for individuals whose state is a member board and $50 for individuals residing in states that do not hold membership in NCSB.
    
3. Association Membership - This category refers to organizations that either directly or indirectly provide services to individuals with communication disorders and whose members are impacted by licensing or certification of SLPs and AUDs. Individuals may also apply for this level of membership; however, membership is restricted to individuals who are members of an organization eligible to apply for Association Membership. The cost of Association Membership is $450.00.

All levels of membership can be accessed by logging on to www.ncsb.info. 

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NCSB WELCOMES GREGG THORNTON

Last year during its election process, Gregg Thornton was elected to join the NCSB Board of Directors. Gregg, who serves as the Executive Director of the Ohio Speech and Hearing Professionals Board, manages board operations, board directives, and licensure requirements for over 10,000 practitioners. He was responsible for implementing the Board’s two-hour ethics continuing education requirement, and has presented on the topic of ethics and ethical dilemmas related to licensure. Mr. Thornton is an attorney with over twenty-five years of experience in state government in the area of administrative law. NCSB welcomes Gregg to the Board of Directors and knows that his vast experience in the area of professional licensure will be an asset to NCSB as it continues with its mission to provide information about licensure to all states.

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JOIN NCSB ON FACEBOOK

Keep up to date on the latest news and information from NCSB. Join Facebook and have access to early announcements of conference locations, accommodations, and programs.

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NCSB Board of Directors

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Summer 2017

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

BY: Alison Lemke

Welcome to the summer issue of the National Council of State Boards of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology’s newsletter. NCSB is the go-to organization for networking and training about issues related to professional licensure in SLP and audiology. We hope you will take advantage of the opportunities that our organization offers to strengthen your knowledge base and enhance the capabilities of your state licensure board. Among the past goals of the organization are:

• To facilitate communication and interaction among state boards
• To promote the protection of consumers
• To stimulate interest in and discussion of issues pertaining to licensure boards
• To provide a forum for discussion
• To assist licensing boards in fulfilling statutory, professional, and ethical obligations
• To promote uniform standards for licensure

As some of you will recall from the conference last year, NCSB is undertaking yet another task-that of involvement in the formation of licensure compacts. Working closely with ASHA and other national partners, NCSB hopes to increase its visibility and at the same time expand provision of services by entering into licensure compacts aimed at facilitating practice across borders. A compact has been formed within NCSB, and individuals have been asked to participate in that endeavor. Additionally, a licensure compact is being developed at the national level, and meetings to discuss that project are in the planning stages.

The annual NCSB conference is right around the corner--September 14-16 in New Orleans. If your board is not currently sending at least one member to the conference, you should consider doing so this year. State licensure, and more specifically licensure compacts, is a hot topic right now due to numerous efforts around the country to eliminate or consolidate boards, including boards that ensure consumer safety regarding our services. This will be the topic of one of our conference sessions.

The NCSB conference is a terrific place to learn more about what boards can do to effectively fulfill their duty to protect consumers. The conference includes sessions on the ethics of social media and state regulations related to CF supervision. These topics, coupled with discussions regarding investigations and the sharing of information among attendees, should provide participants with important information that can be shared with their individual state boards. A complete synopsis of all conference sessions and topics can be found elsewhere in this publication.

Finally, what place could be more fun than New Orleans to meet colleagues from around the country who are involved in SLP and audiology licensure? Louisiana’s outstanding regional cuisine and the sights of this intriguing city will make your conference trip memorable. A number of exciting conference activities have been planned under the direction of the Program Chair, Vickie Pullins. Come to the Big Easy and laisseez les bon temps rouler. I am looking forward to seeing you in New Orleans!

Respectfully,

Alison Lemke
NCSB President

 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PRESIDENTS CORNER - See above

NCSB TO PRESENT POSTER SESSION AT ASHA - See Below

NCSB’s 30th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CONFERENCE HOTEL

LICENSURE COMPACTS

Reporting Adverse Actions to the NPDB

SPOTLIGHT ON THE TEXAS BOARD OF EXAMINERS

JOIN NCSB ON FACEBOOK

NCSB Board of Directors

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NCSB TO PRESENT POSTER SESSION AT ASHA

Please view the NCSB poster during the ASHA Convention. Plan to attend and share your licensure experiences with others who have an interest in licensure. The poster will include demographic data on a number of topics, including continuing education, hearing aid dispensing, telepractice, universal licensure, support personnel, and others. Handouts will be provided, as will a listing of web addresses for audiology and speech-language pathology boards.

“Professional Licensure: Prerequisite for Portability and Public Protection”
Session Number 7636, Poster Board 162
Saturday, November 11, 2017
8:00-9:30 AM
Location: Hall A, Los Angeles Convention Center

Hope to see you in the Convention Center in Los Angeles.

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NCSB’s 30th ANNUAL CONFERENCE
September 14-16, 2017, New Orleans

Registration brochures announcing the 30th annual NCSB Conference have been mailed. If you or your state board did not receive one of the brochures, a registration form and hotel information are included in this newsletter. As in past years, a pre-conference workshop on Training for Board Members will be held on Thursday, September 14, 2017, and the one and one-half day conference will follow on September 15 and 16. NCSB invites boards to participate in both the board training and the conference. Following is a synopsis of the pre-conference workshop and the conference.

• View the schedule

• Register online

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CONFERENCE HOTEL

Doubletree by Hilton
300 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA. 70130
(504) 581-1300

The 2017 NCSB Workshop and Conference will be held Thursday-Saturday, September 14-16, 2017. Please note that the conference is being held in September this year rather than October as has been its practice in the past. The meeting will be at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in New Orleans, 300 Canal Street.

Group room rates are $119 for single/double, $129 for triple, and $139 for quad (not including taxes.) Online reservations opened October 10, 2016, and the cut-off date for conference rates is August 16, 2017. A reservation option is to book your room online as part of the group block.

Group Website: https://aws.passkey.com/go/NCSB 2017 
Group Code: NCS
Reservations can also be made by calling the toll-free number 1-800-HILTONS.

Parking is valet only, and the hotel has offered special rates for NCSB attendees.
Overnight valet parking is $28.00 per night, exclusive of sales tax, while event parking is $12.00 per car.

Transportation from New Orleans International Airport—Distance from hotel is approximately 13 miles (23 minutes). A taxi or Uber is estimated at $33, while the Super Shuttle is $23.

The Double Tree by Hilton Hotel New Orleans is located in downtown New Orleans at 300 Canal Street. The French Quarter is within walking distance, as is Harrah’s Casino and the Audubon Aquarium. At the hotel, you can have a quick cup of coffee and enjoy complimentary WiFi in PJ’s Coffee or visit the WOW Café offering all day dining and a full-service bar. At Pinkberry’s you can enjoy yogurt with more than 30 toppings.

Relax in one of the stylish guest rooms, many of which offer views of the French Quarter, Canal Street, or the Mississippi River. Rooms are equipped with a large desk, and in-room WiFi is available. Experience the true taste of Double Tree Hotels when you check in and receive a signature warm chocolate chip cookie.

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LICENSURE COMPACTS

NCSB has been involved in the development of licensure compacts designed to facilitate practice across borders. A working group has been formed within NCSB, and plans are also underway to construct a similar committee that will include a representative from NCSB as well as individuals from professional associations. Kerri Phillips is spearheading the NCSB efforts and is also assisting in the facilitation of the national working group. Following is her report on the progress made thus far. Further updates will be provided during the NCSB Conference in New Orleans.

NCSB: State Compacts Update
The NCSB Task Force has met and is currently working on a draft compact. Ayn Stehr, Task Force Chair, drafted the initial document and presented it to committee members. Committee members have reviewed the document, and discussions are on-going with the draft compact. The draft compact is designed as a starting point for the discussion of a compact in our professions. The draft compact will be shared with the NCSB Board of Directors and the membership for additional input upon completion. Remember that this is a process that will take time (years) to develop and finalize.

Things are moving quickly with the Council of State Government (CSG) Advisory Committee. The invitations have been sent to the potential members of the CSG Advisory Committee. Daniel Logsdon, CSG, Kerri Phillips, NCSB, and Susan Adams, ASHA have held several phone conferences regarding meeting dates for the initial Advisory Committee meeting. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for either the first or second week of October.

With the first meeting of the CSG Advisory Committee approaching in October, you are encouraged to attend the NCSB conference in New Orleans, September 14-16, 2017, and join in the conversation. CSG, NCSB, and ASHA will discuss the ongoing process of interstate compacts.

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The National Practitioner Data Bank plays an important role in the regulation of our professions, and since all states now have licensure or registration, it is critical that state boards be kept informed of the functions of the NPDB. NCSB is fortunate to receive periodic updates from Don Illich, Policy Analyst with the NPDB and HRSA. Following is his latest report that provides background on the data bank and also summarizes the actions of speech-language pathologists and audiologists and their inclusion in the data bank.

Reporting Adverse Actions to the NPDB
by Donald Illich and Jiaying Hua

The NPDB is a confidential information clearinghouse created by Congress with the primary goals of improving health care quality, protecting the public, and reducing health care fraud and abuse in the United States. Acting primarily as a national flagging system, the NPDB provides information that permits authorized queriers to perform comprehensive reviews of the credentials of health care practitioners, providers, and suppliers.

The NPDB collects information on medical malpractice payments and certain adverse actions and discloses that information to eligible entities. These payments and actions are required to be reported to the NPDB under Title IV of Public Law 99-660, the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986 (Title IV); Section 1921 of the Social Security Act (Section 1921); Section 1128E of the Social Security Act (Section 1128E); and their implementing regulations found at 45 CFR Part 60.

Entities that are required to report to the NPDB include medical malpractice payers, hospitals and other health care entities, professional societies, health plans, peer review organizations, private accreditation organizations, Federal Government agencies, State law enforcement agencies, State Medicaid fraud control units, State agencies administering or supervising the administration of State health care programs, and State licensing and certification authorities. The information required to be reported to the NPDB concerns health care practitioners, providers, and suppliers.

The NPDB is meant to be used as one of many tools available to health care entities of various types as they make licensing, certification, hiring, credentialing, contracting, and similar decisions. The NPDB can provide valuable background information for Boards of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology to use in conjunction with other resources when making licensing and certification decisions.

The Value of NPDB Reports
Querying the NPDB for information on speech-language pathologists and audiologists allows for informed decision-making. Reports are used in conjunction with other information provided by applicants and licensees to create complete pictures of their professional histories. Frequently, boards will ask an applicant with an NPDB report to provide additional information on an incident, but will rarely base the entire decision to make licensure/certification decisions on one report alone. This holds true across the different types of entities and reports that are used to assess competence and conduct, according to the results of a 2014 user survey.

Boards increase the value of the data in the NPDB by reporting certain adverse actions outlined in NPDB regulations. If all legally required actions are reported, it is more likely that entities can identify unprofessional and/or incompetent practitioners before they are licensed or granted privileges. Reporting licensure actions adds to the completeness of NPDB information, which increases the value of the NPDB for boards and other queriers who rely on this information. Without reports, queriers might get an incomplete picture of a practitioner’s record.

Reporting Requirements
Boards of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology must report to the NPDB certain actions taken against speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and audiologists. They must be the result of formal proceedings. ations that must be reported by these Boards include:

• Any adverse action taken by a board as a result of a formal proceeding, including: revocation or suspension of a license; reprimand; censure; or probation.
• Any dismissal or closure of a formal proceeding because the audiologist/SLP surrendered the license because the subject of the proceeding left the State or jurisdiction.
• Any other loss of license or the right to apply for, or renew, a license by an audiologist/SLP, whether by operation of law, voluntary surrender, nonrenewal (excluding nonrenewals due to nonpayment of fees, retirement, or change to inactive status), or otherwise.
• Any negative action or finding by the board that, under the State's law, is publicly available information, including, but not limited to, limitations on the scope of practice, liquidations, injunctions, and forfeitures. This definition also includes final adverse actions rendered by a board - such as exclusions, revocations, or suspension of license - that occur in conjunction with settlements in which no finding of liability has been made (although such a settlement itself is not reportable). This definition excludes administrative fines or citations and corrective action plans and other personnel actions, unless: the underlying activity is connected to the delivery of health care services, or the action is taken in conjunction with other adverse licensure actions, such as revocation, suspension, censure, reprimand, probation, or surrender.

When a license is suspended, the length of the suspension must also be reported. Boards must report any revisions to a previously reported licensing action, such as a reinstatement of a suspended license, and whether an action is on appeal.

Compliance
Querying and reporting are both supported by the NPDB’s compliance work. To further its mission of improving the quality of health care, and reducing fraud and abuse, the NPDB operates a compliance effort to improve the completeness and accuracy of data reported to the NPDB. All state licensing and certification boards, including Boards of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, must complete an attestation process every two years as part of renewing their NPDB registration. There are two parts to this process: Attest that they have submitted all reportable actions under federal law to the NPDB for the professions they regulate; Review, verify, and update the roster of professions they currently regulate.

The NPDB recently released the results of its latest compliance review on July 1, 2017. This review examined state licensing and certification board adverse actions taken between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2015 for 13 states. In addition, the initiative also included the following U.S. Territories: American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The review compares adverse actions taken by state licensing and certification boards to the reports the boards submit to the NPDB, with the purpose of ensuring that all actions that must be reported according to federal law have been correctly reported to the NPDB. It includes professions that are queried most often by organizations registered with the NPDB, plus a random sampling of other professions. The NPDB continues to work with state boards that need assistance with meeting federal reporting requirements.

The NPDB has always shared the results of its reviews organized by state and by profession, but now offers a compliance map infographic that combines states and professions, showing on the U.S. map what states and territories were reviewed. Only the boards and professions listed were part of the compliance review and received a status of "compliant,” “non-compliant,” or “working toward compliance.” A state's overall compliance status is not reflected in this infograph. For full compliance results, visit Reporting Compliance Status by State. You can also view the compliance status for audiologists and speech-language pathologists.

Reports in the Data Bank
As of December 31, 2016, the NPDB contained 1,294,192 reports filed on 690,191 individual practitioners of all types. Fifty-two percent of those reports are licensure actions, 33% are malpractice payment reports, and 8% are Medicare and Medicaid exclusion reports. The remaining reports include clinical privileges or panel membership, health plan actions, professional society membership, Drug Enforcement Administration actions, government administrative actions, and judgments or convictions.

Boards may take a variety of licensure actions against audiologists and SLPs; such as restrictions, suspensions, and voluntary surrenders. The majority of NPDB reports on audiologists and SLPs are based on licensure actions. The above table represents some of the more frequent types of reports made on speech-language pathologists and audiologists.

For More Information
For additional information, visit the NPDB Web site at www.npdb.hrsa.gov. For technical questions related to billing, registration, and submitting a report, contact the Customer Service Center at help@npdb.hrsa.gov or 1-800-767-6732.

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SPOTLIGHT ON THE TEXAS BOARD OF EXAMINERS

NCSB is interested in what other state licensure boards are doing with respect to membership, legislation, and unique successes and challenges. As such, the newsletter will spotlight one or more boards in each edition. Vickie Pullins contacted the Texas Board, and following are their responses.
Board make-up:

1. three audiologist members;
2. three speech-language pathologist members; and
3. three members who represent the public. (One public member must be a physician licensed in this state and certified in otolaryngology or pediatrics.

Advisory board members must:

1. have been a resident of this state for the two years preceding the date of appointment;
2. be from the various geographic regions of the state; and
3. be from varying employment settings.

The advisory board members who are audiologists or speech-language pathologists must:

1. have been engaged in teaching, research, or providing services in speech-language pathology or audiology for at least five years;
2. and be licensed under this chapter

Current board members:

• Public Member: Emanuel Bodner, Houston, Texas. Term expires 9/1/2021.
• Public Member: Elizabeth Sterling, Austin, Texas. Term expires 9/1/2019.
• Public Member - Physician: Tammy Camp, Shallowater, Texas. Term expires 9/1/2017.
• Audiologist: Kimberly Ringer, Pflugerville, Texas. Term expires 9/1/2017.
• Audiologist: Cristen Plummer, Round Rock, Texas. Term expires 9/1/2019.
• Audiologist: Michelle Tejada, San Antonio, Texas. Term expires 9/1/2021.
• Speech-Language Pathologist: Patricia Brannon, San Antonio, Texas. Term expires 9/1/2017.
• Speech-Language Pathologist: Cheval Bryant, Sugar Land, Texas. Term expires 9/1/2019.
• Speech-Language Pathologist: Sherry Sancibrian (Presiding Officer), Lubbock, Texas. Term expires 9/1/2021.

1. Where is your board office located?
   The board office is in the headquarters of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in Austin.
    
2. Are board members appointed or elected and by whom?
   Board members are appointed by the presiding officer of the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation, with approval from the full commission.
    
3. Who provides your legal counsel?
   At least two attorneys attend all board meetings and are available to assist with legal matters. One attorney is on the Executive Staff of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and handles issues related to compliance with open meetings and open records requirements, legislative matters, and appointments to the board. A second staff attorney works in the Enforcement Division and advises on complaints and assists with projects such as our current efforts to develop a penalty matrix.
    
4. How long has your board been a member of NCSB?
   I’m not sure, but I know that I first heard about NCSB from Gene Powers, who was the Chair of the Texas board and was quite active with NCSB in the early 1990’s.
    
5. Have you had any recent threats to licensure in Texas?
   House Bill 1684 in the 2017 session proposed to eliminate licensure requirements for speech-language pathologists and audiologists but was quickly withdrawn after an overwhelming response from licensees. And legislation in the previous session relocated our board from the Department of State Health to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which didn’t threaten the existence of licensure but significantly affected how we do business. Hear the rest of the story at the NCSB conference in New Orleans!

History with NCSB

• Texas has hosted the NCSB Annual Conference 3 times:
• 1995: Austin; Licensure Boards: Vision and Directions
• 2007: San Antonio; Rollin’ on the River: Response to Regulatory Issues
• 2013: San Antonio; Prickly Issues in Licensure and Regulation
• Sherry Sancibrian (Texas board chair 2001-2005 and 2015-2021) served on the NCSB board

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JOIN NCSB ON FACEBOOK

Keep up to date on the latest news and information from NCSB. Join Facebook and have access to early announcements of conference locations, accommodations, and programs.

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NCSB Board of Directors

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Spring 2017

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

BY: Alison Lemke

Greetings NCSB member states and individuals, as well as those whose states are not NCSB members but who are interested in licensure and regulatory issues in audiology and speech-language pathology. 2017 is NCSB’s 30thanniversary year, and we remain the go-to organization for in-depth discussion of hot topics in speech-language pathology and audiology licensure. We invite you and/or your state to join us if you aren’t currently a member--we are sure you and your board will benefit from becoming involved.

NCSB conferences offer information on many licensure related topics and the opportunity to network with people from all over the U.S. who are involved in licensure. Speaking of hot topics, the October 2016 NCSB conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, buzzed with discussion related to the current hottest topic in licensure circles-- license portability. Simply defined, license portability is a regulatory arrangement for health professionals to practice in states other than the ‘home state’ in which they are licensed. NCSB conference attendees spent considerable time discussing portability for SLP and audiology, with strong support expressed for the concept. Several state representatives reported that their boards are ready to act on this issue in the near future.

Most stakeholders also reported support for portability for both in-person practice and telepractice across state borders. Concern for consumer protection was expressed by many, with attendees stating that elements such as the reporting of misconduct, disciplinary processes and sanctions, CE requirements, and timely, efficient sharing of information between states need to be carefully considered.

Because of NCSB stakeholders’ interest in moving forward on this issue, NCSB has initiated several actions. Past-President Kerri Phillips will report elsewhere in this issue on what has happened since October.

This fall, the NCSB 30th anniversary conference will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 14-16. New Orleans was the site of the first NCSB conference, and we are excited to celebrate our anniversary there. President-Elect Vickie Pullins and the NCSB Board of Directors are already working hard to present yet another fun and informative conference. The latest updates about progress in the area of license portability are something we can all look forward to. We hope to see you there!

Respectfully,

Alison Lemke
NCSB President

 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PRESIDENTS CORNER - See above

NCSB: STATE COMPACTS - See Below

NCSB SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

MEMBERSHIP IN NCSB

NCSB WELCOMES TRACY GRAMMER

NCSB PRESENTS POSTER SESSION AT ASHA

29th ANNUAL CONFERENCE HELD IN SANTA FE

30th ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN NEW ORLEANS

NCSB REPRESENTED AT AuD EDUCATION SUMMIT

SPOTLIGHT ON GEORGIA BOARD

NCSB MEMBERS PRESENT AT CSAP

JOIN NCSB ON FACEBOOK

NCSB SOLICITS YOUR OPINIONS

NCSB Board of Directors

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NCSB: STATE COMPACTS

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is contracting with the Council of State Governments (CSG) and working in collaboration with NCSB to develop and implement interstate compacts for audiologists and speech-language pathologists. In December 2016, the NCSB Board of Directors voted to fund attendance of one of the BOD at the Council of State Governments Summit of the States in Williamsburg, VA. The purpose of attendance was to gather a better understanding of state compacts and how they could be used by licensing boards.
Also in December 2016, a phone conference was held in conjunction with CSG, ASHA, and NCSB as well as other stakeholders to discuss the purpose of state compacts for the professions of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. As an overview of a state compact, the following questions have been posed by the membership of NCSB.

What is the role of ASHA and NCSB?
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is contracting with Council of State Governments (CSG) and working in collaboration with NCSB to develop and implement interstate compacts for audiologists and speech-language pathologists.

What is a State Compact?
According the Buenger, Litwak, Masters, and McCabe (2016), state compacts have existed since the birth of our nation. Our Constitutional fathers saw a need to allow states to remain independent but yet to self-govern by forming compacts vs. federal oversight.

In the most simplistic form, it is a minimum of two states agreeing to share governance of an issue. Examples exist amongst states for a variety of reasons including governance of waterways, transportation of inmates, or in allied health professions.

Why does NCSB need to be involved?
The need for continued protection of consumers, access to care, the ability to address shortage of personnel, and the continued emergence of technology is paramount as our society becomes more mobile and global.

What are the next steps?
NCSB has developed a Task Force to facilitate the discussion of what state compacts should consider for individuals who are licensed to practice audiology and speech-language pathology.
During the October conference in Santa Fe, the NCSB membership requested the Board of Directors to form a voluntary Task Force in order to have input into the development and implementation of Interstate Compacts. The purpose of the NCSB Task Force will be to provide dialogue with the NCSB Board of Directors (BOD) about the development of interstate practice. The NCSB task force includes one Audiologist-Alison Grimes-CA, one Speech-Language Pathologist-Richard Dressler-KY, one Board Attorney-Ayn Stehr-LA, one Public Member-Willliam Livermon-OK, and an ex-offico from the current NCSB Board-Kerri Phillips-LA. As monitor, Kerri Phillips has been appointed to serve as the NCSB representative for the Council of State Government (CSG) Compact Advisory Committee to represent the issues proposed by the Task Force and our membership body. CSG, in conjunction with ASHA and NCSB, is currently developing the application materials to serve on the CSG Advisory Committee.

CSG, in conjunction with ASHA and NCSB, is currently developing the application materials to serve on the ASHA Advisory Committee.

CSG has also developed a webinar “Compacts 101 for Health Care” which is available at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgj2iL8PuUA&t=14s. More information about licensure compacts will be presented as part of the Fall Conference in New Orleans.

Reference:
Buenger, M., Litwak, J., Masters, R., and McCabe, M. (2016). The evolving law and use of interstate compacts. ABA Book Publishing.

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NCSB SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS

Each year at its Corporate Business Meeting, NCSB recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the professions through their involvement with licensure. Two awards have been established to honor individuals, and these include Honors of the Association and a Special Recognition Award. Briefly, Honors of the Association is intended to recognize an individual for his/her exemplary contributions to NCSB, to a licensing board in the state, or to an individual employed by an organization or other entity that addresses regulatory issues/concerns for the professions. The Special Recognition Award is given to individuals who have demonstrated exemplary commitment and contributions in the area of regulation at the state level. Criteria for these awards and detailed nomination procedures can be found at www.ncsb.info/ncsb-awards. NCSB encourages member boards to submit nominees for these two awards. Recipients will be recognized at the Business Meeting on Friday, September 15, 2017.

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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

NCSB is seeking nominations to fill the positions of President-Elect and three board members. In keeping with the Bylaws, the President-Elect must be selected from the current Board of Directors. Directors eligible to serve as President-Elect are:
 

The requirements for a member of the Board of Directors are that the nominee be either a board member or an individual member from a state board that is currently an NCSB member. Such individual may be a licensed speech-language pathologist, a licensed audiologist, a board administrator, a board attorney, or a public member of the board.

A call for nominations will be sent to member boards in late Spring. Member boards may submit nominations from this notice as well by sending nominations to info@ncsb.info. Once the nominations have been received, an official ballot will be forwarded to member boards for voting. The individual(s) will be announced at the Fall Business Meeting and will take office January 1, 2018.

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MEMBERSHIP IN NCSB

NCSB encourages interested individuals/boards to join NCSB. Categories of membership are as follows:

Organization Memberships

1. Licensing Boards
   State Licensing boards are eligible to apply for Organization Membership are those boards, advisory councils, committees, or comparable bodies which conduct and maintain programs for the licensing of speech-language pathologists and audiologists in their respective states or provinces. The cost for membership is $450.00.
    
2. Associate Organizations
   This category refers to organizations that either directly or indirectly provide services to individuals with communication disorders and whose members are impacted by licensing or certification of SLPs and AUDs. The cost for Association Membership is $450.00.

Individual Memberships

1. Individual
   This category is available to any individual who presently for has previously served as a member, executive director, administrator, or attorney affiliated with a speech-language pathology or audiology board. Additionally, any SLP or AUD holding current licensure and with an interest in regulatory matters is entitled to apply for this affiliation. Individual members from states that are member boards in good standing shall receive discounted membership. The cost for Individual Membership is $35.00.
    
2. Associate
   This category refers to an individual that either directly or indirectly provide services to individuals with communication disorders and whose members are impacted by licensing or certification of SLPs and AUDs. The cost for Membership is $35.00.

All levels of membership can be accessed by logging on to www.ncsb.info/membership.   

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NCSB WELCOMES TRACY GRAMMER

Last year during its election process, Tracy Grammer was elected to join the NCSB Board of Directors. Tracy, who is employed at Oklahoma University Medical Center, is a speech-language pathologist with 26 years of experience. She served on the Oklahoma Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from August 2009-August 2015. For the period from 2011-2015, Tracy served as Chair of that Board. NCSB welcomes Tracy to the BOD and knows that her previous experience in licensure will be an asset to NCSB as the organization continues with its mission to provide information about licensure to all states.

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NCSB PRESENTS POSTER SESSION AT ASHA

At the ASHA Conference in Philadelphia in November, NCSB presented a poster session entitled “Professional Licensure: Practice Across Borders”. The poster utilized a series of maps to depict trends and characteristics in licensure across the country. The trends included the history of legislation by state, states with merged boards, states that have enacted legislation to require the doctoral degree as the entry-level credential for audiologists, states with universal licensure, states permitting hearing aid dispensing with the audiology license, continuing education requirements, telepractice regulations, and the regulation of support personnel. Handouts included a description of the characteristics as well as web site addresses for all licensure boards. NCSB hopes to submit information regarding a similar poster session for ASHA in Los Angeles.

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29th ANNUAL CONFERENCE HELD IN SANTA FE

In Santa Fe, New Mexico, from October 20-22, 2016, NCSB hosted its 29th annual conference. The conference began with Board Member Training and included a presentation by a board attorney. Following the statutory authority session in the morning, attendees participated in a mock disciplinary hearing, discussed ethical decision making utilizing board scenarios, examined complaints, and drafted consent orders.

The next day began with an address by Colmon Elridge from the Council of State Governments. The focus of the presentation was licensure portability and licensure compacts, a presentation that was followed by round table discussions related to licensure portability. Mr. Elridge provided feedback and concluding remarks related both to his presentation and to the discussions from the round table format.

Following the corporate business meeting and luncheon, the afternoon keynote focused on bilingual service provision. Tied into this presentation was a discussion of credentialing of internationally-trained applicants. This session led into a discussion of technology for board meetings. Concluding the afternoon presentations was a session on the current status of the Praxis and an update on clinical certification.

Saturday morning began with the popular state information exchange where participants shared successes and challenges related to their respective licensure boards. Next was a session on patient abandonment and finally, a session related to the 2016 revision of the ASHA Code of Ethics.

Evaluations by attendees suggested a number of topics for the next conference. Paramount among those was more information on licensure compacts and how licensure boards can more effectively deal with the issue of licensure portability and protection of the public. Comments on evaluations are considered when the Board of Directors meet to plan the next annual conference.

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30th ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN NEW ORLEANS

Plans are underway for the annual Fall NCSB Conference. The conference will begin Thursday, September 14, 2017 (PLEASE NOTE EARLIER DATE THIS YEAR) at the Double Tree Hotel in New Orleans (See hotel information below). Opening the conference will be the annual Training for Board Members. As in the past, there will be a presentation by a board attorney followed by a mock disciplinary hearing. Then there will be a discussion of ethical scenarios with audience participation and an opportunity for attendees to discuss ethical issues experienced by their licensure boards.

The NCSB Board of Directors met in early March to discuss the program for the Fall Conference to be held in New Orleans. In response to requests from last year, there will be another discussion on licensure compacts and licensure portability. An update on the FTC ruling in North Carolina will be discussed, as will threats to licensure across the nation. Two attorneys will provide information regarding the kinds of information that should be contained in an investigation, and there will be an update on the Praxis and the new CAA standards. As always, the ever-popular state information exchange will provide attendees with a look at what other states are doing. Also under consideration are sessions related to supervision and social media.

NCSB will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of its conferences, so a luncheon celebration will spotlight some of the history and the background associated with the formation of NCSB. If there are other topics of interest, please notify Vickie Pullins, the Program Chair. A detailed schedule will be provided in the conference brochure to be mailed this summer, as will a registration form for the training and for the conference.

HOTEL INFORMATION

The 2017 NCSB Workshop and Conference will be held Thursday-Saturday, September 14-16, 2017. Please note that the conference is being held in September this year rather than October as has been its practice in the past. The meeting will be at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in New Orleans, 300 Canal Street.

Group room rates are $119 for single/double, $129 for triple, and $139 for quad. Online reservations opened October 10, 2016, and the cut-off date for conference rates is August 16, 2017. A reservation option is to book your room online as part of the group block.

• Group Website: https://aws.passkey.com/go/NCSB2017
• Group Code: NCS
• Reservations can also be made by calling the toll-free number 1-800-HILTONS
   
• Parking is valet only, and the hotel has offered special rates for NCSB attendees.
• Overnight valet parking is $28.00 per night, exclusive of sales tax, while event parking is $12.00 per car.

The Double Tree by Hilton Hotel New Orleans is located in downtown New Orleans at 300 Canal Street. The French Quarter is within walking distance, as is Harrah’s Casino and the Audubon Aquarium. At the hotel, you can have a quick cup of coffee and enjoy complimentary WiFi in PJ’s Coffee or visit the WOW Café offering all day dining and a full-service bar. At Pinkberry’s you can enjoy yogurt with more than 30 toppings.

Relax in one of the stylish guest rooms, many of which offer views of the French Quarter, Canal Street, or the Mississippi River. Rooms are equipped with a large desk, and in-room WiFi is available. Experience the true taste of Double Tree Hotels when you check in and receive a signature warm chocolate chip cookie.

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NCSB REPRESENTED AT AuD EDUCATION SUMMIT

NCSB was invited to participate in the 2016 AuD Education Summit October 27-28, in Rockville, Maryland, and George Purvis, a member of the NCSB Board of Directors, represented the organization. The summit was hosted by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and was attended by representatives of all 75 AuD programs, as well as representatives from related professional organizations and accreditation bodies.

The focus of the summit was to consider transitioning the fourth-year externship to a residency model. It was hoped that moving to a new model would address several current challenges in clinical education, including (l) lack of standardization of the extern process, (2) quality control for extern sites, (3) qualifications and skills of preceptors, (4) student debt issues, and (5) assuring student readiness for both the externship and for graduation.

After much discussion, the summit participants determined that the audiology profession was not ready for a residency model, and they voted not to pursue the model at this time. The remaining time was spent addressing the challenges associated with the current training model. The need for standardization of the externship received significant attention as well as the necessity of a collective understanding of a vision for audiology which could be used to direct changes in training programs in a systematic manner.

Recommendations from the summit included the establishment of a task force of audiology organizations to develop an action plan to achieve outcomes of the summit. Plans are underway for a second summit, “Audiology in 2040”. NCSB will continue to monitor the work of the task force and its possible impact on licensure boards.

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SPOTLIGHT ON GEORGIA BOARD

The Georgia State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology is an eight-member board consisting of one physician, three audiologists, three speech-language pathologists, and a consumer member. The members are appointed by the Governor to “protect the public health, safety, and welfare and to protect the public from being misled by incompetent, unscrupulous, and unauthorized persons.” The Board meets monthly to review applications for licensure and to receive, investigate, and adjudicate complaints against licensed speech-language pathologists and audiologists.

Licensure is not required of a speech-language pathologist certified by the Department of Education or Professional Standards Commission or successor agency while that person is working as an employee of a public educational institution. Grades served range from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, land no fees are charged for the services either directly or through a third party, except for Medicaid.

Current Board Members are as follows:

• Brig Zimmerman - Executive Director
• Melanie Gilly (SlP) - Chair
• Eric Chatelain (SLP) - Vice-Chair
• Holly Kaplan (AUD)
• Miranda Pritcher Ross (AUD)
• Robin Alverson (AUD)
• Melanie Hudson (SLP)
• Lauren Wright (Consumer Member)

Email a question to the Board: http://sos.ga.gov/cgi-bin/emailplb.asp. The Board Address is:
237 Coliseum Drive
Macon, Georgia 31217
(478) 207-2440

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NCSB MEMBERS PRESENT AT CSAP

NCSB Board members Alison Lemke, George Purvis, and Amy Goldman presented to the Council of State Association Presidents (CSAP) at ASHA in Philadelphia. State leaders have an important stake in the work of the Boards in their states and in current topics concerning licensure. The presentation included information and Q&A about current threats, trends, and more importantly, the ongoing collaborative efforts of ASHA and NCSB on the topic of licensure portability. State leaders were encouraged to join NCSB as Individual Members (criteria for this level of membership detailed elsewhere in this publication).

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JOIN NCSB ON FACEBOOK

Keep up to date on the latest news and information from NCSB. Join Facebook and have access to early announcements of conference locations, accommodations, and programs.

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NCSB SOLICITS YOUR OPINIONS

NCSB hopes to involve members of state licensing boards in the planning for its annual conference. Please respond online via survey monkey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6TJ7K2Q

Please complete by July 31, 2017

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NCSB Board of Directors

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NCSB Newsletter

View the newsletter archive

Fall 2016

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

BY: Kerri Phillips

NCSB has been busy since the Spring planning meeting. My message will focus on all of the amazing things your volunteer Board of Directors has been accomplishing!

Alison Lemke has planned a conference you will not want to miss! Our conference will be held October 20-22 in historic Santa Fe. Keynote speaker for the conference is Colmon Eldridge, Director of the Council of State Governments National Center for Interstate Compacts. He will provide an overview of licensure portability, a topic that is both highly anticipated and timely, His presentation and the discussion that follows should generate plenty of discussion, and this discussion, along with input from attendees, is designed to provide boards with information and suggestions for implementation by audiology and speech-language pathology licensure boards.

Our conference event planning wizard, Doreen Oyadomari, has been busy finding an OVERFLOW hotel for NCSB in Santa Fe. I do believe this is a first for our conference! Please make sure you make hotel reservations early to get the best rates and a room close to the conference hotel. If you have not received your conference brochure or need more information about rooms, please visit the website at info@ncsb.info.

Glenn Waguespack submitted our poster, “Professional Licensure: The Path to Practice Across Borders” for an ASHA presentation, and NCSB is proud to announce that once again we will be represented at the ASHA Convention in Philadelphia.

George Purvis has agreed to be NCSB’s representative at the Audiology Education Summit that will be held October 27-28 at the ASHA National Office. The focus of this conference is to bring together a diverse audience to discuss issues related to the 4th year clinical experience. As NCSB Treasurer, he has done an excellent job of keeping us financially sound.

Gregg Givens has finalized the election ballot for NCSB President-Elect and to fill the one vacancy on the BOD. Additionally, the information sent to Boards contains a request for nominations for Honors of the Association and the Special Recognition Award. Please be on the lookout for the ballot, and submit your nominations.

Amy Goldman continues to keep us up-to-date on social media. If you do not follow us on Facebook, please join that social media outlet. This is a great forum for the exchange of ideas.

Nahale Kalfas continues to use her many talents to keep us updated on what is happening on the national level in terms of regulatory issues. She is familiar with the Supreme Court decision regarding the North Carolina Dental Board, a decision which could impact many of our regulatory boards.

Vickie Pullin’s review of documents and thoughtful insight helps keep things rolling. She is a great public relations ambassador for the BOD and has suggested a number of new features for the newsletter.

George Murphee is our newest board member. He is willing to step in wherever we need him, and it is anticipated that his scope of duties will expand as he begins the second year of his term.

Lastly, what have I been doing? I have been engaged in several discussions and provided comments about licensure portability. (See correspondence elsewhere in this publication). As our world becomes more global, we have to think more globally and at the same time remain focused on our goal of consumer protection. With that being said, I invite you to attend the conference to learn more about this hot topic. See you in Santa Fe.

Respectfully,

Kerri Phillips
2016 NCSB President

 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PRESIDENTS CORNER - See above

NCSB TO PRESENT POSTER SESSION AT ASHA - See Below

NCSB’s 29th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

NCSB/ASHA Discussion on Interstate Compact Model

State Board Activity Highlight

NCSB Board of Directors

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NCSB TO PRESENT POSTER SESSION AT ASHA

Please view the NCSB poster during the ASHA Convention. The poster will include demographic data on a number of topics, including continuing education, hearing aid dispensing, telepractice, universal licensure, support personnel, and others. Handouts will be provided, as will a listing of web addresses for audiology and speech-language pathology boards.

“Professional Licensure: The Path to Practice Across Borders”
7139 Poster Board 267
Thursday, November 17, 2016
4:30-6:00 PM

Hope to see you in the Convention Center in Philadelphia.

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NCSB’s 29th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

October 20-22, 2016 - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Register online at www.ncsb.info/2016/registration.

Registration brochures announcing the 29th annual NCSB Conference have been mailed. If you or your state board did not receive one of the brochures, a registration form and hotel information are included in this newsletter. As in past years, a pre-conference workshop on Training for Board Members will be held on Thursday, October 20, 2016, and the one and one-half day conference will follow on October 21 and 22.. NCSB invites boards to participate in both the board training and the conference. Following is a synopsis of the pre-conference workshop and the conference.

Thursday, October 20, 2016 - PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP - “Training for Board Members” (Conducted by NCSB Board of Directors).

Designed for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, board administrators, board attorneys, and all others involved in the regulatory process, the training will focus on all aspects of board service. Participants are invited to bring a copy of their state law and rules/regulations.

Highlights include:

Board attorney with experience in administrative law will discuss statutory authority, including rulemaking and the disciplinary process Mock disciplinary hearing will trace the process from the initial letter of complaint through testimony of witnesses to imposition of sanctions. Attendees will serve as the hearing panel and will learn how to report sanctions to the NPDB Ethical situations and dilemmas will be utilized to provide experience in receiving, reviewing, and resolving complaints. State licensing laws, and examples of licensure board exams will be provided.

Daily schedule at www.ncsb.info/2016/schedule.

Conference Venue: www.ncsb.info/2016/venue.

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NCSB/ASHA Discussion on Interstate Compact Model

NCSB has been having discussions with ASHA regarding participation in an Interstate Compact Model for the provision of audiology and speech-language pathology services.

Following is a letter sent by the NCSB President, Kerri Phillips, to Susan Adams at ASHA, as well as a response from Susan Adams to NCSB. Much of the morning session at NCSB this year will focus on this topic, and it is hoped that attendees will engage in discussions pertinent to their states’ position on the topic.

Dear Susan,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of NCSB, I would like to offer comments on ASHA’s position on an Interstate Compact for audiology and speech-language pathology. Preliminary discussions held by the NCSB BOD and ASHA staff indicate that this conversation should be happening. However, as with any new opportunity, all interested parties should engage in slow, thoughtful planning and dialogue. As state licensure boards are bound to protect the consumer in each state, the discussions should never lose focus over this issue regardless of what the professions request.

In reviewing the slides that were presented to the ASHA BOD, we offer the following comments about the advantages of Interstate Compacts:

1. Discussions need to be held in terms of whether ASHA is addressing ALL practice of audiologists and speech-language pathologists or just limiting the discussion to telepractice.
Would there be an issue with professionals who provide “in person” services that needs to be addressed as well?

OR

Should the discussion be limited to just audiologists and speech-language pathologists engaged in telepractice?

2. In previous discussion with ASHA staff, the use of the term Interstate Compact is not a term that NCSB BOD feels represents the discussion of telepractice. NCSB feels the term, licensure portability, more accurately represents the intent of these discussions.

In reviewing the slides that were presented to the ASHA BOD, we offer the following comments about the disadvantages of Interstate Compacts:

The greatest disadvantage is the potential harm to consumers if implementation is not well planned and financed.

Mutually agreed mechanisms between states need to be in place to protect consumers regardless of the state of residence.

Are there states that are prepared to move forward with this implementation and are adequate finances available to help start up and sustain the system?

There must be resources to assure timely entries regarding any actions against practitioners.
As you are aware, the mission of NCSB is to facilitate the role of state licensure boards through communication and education. I offer that ASHA representatives attend the 29th Annual NCSB conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico on October 20-22, 2016. Our conference this year is centered around discussion of licensure portability in order to gain input from licensure boards. The keynote speaker is, Colmon Elridge, the Director of The Council of State Governments National Center for Interstate Compacts. Please refer to the NCSB website: info@ncsb.info for more information.

Thank you for your time and consideration of our comments. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Best,
Kerri Phillips, President
kerriphillips@bellsouth.net
318-680-3798

The following is a response from Susan Adams, J.D., ASHA Director of State Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy:

July 22, 2016

Dear Kerri,
Thank you for your comments. I think I can answer your questions. The plan is to address all practice of audiology and speech-language pathology through the compact. It will not be limited to telepractice, but will also ensure ease of moving from state to state for professionals, including military spouses.

We use the tem interstate compact as a general term of art. Many professions use the terms license portability and interstate compact interchangeably. What it will be ultimately titled will likely be a result of discussions of the advisory/drafting committee. For example, the Federation of State Medical Boards refer to theirs as the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) refers to theirs as the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact, the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) refers to theirs as the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Refers to theirs as the Nurse Licensure Compact.

I’ll plan to bring your concerns to the ASHA Board at the meeting next week and will reach out to update you on those discussions.

As you know, I will be attending the conference in the fall and look forward to continued discussions with NCSB on moving this issue forward.

Best,

Susan

NOTE: If possible, please engage in this discussion with your state board prior to attending the meeting. Your input is important to ensure that the ultimate result is a compilation of information from all boards.

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State Board Activity Highlight

NCSB is interested in what other licensure boards are doing with respect to membership, legislation, and unique successes and challenges. As such, the newsletter will spotlight one or more boards in each edition. Since NCSB will be in Santa Fe in October, Vickie Pullins contacted the New Mexico Board and asked them questions related to both Board functioning and future plans. Following are the responses:

Name of Board - Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispensing Board
Board Composition - 11 members appointed by the Governor: 3 SLPs, 2 AUDs, 2 HAD, 3 Public Members, 1 Physician

Members:

• Keith Rohr, Hearing Aid Dispenser
• Dr. Elaine Almquist, Dispensing Audiologist
• Lillian Grijalva, Speech-Language Pathologist
• Wesley Miller, Hearing Aid Dispenser
• Richard Mayer, Public Member
• Stephen Frazier, Public Member
• Victoria Smidt (Vice-Chair), Speech-Language Pathologist
• Dr. Richard Cram (Chair), Dispensing Audiologist
• Bridget Guenther, Speech-Language Pathologist
• Donald Thurn, Public Member
• Vacant, Otolaryngologist

Board Address:

Toney Anaya Building
2550 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe, NM 87505

Miscellaneous:

• Legal counsel is provided by the state attorney general’s office.
• No proposed legislative action since the NC Dental Board case.
• May be interested in joining NCSB and attending the conference.
• Administrative Assistant: Samantha.lopez@state.nm.us. 

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NCSB Board of Directors

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Spring 2016

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

BY: Kerri Phillips

Welcome to new and long-standing members of NCSB! As your 2016 President, I am excited about the upcoming year. The Board of Directors met in March to plan the Fall Conference. Board members include Kerri Phillips as President; Alison Lemke as President-Elect; Gregg Givens, Past President: Amy Goldman, Secretary; George Purvis, Treasurer, Glenn Waguespack, Editor; Doreen Oyadomari, Event Planner; and Board members Nahale Kalfas and Vickie Pullins. In addition, a warm welcome is extended to the newest Board member, George Murphee. Robert Ranieri continues in his role as NCSB Administrator.

In January members of the NCSB Board of Directors held a conference call with ASHA to continue discussions regarding NCSB’s involvement with licensure portability. As we continue to move licensure to the next level in consumer protection, licensure portability is an issue that demands our attention as licensure boards. What does this mean to state boards? This is a discussion that we plan to continue at the Fall Conference, a discussion that will be led by the keynote speaker as a representative of the Council of State Governments.

While our hands are full as practicing speech-language pathologists, audiologists, board administrators, public members, and board attorneys, I would like to encourage you to become involved in NCSB. In particular, I encourage you to participate in the upcoming conference October 20-22, 2016. The conference will be held in Santa Fe, and details regarding the hotel are elsewhere in this publication. Alison Lemke, President-Elect, is conference chair and asks that state boards provide her with issues that may be of interest to attendees.

I invite all members to contribute to NCSB and to assist in expanding our membership. New, as well as long-standing member boards, repeatedly voice how beneficial it is to discuss issues and gain perspectives from across the nation. Thus, one of my goals is to keep state boards informed of timely issues and topics.

I believe that using electronic and social media assists in distributing information in a timely, cost-efficient manner to the membership. Our website, www.ncsb.info serves as the central information portal within NCSB. Additionally, Amy Goldman facilitates our presence on Facebook. Please consider joining our profile “NCSB” and help us share information.

While NCSB continues to facilitate discussions among state boards, we want to remain dynamic in 2016. Please join us in our mission to facilitate communication among state licensure boards. I am honored to serve as President this year and welcome you to become more involved in NCSB.

Respectfully,

Kerri Phillips
2016 NCSB President

 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PRESIDENTS CORNER - See above

28th ANNUAL NCSB CONFERENCE HELD IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - See Below

NCSB SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS

CALL FOR NCSB BOARD NOMINATIONS

IN MEMORIAM, EUGENE COOPER

BOARD MEMBER ATTENDS FARB CONFERENCE

NCSB BOARD OF DIRECTORS WELCOMES GEORGE MURPHEE

29TH ANNUAL NCSB CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN SANTA FE

NCSB PRESENTS POSTER SESSION AT ASHA

NCSB SOLICITS YOUR OPINIONS

NCSB BOARD MEMBER CREATES COMMUNICATION DISORDERS SCHOLARSHIP

NCSB Board of Directors

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28th ANNUAL NCSB CONFERENCE HELD IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

The 28th annual NCSB Conference was held in Charlotte, North Caroliina October 8-10, 2015. Prior to the conference, a number of individuals participated in the Board Member Training where an administrative law presentation covered statutory authority, rulemaking and the disciplinary process. A mock disciplinary hearing with the audience serving as the hearing panel provided attendees with experience in tracing the disciplinary process from the initial letter of complaint to the testimony of witnesses to the imposition of sanctions. Following was a presentation utilizing ethical situations and dilemmas to provide experience in receiving, reviewing, and resolving complaints. Attendees received a flash drive reference manual that contained samples of state licensing laws, licensure board exams, and characteristics of licensure across the country.

Serving as the keynote speaker for the conference beginning on Friday, October 9, 2015, was Ellen Fagan, Director of Continuing Education at ASHA. Dr. Fagan’s presentation focused on the timely topic of interprofessional education and how the professions are changing to address this need. Following that presentation, the attendees divided into small groups to discuss universal licensure and patient abandonment. Of particular interest was the next presentation addressing the FTC and its ruling against the NC Dental Board. This supreme court decision is sure to impact state licensing boards, and it is anticipated that future presentations will focus on this topic.

An update on the Praxis Exams was followed by a presentation on media inquiries and how boards should address these. Also discussed was an update on the NPDB and a panel discussion of administrators that discussed rules and regulations among the states. A Friday evening reception sponsored by the NC Board allowed the attendees additional opportunities for networking and discussing of issues facing regulatory boards.

Saturday morning began with the ever-popular state information exchange where representatives from states discussed successes and challenges pertinent to their respective boards. A discussion of telehealth and its impact on regulatory boards, as well as its impact on the professions as a whole, provided attendees with additional “food for thought” and ensured that this was a topic that will continue to be discussed by representatives from regulatory boards.

Utilizing comments from participant evaluations, the NCSB Board of Directors has begun planning the 29th Annual NCSB Conference which will be held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 20-22, 2016. Details about the preliminary program are included elsewhere in this publication.

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NCSB SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS

Each year at its Corporate Business Meeting, NCSB recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the professions through their involvement with licensure. Two awards have been established to honor individuals, and these include Honors of the Association and a Special Recognition Award. Briefly, Honors of the Association is intended to recognize an individual for his/her exemplary contributions to NCSB, to a licensing board in their state, or to an individual employed by an organization or other entity that addresses regulatory issues/concerns for the professions. The Special Recognition Award is given to individuals who have demonstrated exemplary commitment and contributions in the area of regulation at the state level. Criteria for these awards and detailed nomination procedures can be found at www.ncsb.info.  NCSB encourages member boards to submit nominees for these two awards. Recipients will be recognized at the Business Meeting on Friday, October 21, 2016.

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CALL FOR NCSB BOARD NOMINATIONS

NCSB is seeking nominations for fill the positions of President-Elect and one board member.
In keeping with the Bylaws, the President-Elect must be selected from the current Board of Directors. Directors eligible to serve as President-Elect are:

• Gregg Givens
• George Purvis
• Amy Goldman
• Glenn Waguespack
• Nahale Kalfas
• Doreen Oyadomari
• Vickie Pullins
• George Murphee

The requirements for a member of the Board of Directors are that the nominee be either a board member or an individual member from a state board that is currently an NCSB member. Such individual may be a licensed speech-language pathologist, a licensed audiologist, a board administrator, a board attorney, or a public member of the board.

A call for nominations will be sent to member boards in late Spring. Once the nominations have been received, an official ballot will be forwarded to member boards for voting. The individual will be announced at the Fall Business Meeting and will take office January 1, 2017.

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IN MEMORIAM, EUGENE COOPER

NCSB was saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Eugene B. Cooper. For 30 years he served as chair of the University of Alabama’s programs in audiology and speech-language pathology and as director of the University of Alabama Speech and Hearing Center. He will be especially remembered by NCSB as one of the “founding fathers” of NCSB. Dr. Cooper was a member of the first Board of Directors and was involved in professional licensure for a number of years. His input and insight were critical to NCSB in its formative years. NCSB extends its sympathy to the family of Dr. Eugene Cooper.

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BOARD MEMBER ATTENDS FARB CONFERENCE

Vickie Pullins, NCSB Board Member, attended the FARB Forum held in Clearwater, Florida, January 28-31, 2016. With over 200 attendees from 25 states and 2 provinces representing 24 professions, the focus was on mobility and portability of licensure. The attendees took a look at this topic from a legislative perspective, legal perspective, and regulatory board perspective.

Why is this a relevant issue? One could consider the following: the physical movement of licensees, increased telepractice, and pressures from licensees, trade associations, consumers, and politicians. The most obvious question that comes up when discussing this topic is “Where does consumer protection arise?” In regard to the consumer, the issues of access to care, convenience, and confidentiality are raised. In regard to the licensees, the issues of demand, reimbursement, and business are foremost. And lastly, with regard to politicians, the issues of special interests and economics are most important.

The professions cutting the path for all of us are the professions of nursing, pharmacy, optometry, and architecture. A representative from each of these professions shared the challenges they faced when developing their framework for licensure portability.

Although there are legislative, legal, and regulatory perspectives on licensure portability, the most obvious driving force will most likely be economics. The most pressing question seems to be “At what point does state-based licensure reserved to the states under the 10th amendment police powers unduly burden interstate commerce so as to invoke the commerce clause and the right of the federal government to regulate a profession/occupation?” It was the consensus of the attendees that we must all get moving on charting our path toward licensure portability for our individual professions.

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NCSB BOARD OF DIRECTORS WELCOMES GEORGE MURPHEE

During the Summer 2015 election, George Murphee, AuD was elected to serve as a member of the Board of Directors. A licensure board member in Alabama, Dr. Murphee has been a private practice audiologist in Huntsville, Alabama, since 1976. Prior to that time, he worked through the VA Fellowship program in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. NCSB is pleased to welcome him to the BOD and is looking forward to his contributions as a current member of a state licensure board.

Note: During that election, Nahale Kalfas was elected to serve her second three-year term on the BOD. As the attorney for the North Carolina Board, her legal advice has been invaluable to NCSB, and NCSB is grateful to have her continued input on all matters related to regulation.

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29TH ANNUAL NCSB CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN SANTA FE

Plans are underway for the conference program for the annual Fall NCSB Conference. The conference will begin Thursday, October 20, 2016, with the annual Training for Board Members. As in the past, there will be a presentation by a board attorney followed by a mock disciplinary hearing. Then there will be a discussion of ethical scenarios with audience participation and an opportunity for attendees to discuss ethical issues experienced by their licensure boards.

The theme for the conference (October 21-22) is “New Horizons in Professional Licensure”, and the majority of the conference will focus on issues related to licensure portability. Leading the discussion on licensure portability will be Colman Eldridge from the Council of State Governments. Following his address there will be round tables with topics structured to reflect issues raised by Mr. Eldridge. He will be available to discuss these issues in detail as the round table leaders come together to report on their discussions.

Following the corporate business meeting and lunch, individuals from the university in New Mexico will discuss specialty licensure in bilingualism. There will be a Praxis update and then a panel discussing information and communication technology and the conduct of board meetings. To close the day, a discussion of the revised ASHA Code of Ethics will be presented.

Saturday morning will begin with the popular state information exchange where states discuss challenges and successes related to their licensure boards. A representative from each state is asked to present a 5-minute synopsis of issues pertinent to their state board. In response to comments from last year, there will be a session on patient abandonment followed by an update regarding licensure cases in the news.

The program is tentative at this point, and states are invited to provide suggestions for additional topics of interest and possible speakers. A schedule of events will be published in the next newsletter and will be detailed as well in the registration form sent to state boards in late summer.

NCSB SEEKS VOLUNTEERS TO PARTICIPATE IN PANEL DISCUSSIONS

Round table leaders are needed for the session related to licensure portability. Volunteer to present how your state board is addressing this issue.

Volunteers are also requested to participate in the panel discussion relative to the use of information and communication technology and the conduct of board meetings and board business. If your board has experience in this area, please volunteer to serve on the panel and share your ideas.

Volunteers for these groups and for any of the other discussions may contact Alison Lemke at alison-lemke@uiowa.edu. or call her at (319) 335-8736. NCSB hopes to involve more state boards as Alison plans speakers and panelists for the Conference.

DRURY PLAZA HOTEL AND SUITES TO SERVE AS CONFERENCE HOTEL

NCSB has been fortunate to sign a contract with the Drury Plaza Hotel for its 29th conference. At the rate of only $109.00 per night, the hotel also offers:

• Complimentary hot breakfast each morning
• Refrigerators and microwaves in every room
• Complimentary cocktails and appetizers at 5:30 each evening (limit 3 drinks)
• Fire pits and terraces for informal gatherings
• Health club and spa
• Meeting rooms in hotel and also in surrounding building
• Award-winning restaurant
• Complimentary internet

The hotel is located at one end of the Santa Fe square next to St. Francis Cathedral and is within walking distance of restaurants and shops in the square. For more information on the hotel and its amenities, visit www.DruryPlazaSantaFe.com. Additional information regarding the hotel will be published in the next newsletter, and in the conference registration brochure.

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NCSB PRESENTS POSTER SESSION AT ASHA

A poster session entitled “Professional Licensure: Leading the Way in Public Protection”, was presented at the ASHA Convention last November in Denver, Colorado. The poster session utilized maps to depict characteristics of state licensure, including hearing aid dispensing, the doctoral-entry level for audiology, support personnel, exemption-free licensure, continuing education, and telepractice. The session highlighted similarities and differences in licensure form state to state and was viewed by university personnel and students, as well as professionals currently serving on state licensure boards. NCSB hopes to submit information for a similar poster to be presented at the 2016 ASHA Convention in Philadelphia.

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NCSB SOLICITS YOUR OPINIONS

NCSB wants to involve members of state licensing boards in the planning for its annual conference. Please comment on the following, and send your comments and feedback to the President-Elect at alison-lemke@uiowa.edu.  

Please suggest possible conference locations, preferably in a state that is a member board. Remember that many areas are considered high-cost and are therefore not considered in deference to state board budgets.

What influences your decision to attend an NCSB meeting? Check all that apply, and feel free to share with past and present licensure board colleagues.
_____________Location (state, city)
_____________Location (near tourist attraction, shopping
_____________Location (ability to get direct or only 1 connecting flight)
_____________Cost (travel expenses)
_____________Cost (registration)
_____________Cost (hotel)
_____________Hotel amenities (internet, breakfast, other)
_____________Program topics
_____________Ability of my board to pay all/part of my expenses
_____________Conference timing (days of the week/dates)
_____________Other (please specify)

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NCSB BOARD MEMBER CREATES COMMUNICATION DISORDERS SCHOLARSHIP

Doreen Brown Oyadomari received her undergraduate and master’s degree at Florida State University. As an undergraduate she received a scholarship to live in the dorm from the Southern Scholarship Foundation. She went on to receive a PhD and worked in the VA system where she retired as Chief of Speech-language Pathology at the Birmingham VA Hospital in 2006. In 2015, some forty-seven years since she left Florida State University, Doreen remembers how much financial aid meant to her and to her career. She has established a scholarship through the Southern Research Scholarship Foundation. The scholarship will assist with housing for individuals (either undergraduate or graduate) majoring in Communication Science and Disorders.

Doreen has provided invaluable service to NCSB as the unofficial “event planner” for the annual conference. She negotiates with hotels, plans meeting rooms and equipment, as well as meals for those attending the annual conference.

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NCSB Board of Directors

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Summer 2015

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

BY: Greg Givens

As NCSB’s 2015 President, I have the privilege of writing a message for the Newsletter. I must admit it is difficult to put into print just how exciting and important licensure has become, as law and regulation continue to evolve in the 21st century. We find our disciplines reacting to innovative technologies which impact how we practice today or may practice in the future. The early adopters are already using advancements in technology as a new tool in diagnostics and treatment. These changes bring ethical and legal decisions that are vital to the protection of our consumers as well as our practice as trained and qualified professionals. Some of these issues and the attending legal implications were discussed at our Fall 2014 meeting in beautiful Salt Lake City. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled on the North Carolina Dental Board case we will spend time at our upcoming Fall conference in Charlotte examining the implications of this decision. The NCSB is acutely aware of the evolving ethical and legal impact of the ruling and its possible impact on our professions. Other legal issues are occurring nationwide: As I write this there have been over 100 bills in 36 different states that relate to telepractice.

Issues confronting our licensure boards are many and varied, including portability, national standards, ethical practice, sanctioning of practitioners, national data base, Board consolidation and others. All of these point toward the criticality of the NCSB to remain strong and become stronger as a unified voice for those concerned with licensure. The 2015 NCSB is committed to extending its influence by joining in conversation with key organizations and institutions across the nation. Last year alone our Board members participated in the meetings of the American Academy of Audiology, American Telemedicine Association (ATA), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Federation of Association of Regulatory Boards, as well as committees and Special Interest Groups within the ATA,ASHA, and AAA.

NCSB looks forward to another year of striving:
To facilitate communication and interaction among state boards concerning licensure

• To promote the protection of consumers
• To stimulate interest in and discussion of issues pertaining to licensure boards
• To provide a forum for discussion
• To promote uniform national standards for licensure
• Provide information and services for related professions

Aid licensing boards in fulfilling statutory, professional and ethical obligations

2015 is going to be another exciting ride; I invite everyone to come along.

Respectfully,

Gregg D. Givens
2015 President NCSB

NCSB is fortunate to have developed a relationship with officials in the governmental section of the Health Resources and Services Administration, that section of the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for receiving final judgment actions against speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Past NCSB conferences have focused on reporting of SLP and AUD violations to the HIPDB; however, the HIPDB has merged with the NPDB, and all final judgment actions imposed by licensure boards are now reportable to the NPDB. Following is an update on the data bank, as provided in an article by Donald Illich and Jiaying Hua, staffers within the Health Resources and Services Administration. NCSB is grateful to this group for the informative periodic updates , and it is hoped that regulatory boards will use the resources referenced in this article.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PRESIDENTS CORNER - See above

UPDATE ON THE DATA BANK FOR SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS, AUDIOLOGISTS, AND THEIR STATE BOARDS - See Below

NCSB TO PRESENT POSTER SESSION AT ASHA

28th ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AND HOTEL INFORMATION

PROPOSED BYLAWS REVISION

NCSB Board of Directors

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UPDATE ON THE DATA BANK FOR SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS, AUDIOLOGISTS, AND THEIR STATE BOARDS

By: Donald Illich and Jiaying Hua
What’s important for State Boards of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology to know about the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB)? The NPDB is a tool designed to assist state licensing boards and other health care entities in making licensing, credentialing, and other hiring decisions. Additionally, boards are legally required to report certain adverse actions to the NPDB. Basically, the NPDB collects and makes available reports on negative actions taken against health care professionals and entities, including speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and audiologists. The general public does not have access to this information, and access is given to health care professionals and entities only in situations carefully defined by federal law.

In general, licensing and accreditation boards are required to report to the NPDB specific negative licensure actions taken against SLPs and audiologists, such as license revocations, reprimands, probations, suspensions, and censures. Boards of SLPs and audiologists may query or request information from the NPDB at any time, but typically do so in conjunction with reviewing applications or renewals, or when issues of provider competency arise. The following information gives more instructions on reporting to and querying the NPDB, along with details about fees.

Reporting
The Health Resources and Services Administration, within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has revised the NPDB Guidebook, available now on the NPDB website. The following information about required licensure action reporting is from pages E57-58 of the Guidebook. Licensure actions for SLPS and audiologists that must be reported include:

• Adverse actions taken as a result of a formal proceeding, such as a reprimand or censure.
• Surrender of a license during a formal proceeding or because the licensee who is the subject of the proceeding left the State or jurisdiction.
• Any other loss of licensure or the right to apply for, or renew, a license whether by operation of law, voluntary surrender, nonrenewal (excluding nonrenewals due to nonpayment of fees, retirement, or change to inactive status), or otherwise.
• Any negative action or finding by the State licensing authority that, under the State’s law, is publicly available information. This definition also includes final adverse actions-such as exclusions, revocations, or suspension of license-that occur in conjunction with settlements in which no finding of liability has been made (although such a settlement itself is not reportable). This definition excludes administrative fines or citations and corrective action plans and other personnel actions, unless:
  1. the underlying activity is connected to the delivery of health care services, or
  2. the action is taken in conjunction with other adverse licensure actions, such as revocation, suspension, censure, reprimand, probation, or surrender.

State licensing and certification authorities also must report any revisions to a previously reported licensing or certification action, such as a reinstatement of a suspended license, and whether an action is on appeal. All State licensure reports must be submitted within 30 days of a negative action.

Boards should continue to renew their registrations with the NPDB every 2 years. The Secretary of HHS has regulatory authority (45 CFR Part 60) to publish a report listing government agencies that have failed to meet their NPDB reporting requirements.

Querying
Licensing boards can query in one of two ways: One-Time Query or Continuous Query. Both types of queries allow you to receive reports on practitioners who have licensure actions, adverse clinical privilege actions, Medicare/Medicaid exclusions, civil and criminal convictions, or medical malpractice payments. A One-Time Query, also known as traditional querying, allows you to submit the name of a practitioner or organization and receive a query response that includes all NPDB information on the queried practitioner or organization. To find out if practitioners have adverse actions or medical malpractice payment reports, you can submit an individual query on a single practitioner/organization or you may submit queries on up to 1,000 multiple practitioners/organizations at a time.

With Continuous Query, you can monitor a particular practitioner and receive new reports as soon as they are available. A Continuous Query enrollment allows you to receive an initial query response and automatically receive notification within one business day of the NPDB’s receipt of new information during the 12-month enrollment for each practitioner. Continuous Query enrollment must be renewed every 12 months. Continuous Query keeps you informed about the adverse licensure, privileging, Medicare/Medicaid exclusions, civil and criminal convictions, and medical malpractice payments on your enrolled practitioners. By enrolling all practitioners with whom you interact, you receive mail notification within 24 hours of a report received by the NPDB, and you always have access to NPDB information on enrolled practitioners. Keep in mind that Continuous Query is only for querying on practitioners, not health care organizations.

A third type of query offered to practitioners is Self-Query. Individuals may self-query the NPDB at any time to see what information it contains about them; for example, they might conduct a Self-Query because a prospective employer has asked the practitioner for a copy of the NPBD report during the hiring process.

Fees
NPDB operations are funded solely through the collection of fees for service. While filing a report with the NPDB costs nothing, submitting a query to the NPDB costs $3.00 for each One-Time Query or Continuous Query enrollment. For One-Time Queries, a $3.00 fee is calculated on a per-name basis. If you are querying on multiple practitioners, the number of names in your query are multiplied by the per-name fee. Fees are assessed for all queries submitted. This included both queries that are process by the NPDB (regardless of whether there is information on file regarding a practitioner), and queries that are rejected because they are improperly submitted or incomplete.

The annual enrollment fee of $3.00 for Continuous Query covers the cost of enrolling one practitioner in the NPDB for one year. (Enrollment expires on the last day of the same month of the following year.) Continuous Query is available for practitioners only. A practitioner may self-query the NPDB for $5.00 and receive all reports of which he or she is the reported subject.

Reports in the Data Bank
Between September 1, 1990, and December 31, 2014, 1,138,652 reports were filed on 614,319 individual practitioners of all types in the NPDB. About 50 percent were for licensure actions, 35.6 percent were for malpractice payments, and 8.4 percent were for Medicare and Medicaid exclusions. The remaining 6 percent were for clinical privileges or panel membership, health plan actions, professional society membership, Drug Enforcement Administration actions, government administrative actions, and judgments or convictions.

Table 1 contains information on SLPs and audiologists entered between September 1, 1990, and December 31, 2014, and shows the number of each type of report in the NPDB for SLPs and audiologists.

Audiologists and SLPs take reportable actions for a variety of reasons. Actions are based on behaviors such as failure to comply with continuing education requirements, practicing without a valid or current license, criminal convictions, program-related convictions, unprofessional conduct, and various other licensure violations.

For More Information
Boards of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology interested in learning more about the NPDB should visit the website at www.npdb.hrsa.gov. The site contains stores of information on all aspects of the NPDB, including resources for reporting entities, the Public Use Data File, research data analysis tools that allow users to perform specific data analyses and create their own customized data table, information on Continuous Query, and instructions for reporting and querying. Additional resources include a webcast video that gives guidance on reporting practitioners to the NPDB, and a flowchart that gives reporting guidance for practitioner licensure actions.

For technical questions related to billing or registration, contact the Customer Service Center at help@npdb.hrsa.gov or 1-800-767-6732. Policy questions can be sent via email to NPDBPolicy@hrsa.gov.

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NCSB TO PRESENT POSTER SESSION AT ASHA

A poster session (#7133, Poster Board 268), entitled “Professional Licensure: Leading the Way in Public Protection”, will be presented at the ASHA Convention in Denver Thursday, November 12, 2015, from 4:30-6:00 PM. The poster session will utilize maps to depict characteristics of state licensure, including hearing aid dispensing, the doctoral entry level, support personnel. exemption-free licensure, continuing education, and telepractice. NCSB invites all those interested in regulation to attend the poster session and examine similarities and differences in licensure from state to state.

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28th ANNUAL CONFERENCE HOTEL
The Fall NCSB conference will be held at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel in Charlotte-SouthPark. The hotel, which is an all-suite facility close to the Charlotte airport, is steps away from dining and shopping, including SouthPark Mall located outside the back door of the hotel. The hotel does have a shuttle service, but unfortunately, it covers a radius close to the hotel and does not include the airport or the downtown area. Symphony Park is adjacent to the hotel and has jogging trails for fitness enthusiasts. Also in Charlotte are the NASCAR Hall of Fame and for racing fans, NASCAR races will be ongoing throughout this conference. Because of the numerous activities in the Charlotte area at the time of the conference, hotel rooms will book quickly. Please make reservations early - contact information for hotel reservations is included with the registration form elsewhere in this publication. Hotel Information:

DoubleTree Suite by Hilton at SouthPark
6300 Morrison Blvd.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Direct Phone: (704) 364-2400
Single/Double/Triple/Quad--$124.00
RESERVATION DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 8, 2015

NCSB’s 28th ANNUAL CONFERENCE
October 8-10, 2015-Charlotte, North Carolina

View the Conference Schedule  ~ Register Online

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PROPOSED BYLAWS REVISION

Periodic reviews of the NCSB Bylaws are conducted in response to comments from members and/or issues that arise during the conduct of Board business. The bylaws were last revised and adopted in 2011, and since that time, a number of changes have occurred relative to the practice and to the regulatory boards that comprise the membership of NCSB. At its last meeting the Board of Directors approved revisions to the bylaws which must be circulated to the entire membership of NCSB and voted upon at the Fall meeting. Following is a synopsis of proposed revisions to the bylaws. Hard copies of the document in its entirety will be available for discussion and voting during the corporate meeting in October.

Purpose Addition of a fourth clause that reads “To serve as an educational resource for consumers who express an interest in audiology and/or speech-language pathology services

Membership Changes to classification of Membership-Proposed categories are (1) Full Membership (2) Individual Membership (3) Association Membership(4) Honorary Membership-Explanations of each category will be provided during the corporate meeting; however, the major change is relative to Individual Membership. Previously, this category was reserved for present or past board members-it has been expanded to include executive directors, administrators, attorneys affiliated with an SLP/AUD Board, or any SLP or AUD with an interest in regulation. Honorary membership did not have voting privileges-proposal is to provide voting privileges to honorary members currently serving on state licensing boards or serving on the NCSB Board of Directors.

Article V
Voting Added provision to state that “member boards shall be entitled to participate in the election process via electronic voting for election of the Board of Directors.

Article VII
Directors Proposal is to limit number of directors to 10. Was originally 9 because of budgetary constraints; however, NCSB has been able to obtain sponsorship for speakers and for portions of the conference and is more fiscally sound. With 9 directors it is difficult to conduct the business of the association. If budgetary constraints occur in the future, the change putting the maximum at 10 would still allow for a reduction if needed. Provision added under this article to provide language and procedures in case of a tie for election to the Board of Directors.

Article IX
Committees Standing Committees-Added language to further define standing committees as well as add provision to allow for appointment of individuals other than members of the BOD. Would now read “All standing committees shall be chaired by a member of the NCSB BOD. Members of the Standing Committees may be selected from states that are member boards in good standing”.

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NCSB Board of Directors

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Fall 2014

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

BY: Sherry Sancibrian

Built in 1859, the historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio provided a Victorian setting for conversations about 21st century issues during the annual NCSB conference October 10-12, 2013. Our keynote speaker was Ellen R. Cohn, PhD, CCC-SLP, who is the Coordinator of ASHA’s Telepractice Special Interest Group and a member of the American Telemedicine Association Board of Directors. In her presentation, Telepractice: Benefits, Risks, and Opportunities for Greater State Licensure Uniformity, Dr. Cohn discussed national trends, including the evolution of telerehabilitation standards and guidelines. She also identified some of the sources of risk when implementing telepractice and challenged regulatory boards to find ways to facilitate the use of technology while maintaining their consumer protection role.

Other invited sessions addressed a variety of topics: continuing education (Alison Lemke & Ellen Fagan); Praxis exams (Judith Page & Kathy Pruner); online hearing aid sales (Vickie Dionne), disciplinary procedures and management issues (Tammy Camp & Patty Nesbitt), and support personnel (Susan Adams & Theresa Rodgers). A new feature of this year’s conference was the Timed Timely Topics segment in which speakers provided a five-minute overview of a current issue being addressed by their board and then took questions and comments from participants. Topics included encroachment (Dawn Richard), sexual misconduct (Nahale Kalfas), deregulation threats (Tim Weise), social networking (Brian O’Riordan), and reinstatement (Kerri Phillips). The ever-popular State Information Exchange, facilitated by Amy Goldman, allowed each state to share this year’s challenges and successes.

The pre-conference workshop on October 10, led by Glenn Waguespack, Theresa Rodgers, and Ayn Stehr, provided training for board members regarding statutory authority, complaints, and disciplinary procedures. Attendees also received a flash drive with a reference manual including a directory of licensure boards and contact information, characteristics of licensure laws, samples of model legislation and state licensing laws, board examinations, information on the NPDB-HIPDB, hot topics, and much more.

The NCSB board would like to thank our presenters and attendees for making this an excellent conference. Finally, our gratitude goes out to our conference sponsors:

Keynote Speaker Sponsorship
West Virginia Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Conference Breakfast
Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Conference Luncheon
College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO)

Afternoon Break
EBS Healthcare

Gold Level Program Sponsor
EBS Healthcare

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

In Memoriam - Kenneth T. Gist - See Below

Recognition/Honors of NCSB

Highlights from State Boards Annual Exchange at NCSB 2013 Meeting

ASHA Poster Session

27th NCSB Annual Conference

Update on the Data Bank for Speech-Language Pathologists, Audiologists, and their State Boards

Get "Social with NCSB!"

NCSB Board of Directors

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In Memoriam - Kenneth T. Gist

Kenneth T. Gist, 88, on September 15, 2013, in Wellsburg, W.Va. Gist graduated from West Liberty State College in 1949, and earned his master’s degree from New York University in 1959. He was professor emeritus in the Department of Communication Disorders at Southern Connecticut State University. When he retired from the university, he returned to Wellsburg, where he worked part-time as an SLP for several local agencies and facilities. University scholarships have been established in his name for speech-language students in Connecticut and West Virginia. An ASHA Life Member, Gist was an active member of ASHA’s Legislative Council from 1969 to 1989, and from 2001 to 2006. He was also active in the Connecticut Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and served as treasurer of the West Virginia Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Gist also served as treasurer for the National Council of Boards of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from the 1980s until 2013. Gist is survived by a sister, Madelon Reeves, and a niece and two nephews.

 

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Recognition/Honors of NCSB

Each year at the Annual Conference an individual is recognized for his or her exemplary contributions to NCSB, a licensing board in their state, or an individual employed by an organization or other entity that addresses regulatory issues/concerns for the professions. In 2013, Sandy Leybold from Oregon was chosen.

 

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Highlights from State Boards Annual Exchange at NCSB 2013 Meeting

Trends:

Boards continue to increase the utilization of online tools for renewal, newsletters, and initial applications; increased use of telecommunication for board meetings was reported. States also noted the following: concern regarding internet hearing aid sales; increases in the number of complaints and violations; and the need for increased attention to the performance of SLPAs and the supervision of SLPAs.

Biggest Changes:

Alabama - Starting in 2014 new optional CEU hours will be offered in Ethics at state meetings as well as online ethics training for licensees. The uses of telepractice and licensee outreach newsletters are being addressed.

Arkansas - The state is being challenged to change licensure laws to include areas of defining the law of telepractice; changing the format of CEU hours; and licensure for assistants whose original degree is not in SLP.

Iowa - The regulations for continuing education have been updated and rewritten. The consideration of combining with the Hearing Aid dispensing board is being evaluated.

Kentucky - Regulations have been passed regarding telepractice and continuing education in ethics training.

Louisiana - The need for regulations of audiology support personnel is under review, as well as the update or removal of inconsistencies in criminal background check policies. The Board is also sponsoring Licensee education and presentations at University graduate programs.

Michigan -Proposed changes to the Licensure Act regarding assistants are being discussed.

Mississippi - The regulations now state that licensees must complete 1 hour of ethics continuing education each year, in addition to offering an online application. Complaints are now being posted online also.
Nebraska- The state is currently reviewing several items, including: telepractice; requirements ethics continuing education; and online applications.

Nevada - Many revisions and propositions are being made to the law. A lobbyist is being hired for AUD, and the state now offers online applications.

North Carolina - Many proposed changes to the Licensure Act and regulations. The state is currently proposing rules to further define telepractice; establishing standard protocols and audits for assistants; regulations for foreign-trained practitioners; and working to establish an online ethics course for continuing education. The state is also now accepting PayPal payments and have set up an informative program for graduate students regarding licensure.

Ohio - Guidelines have been adopted to ensure consumer protection regarding telepractice. Continuing education rules have been amended permitting exemption for military active duty service or an extension for extenuating circumstances and allowing for completion online. A proposed rule requiring 2 hours of related training in ethics is being discussed, as well as supporting legislation prohibiting direct sale of hearing aids without prior face to face evaluation.

Oklahoma - Legislators are reviewing policies concerning assistants and the possibility of consolidating the licensure boards within the state.

Ontario Canada - Proposals are being developed for national exams and the establishment of national competency profiles for foreign-trained practitioners. Licensee education is now being offered/sponsored by the Board with lessons on “social media”, “Jurisprudence”, and “Consent to Treatment”.

Oregon - Licensure for telepractice is being required whether the patient or the practitioner is in Oregon. A provisional SLPA license is being approved to cover prospective SLPAs completing required clinical fieldwork outside an academic practicum. A single license for licensees to work in the schools without separate certification is being developed. The state is also be challenged with advertisements for tinnitus evaluations being offered by Hearing Aid Dispensers and mail order hearing aids.

Pennsylvania - Issues with telepractice are being discussed and reviewed by the physicians’ lobby. Continuing education regulations are currently being updated to require dual licenses to have 20hrs of CE in each area. A provisional license for temporary/emergency licensure is currently pending.

South Carolina - Continuing education criteria has been expanded to include independent study and online options. The state has also deleted the national-exam specific passing score.

South Dakota - Regulations regarding telepractice now include one in person visit prior to telepractice. The state has also finished and initiated rules for online registration to be completed.

Texas - Course requirements for assistants have been lowered to 12 hours standardized supervision log for SLPAs. Ethics presentations for licensees are being offered on an invitation basis by board members at state conferences.

West Virginia - Rules for telepractice approval are being submitted for the 2014 session. The state now requires 2 hours of continuing education in ethics training and did not include an exception of continuing education for military.

 

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ASHA Poster Session

NCSB Board Members presented a poster session at the ASHA Convention in Chicago, IL. The presentation “Professional Licensure: A 30+ Year Journey for Consumer Protection” provided attendees with an overview of current issues and trends reported by state licensing boards. The issues reported to be on the forefront included telepractice, ethics, scope of practice, use of support personnel, unlicensed practice, encroachment by other professions, and universal licensure.

 

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27th Annual NCSB Conference
Licensure: Lifting to New Heights

Dates: Workshop - Thurs., Oct. 9, 2014
Conference - Fri.-Sat., Oct. 10-11, 2014

Location: Sheraton Salt Lake City Hotel
150 West 500 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Direct Phone: (801) 401-2000

Guest Room Group Rates: $110/Single or Double; $129/Triple; $159/Quad

Room Reservation Procedures: Please make your room reservations by Sept. 8, 2014, by calling (800) 325-3535. In order to obtain the group room rates, you must identify yourself as part of the NCSB group when making your reservation. Group rates will be honored 3 days before and 3 days after the dates of our workshop/conference. Check-in time is 3:00 pm and check-out is 12:00 pm. Cancellations must be received by the hotel at least 2 days prior to your scheduled arrival.

Ground Transportation: There is complimentary shuttle transportation to and from Salt Lake City International Airport, located only 7 miles away, between the hours of 5:00 am and 11:30 pm. Call the hotel at 801-401-2000 to request the shuttle after arriving at the airport.

Parking: Complimentary parking is provided for all Hotel guests and Conference attendees.

About the Hotel
The Sheraton Salt Lake City Hotel is perfectly located on 5th South, in the heart of the downtown business and entertainment district and three blocks from the Salt Palace Convention Center. Whether you want to enjoy an exciting Jazz basketball game at Energy Solutions Arena, marvel in an award winning Ballet, Opera or Broadway play at Capital Theater, see the LDS Temple in Utah or perhaps shop at Gateway outdoor mall or the new City Creek Mall - you'll find them all within walking distance of our hotel in Salt Lake City, or you can take the complimentary downtown TRAX to these venues.

Salt Lake City creates a unique experience for every traveler. With so many Salt Lake City attractions nearby like skiing in the nearby mountains, shopping in the local malls, and exploring Salt Lake City restaurants, this destination has attractions to match any lifestyle. Take a tour of the local museums like Pioneer Memorial Museum and learn about the first settlers in Utah. Visit Liberty Park, one of the area's most popular parks, and enjoy dinner from a nearby restaurant followed by a show at the Repertory Dance Theatre.

Discover more things to do in Salt Lake City by visiting the website: http://www.sheratonsaltlakecityhotel.com/things-to-do-in-salt-lake-city.  

2014 Fall Board Training

NCSB’s 27th Annual Conference
Licensure: Lifting to New Heights
Salt Lake City, Utah
October 9-11.2014
Thursday, October 9-Pre-Conference

The NCSB will offer the ever popular pre-conference Board Training for new and returning Board Members.

2014 Conference Schedule - TBA in Summer Newsletter

Pre-Conference Workshop/Training for Board Members, participants will be able to:

• Delineate key components of laws as well as rules and regulations that govern the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology.
• Describe elements of the disciplinary process and its application to the professions through participation in a mock hearing.
• Differentiate the function of professional associations and regulatory boards in the regulation of the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology.
• Draft a consent order and agreement.
• Engage in the process utilized in examining potential complaints and ethics violations as well as in reporting to the HIPDB.

Sponsorship Opportunities Available
(Contact Doreen Oyadomari, NCSB Past President, at doreenphd@gmail.com for additional information)

• Keynote Speaker Sponsorship - $1500;
• Council Luncheon at Conference - $1000;
• Breakfast for Opening of Conference - $1000;
• Afternoon Break - $500;
• Program Sponsor: Gold Level - $750; Silver Level - $500; Bronze Level - $100

Travel Options to Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City International Airport is about thirteen miles from the hotel.
A complimentary hotel shuttle is available and leaves every hour and half hour starting at 5:00 am to 12:00 am. Once you arrive at the airport, please call the hotel and the operator will advise you of the pickup location.

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Update on the Data Bank for Speech-Language Pathologists, Audiologists, and their State Boards
by Donald Illich and Jiaying Hua

On May 6, 2013, two government-run databases containing information on health care practitioners, providers, and suppliers combined their operations. The merger makes reporting to and querying of the newly merged Data Bank easier and, in some cases, cheaper for speech-language pathologists (SLPs), audiologists, and their state boards. The new Data Bank, officially called the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), combines data previously contained in the former version of the NPDB with data previously stored in the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (HIPDB). For individual SLPs and audiologists, this means they save money every time they ask the Data Bank for information about themselves, because they only need to query one Data Bank. Organizations, including state licensing and accreditation boards, save time, effort, and money because they now access only one database to satisfy mandatory requirements and optional opportunities for reporting and querying.

Background

The Data Bank collects and makes available reports on negative actions taken against health care professionals and entities, including SLPs and audiologists. The general public does not have access to this information, and access is given to health care professionals and entities only in situations carefully defined by federal law. In general, licensing and accreditation boards are required to report to the Data Bank negative actions taken against SLPs and audiologists, while hospitals and other health care entities may report certain actions. Hospitals must query the Data Bank when an SLP or an audiologist is given or increases clinical privileges, and at least every two years as long as the practitioner has privileges. Licensing boards may query the Data Bank at any time, and other health care entities may query when screening applicants for a medical staff appointment, or granting affiliation or clinical privileges, and in support of professional review activity. (See “What Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Need to Know About the Data Banks,” NCSB Newsletter, Summer 2012, p. 4 for more detailed information.)

The merger is the latest in a series of responses to congressional mandates dating back a quarter of a century, all intended to promote patient safety. Congress first created the NPDB to stop incompetent physicians and dentists from moving from state to state without the new state learning about sanctions that had been imposed by other jurisdictions. Later, it created the HIPDB to combat the financial impact of health care fraud. With the adoption in 2010 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Congress decided to merge the two databases to prevent needless duplication. The Federal Register published regulations implementing the merger on April 5, 2013, and published minor technical changes to the regulations May 3, 2013.

Impact of the Merger

The effect of the merger on individuals is a good example of how duplication has been eliminated. Individuals may query the Data Bank at any time to see what information it contains about them; for example, they might conduct a self-query because a prospective employer has asked the practitioner for a copy of the Data Bank report during the hiring process. The Data Bank charges a fee of $8.00 to provide practitioners these “self-query” results. Before the merger, to get a complete picture of what the Data Bank knew about them, SLPs and audiologists would have to self-query both the (old) NPDB and the HIPBD, resulting in a charge of $16.00.

If an SLP or an audiologist is providing a self-query response to a third party such as a prospective employer, a state licensing board, or a medical malpractice insurer, and the requester asks for both NPDB and HIPDB reports, the SLP or audiologist should tell the requester that any Data Bank report processed after May 6, 2013, contains information from both databases.

For state licensing and accreditation boards, the cost for querying the Data Bank remains the same, but boards that previously submitted One-Time Queries to both the NPDB and the HIPDB have seen an immediate savings because now there is only one Data Bank to query. Continuous Query users see a reduction in costs when they re-enroll their practitioners. The Data Bank is currently evaluating the fees for One-Time Queries ($4.75) and Continuous Queries ($3.25 per practitioner per year) to determine if changes are necessary. Any changes to the fees will be announced in the Federal Register and posted on the Data Bank website.

State board reporting requirements remain essentially the same, although the new regulations clarify how to count the time period governing when reports must be submitted to the Data Bank. All reports must be submitted within 30 days of when a negative action is taken or, for Medical Malpractice Payment Reports, within 30 days of the date a payment is made. The boards do not need to reregister with the Data Bank because the registration flagging systems automatically re-aligned to prevent disruption in Data Bank service. Boards should continue to renew their registrations with the Data Bank every 2 years.

Reports in the Data Bank

Between September 1, 1990, and December 31, 2012, 926,816 reports were filed on 517,224 individual practitioners of all types in the (old) NPDB. About 41 percent were for malpractice payments, 50.7 percent were for licensure actions, and 5.9 percent were for Medicare and Medicaid exclusions. The remaining 2.5 percent were for clinical privileges or panel membership, professional society membership, and DEA actions.

As of December 31, 2012, 569,175 reports were in the HIPDB, representing 320,231 individual practitioners of all types. About 78.7 percent of the reports were based on state licensure actions and 14.9 percent were based on Federal and state health care program exclusion actions. The remaining 6.3 percent comprised health care-related judgments or convictions, government administrative actions, and health plan actions such as contract terminations.

Tables 1 to 3 (SEE APPENDIX at end of newsletter) contain information on audiologists and SLPs between September 1, 1990 and December 31, 2012. Even though the NPDB and the HIPDB are now combined, the reporting periods covered by these tables predate the merger, and data are provided for each database.

Table 1 shows the number of each type of report in NPDB and HIPDB for audiologists and SLPs. Tables 2 and 3 show the fifteen most frequently reported reasons or bases for actions reported to the NPDB and HIPDB for SLPs and audiologists.

(click any table to enlarge)

For More Information

Audiologists and SLPs interested in learning more about the Data Bank or the recent merger of the (old) NPDB and the HIPDB should visit the website at www.npdb.hrsa.gov. The site contains stores of information on all aspects of the Data Bank, including information about the Public Use Data File; research data analysis tools that allow users to perform specific data analyses and create their own customized data tables; data on reports, including reports submitted by state agencies and health plans; annual reports; information on Continuous Query; and instructions for reporting and querying.

The Division of Practitioner Data Banks – the government organization that oversees the Data Bank – is combining guidebooks for the two databases into one, providing clear instructions on reporting and querying obligations for the new Data Bank. Current guidebooks for the old NPDB and HIPDB are available on the Data Bank’s website now, and a draft version of the new combined Guidebook is expected to be available for comment in late 2013.

New resources related to the merger, such as FAQs and the new Guidebook, will be posted online as they become available. For technical questions related to billing or registration, contact the Customer Service Center at help@npdb.hrsa.gov or 1-800-767-6732. Merger-related policy questions can be sent via email to NPDBPolicy@hrsa.gov. 

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Get "Social with NCSB!"

Did you know NCSB now has a Facebook group? Membership in this group is open to anyone who is a past or present member of your state's licensure board in speech-language pathology or audiology, state and national association leaders...or if you are interested in information related to the regulation of the communication professions. Our Facebook page will also feature up-to-the minute information about our publications, trainings, and our annual conference. Connect with your colleagues around timely issues confronting the professions, and share news about what is happening in your state.

Search under “NCSB” or go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/201684259941209/?fref=ts

See you on Facebook!

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NCSB Board of Directors

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Winter 2013

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

BY: Glenn Waguespack

When a group of speech-language pathology and audiology regulators met in New Orleans in 1984 to discuss the formation of the National Council of State Boards of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (NCSB), they held the belief that all states should have provisions in place to regulate the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology.  At that time all states had professional associations that regulated the professionals, but protection of the public was not nationally regulated.  In early 1984, 34 states had regulation in place for speech-language pathology, audiology, or both.  Some states were in the process of enacting legislation, while others had not yet begun the process.

With the formation of NCSB came the development of a mission statement that included a provision to facilitate communication among licensure boards.  Inherent in that mission was the idea of providing assistance to states seeking regulation of speech-language pathology and audiology, particularly in fulfilling statutory, professional, and ethical obligations.  States have utilized information provided by NCSB, as well as legislation from other states, to convince their state legislatures of the need to adopt statutory authority that would serve to protect consumers of speech, language, and hearing services.  For many states it has been a difficult battle, but as of the end of 2012, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have provisions in place to regulate the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology through either licensure or certification.

The creation of public protection in all 50 states and the District of Columbia has been a long-time coming, and NCSB is proud of the professionals who fought so hard to ensure the protection of consumers in their state.  While NCSB may no longer have to provide assistance to states seeking licensure, it will continue its mission to facilitate communication among state licensure boards.  Emerging issues, such as encroachment, telepractice, regulation of support personnel, exemption-free licensure, and scope of practice issues, are all topics that will come before regulatory boards, and NCSB hopes to be able to provide assistance to boards needing information and guidance on these and other issues.  Because of governmental differences and state department mandates from state to state, the concept of a universal license across the country is probably not feasible; however, there are many areas of commonality across states, and these areas will become a driving force for boards considering legislative changes.

NCSB held its 25th annual conference in Williamsburg, Virginia, in October 2012 (see details of the conference elsewhere in this publication), and that conference focused on the topic of ethics by offering perspectives on ethics from a number of state boards and from nationally recognized ethics experts.  The Board Training, held the day before the conference, has become an annual event and included exercises in ethical decision making, a presentation by a board attorney on statutory authority, and a mock disciplinary hearing.  The 2013 conference is in the planning stages and will be held in San Antonio from October 10-12.  Flyers announcing the program will be mailed this summer, and updates will be provided on the web site at www.ncsb.info.

Renewal notices for state board membership and individual membership in NCSB have been sent to all licensure boards and to individuals who held membership in the past.  Please ensure that your state licensure board has seen the announcement, and request that they become a member board of NCSB.  In addition to the networking among state boards and the exchange of information, NCSB provides two newsletters a year, a directory of state boards, and reduced conference rates.  These economic times have necessitated cutbacks for many regulatory boards, but it is hoped that membership in NCSB is not one of the cost-saving measures chosen by your board.  If you have questions concerning the organization or its mission, please contact me at audmath1@aol.com.   Additionally, if you have ideas for speakers or topics at the annual conference in October, send that information to me as well.  Thank you for your consideration of membership in NCSB, and we hope to see you in San Antonio in October.

Glenn Waguespack
2013 NCSB President

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

26TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SAN ANTONIO & FALL CONFERENCE SYNOPSIS - SEE BELOW

IN MEMORIAM - VIRGINIA SWITZER BERRY

IN RECOGNITION - KEN GIST

HIGHLIGHTS FROM STATE BOARDS ANNUAL EXCHANGE AT NCSB 2012 MEETING

ASHA MERITORIOUS POSTER AWARD to the NSCB

THERESA RODGERS RECEIVES HONORS OF THE NCSB

NCSB BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NCSB 2013 BOARD TRAINING & CONFERENCE

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26TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SAN ANTONIO & Fall Conference Synopsis

The 26th annual NCSB Conference will be held in San Antonio Texas at the historic Menger Hotel, from October 10-12, 2013.  The NCSB Board of Directors will meet at the end of March to finalize the program, and a flyer announcing the program will be sent in early summer.  The official registration form will be mailed in late summer.

Thus far conference topics tentatively include:

• issues arising through the use of inappropriate use of social media
• temporary licenses, how long is "temporary"
• military license…issues of individuals who are military trained or who are stationed within a state for a short amount of time
• assistants and code of ethics
• encroachment from various professionals
• reinstatement after an individual "retired".. what should or should not be required
• photo IDs being required with applications…Georgia is now requiring for licensure in a variety of professional areas
• telepractice
• support personnel

If there are other topics that might be of interest to licensees, please email your suggestions to one of the Board Members prior to March 15. Once the program has been finalized, the content will be posted on the web site, and
flyers with details will be mailed.  Information regarding the conference hotel is included elsewhere in this publication.  The conference is designed to provide valuable information for board members, board administrators, board attorneys, and all others involved in the regulatory process.  Please make the information available to the appropriate individuals and make plans to attend.

2012 FALL CONFERENCE SYNOPSIS

Bupp - Keynote

Heather Bupp, Esq  the ASHA Director of Ethics presented the keynote centered on, "Professional Ethics: A contemporary look at Age-old Issues." She discussed aspects of consideration when complying with multiple professional standards. Professional organizations and credentialing bodies in audiology typically require a commitment to follow their professional code(s) as a requirement for maintaining membership or credentials. Some practitioners know about the ASHA Code of Ethics while others are familiar with their state board of examiners' code of conduct or ethics; it is important for all practitioners to be well versed with both sources of professional obligations. Ms. Bupp discussed civil legal issues as distinguished from professional ethics issues such as; not every practice mistake rises to the level of an ethics code violation, but could be medical malpractice; and pattern of repeated mistakes indicates, at minimum, a violation of the Principle I ethical requirement to provide all services.

Ms. Bupp also examined four common areas of ethical discourse in each code of ethics or conduct rules

1. independent professional judgment or prescription,
2. guarantee of results,
3. holding patients' welfare paramount, and
4. The use of every resource, including referral.

Brian Riordan and Carol Bock presented on Ethical considerations in the age of social media.

Social media was defined as to its form and function. Eighty-six percent of Canadians have a Facebook profile and Eighty-two percent of US residence place high levels of trust in information from media sites. The authors discussed scenarios of social media use and their implications for legal and ethical violations. Guidelines of note for the use of communication styles were noted as the following;

• Use professional and appropriate terminology
• Face-to-face interaction or voice-to-voice interaction is superior in  most circumstances
• Recognize and avoid conflict of interest
• Monitor web presence

As a parting thought the authors noted that one should not say anything online that you wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard with your face on it.

 

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IN MEMORIAM - VIRGINIA SWITZER BERRY

On Oct. 15, 2012 the Council lost a dear friend and colleague. Virginia passed away in Hattiesburg, She was a Board member of the NCSB for years and held every office in the organization, including President 2011-2012. Her tireless efforts in the Council have made us a better organization. Virginia was an associate professor of audiology in the speech and hearing sciences department at the University of Southern Mississippi for the past 20 years. She was a mentor to hundreds of students during that time. She also was a member of several professional organizations, including ASHA, and was named an ASHA Fellow in 2010. Berry is survived by her friend, Bobbie Simon, and two godsons, Daniel and Jeffrey Simon.

IN RECOGNITION - KEN GIST

The Council Board would like to publically thank Ken Gist for his years of service on the NCSN Board. Ken was, and is, our historian. His years of service to our organization has assisted us tremendously in the progress of the Council and its Mission. Ken’s service on the Board will be missed but he will remain a great friend to us all.

 

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM STATE BOARDS ANNUAL EXCHANGE AT NCSB 2012 MEETING

State Information Exchange: Lessons Learned

This session presented results of a survey conducted by NCSB to identify trends, challenges, and successes experienced by state boards across the country.  The survey was conducted via Survey Monkey, with the link distributed to all boards (not just limited to NCSB member boards).  Results from 19 different states were reviewed.

1. Economic trends:  most frequent impact of economic budgetary factors  on board operations were in the areas of travel restrictions (both in-state and out-of-state), delays in filling board vacancies, and delays in filling staff positions.
2. Regulatory changes:  Boards reported activity in many areas of regulatory change, most frequently in telepractice (N=12), assistants (N=11), and continuing education (N=11).  Work to initiate background checks of licenses was discontinued by one state.  Note:  regulatory characteristics have been updated and disseminated to participants in the pre-conference.
3. States reported stable relationships with communication and related professions.  Some improvements were noted with the state department of education/public instruction (N=6), hearing aid dispensers (N=4), the state association primarily comprised of speech-language pathologists (N=5), and the state audiology association (N=3).  Some states reported movements to consolidate boards (e.g. adding hearing aid dispensers to the speech and hearing board) or separate the boards (e.g. make audiology a separate board).  Transparency and outreach resulted in good working relationships.  While licensure of behavior analysts was not seen as an emerging issue (e.g. encroachment), music therapists may be seeking licensure may be more problematic in the future.
   

Boards continue to increase the utilization of online tools for renewals, newsletters, and initial applications; increased use of telecommunication for board meetings was reported. States also noted the following:  concern regarding internet hearing aid sales; increases in the number of complaints and violations; and the need for increased attention to the performance of SLPAs and the supervision of SLPAs.

States with Telepractice Regulations

Alabama - Any practitioner who does not qualify for an exemption must hold an Alabama license.  This shall be required for all individuals providing services to consumers in Alabama via in-office practice as well as telepractice or any other electronic means.

California - Telehealth is viewed as a mode of delivery of health care services, not a separate form of practice.  There are no legal prohibitions to using technology in the practice of speech-language pathology, audiology or hearing aid dispensing as long as the practice is done by a California licensed practitioner.  Practitioners need not reside in California, as long as they have a valid, current California license.

Delaware - State Code of Ethics provision states that: licensees shall not evaluate or treat a client with speech, language, or hearing disorders solely by correspondence.  Correspondence includes telecommunication.

District of Columbia - It is a violation of the regulations if an audiologist or speech-language pathologist provides services in DC without a DC license, regardless of whether the professional providing services is physically located in the District of Columbia or another jurisdiction.  The policy does not address persons who are located in DC but who are providing services outside of the District.

Georgia - Any person in the state or physically located in another state or country who, using telecommunications and information technologies through which speech-language pathology information and auditory-vestibular system information is transmitted, is considered to be engaged in the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology in the state and as such must have a full state license and shall be subject to the regulation of the board.

Iowa - Provision of speech-language pathology and audiology services through telephonic, electronic or other means, regardless of the location of the SLP or audiologist, shall constitute the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology and shall require Iowa licensure.

Kentucky - 2007 Revised Statute establishes provisions for telehealth (including informed consent, confidentiality and other aspects of consumer protection) and defines it as "use of interactive audio, video, or other electronic media to deliver health care.  It includes the use of electronic media for diagnosis, consultation, treatment, transfer of health or medical data, and continuing education."

Louisiana - Ethical prescription which allows telepractice provided appropriate licensure is held for the jurisdiction in which the service is rendered and delivered.

Maine - Indirect supervision is defined to include demonstration, record review, review and evaluation of audio or videotaped session, interactive television and supervisory conferences that may be conducted by phone.  CE may include courses to enhance the efficacy of telepractice.

Maryland - Telehealth means the use of telecommunications and information technologies for the exchange of information from one site to another for the provision of health care to an individual from a provider through hardwire or Internet connection.

North Carolina - (a) Licensees may evaluate and treat patients receiving clinical services in North Carolina by utilizing telepractice. Telepractice means the use of telecommunications and information technologies for the  exchange of encrypted patient data, obtained through real-time interaction, from one site to another for the provision of speech and language pathology and audiology services to patients through hardwire or internet connection.  (b) Telepractice shall be obtained in real time and in a manner sufficient to ensure patient confidentiality.  (c) Telepractice is subject to the same standard of practice as if the person being treated were physically present with the licensee. Telepractice is the responsibility of the licensee and shall not be delegated.  (d) Licensees and staff involved in telepractice must be trained in the use of telepractice equipment.

Ohio - Licensees may practice via telecommunication within the state where not prohibited by law.

Oklahoma - Statute (revised) requires licensure for audiology and speech-language pathology services delivered in the state through telephonic, electronic, or other means, regardless of the location of the practitioner.  Also within (Rules 680:15-1-4) ethical proscriptions:  Licensees must not provide clinical services except in a professional relationship.  They must not evaluate or treat solely by correspondence or telepractice.  This does not preclude follow-up correspondence with persons previously seen, or providing them with general information of an educational nature.

South Dakota - Any person who is licensed as a speech-language pathologist in South Dakota may provide speech-language pathology services via telepractice. Services delivered via telespeech shall be equivalent to the quality of services delivered face-to-face.

Texas - A provider shall comply with the Board’s Code of Ethics and Scope of Practice requirements when providing telehealth services.  Telehealth services may not be provided by correspondence only, although they may be adjuncts to telepractice.  A provider of telehealth services who practices in Texas shall be licensed by the board.

 

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ASHA MERITORIOUS POSTER AWARD to the NSCB AGAIN !!

The 2012 ASHA poster received a special recognition by the Program Committee.  The ASHA  Convention Program Committee initiated a recognition category for posters judged to be exceptional at the 2011  American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s annual meeting. NCSB has received this honor two years in a row. We have a streak going!!  Recipients of this recognition received the highest ratings from topic committee reviewers, across the rating categories of professional education submissions and research submissions. Each Topic Area Committee has the option of recommending one to two posters for this special, "Topic Coordinator Choice Poster Award" recognition. These posters are noted in the convention program with a ribbon icon and identified with a ribbon when displayed during their presentation.

Special thanks goes to Theresa Rodgers and Glenn Waguespack for their hard work on this presentation.

 

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THERESA RODGERS RECEIVES HONORS OF THE NCSB

Theresa Rodgers was recognized for her contributions to regulation and to her profession on the state and on the national level.  Her work on behalf of her colleagues and on behalf of consumers has been evident through her leadership role in the state professional association, the national professional association, and the state and national licensure boards.  Specifically, her service to her state licensure board and her many years of dedication and service to NCSB and to regulation exemplify the qualities associated with NCSB Honors of the Association.

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NCSB NEWLY ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS

Click here to view the 2013 Board of Directors.

Nahale Kalfas - Nahale Freeland Kalfas, JD, has served as attorney for the North Carolina Speech and Language Pathology and Audiology Board for seven years where she has been responsible for prosecutorial hearings, settlements, rulemaking and legislative matters, as well as civil injunctions. She is a Federation of Associations of Regulatory Boards certified attorney who received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 1997. She practiced civil litigation and corporate law until she found her passion in the area of administrative law with the NCSLPA board. Nahale is married to Nondas Kalfas and has two daughters, Ralitsa (15) and Lana (11), and enjoys service to her community on multiple non-profit boards.  
 
Alison Lemke - Alison Lemke is a speech pathologist in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Iowa.  She works as a Specialized Care Coordinator and Clinical Supervisor at the university speech and hearing clinic.  Prior to working at the university, Alison worked for more than twenty years in rural Iowa settings, including in hospitals and private practice.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders from Valparaiso University in 1983, her Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Iowa in 1985, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Drake University in 2009.

Alison has served in numerous professional volunteer capacities over the years.  She is currently a member of the Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology Examiners, and served a first term on that board from 2001-2002.  She is a past president of the Iowa Speech and Hearing Association, 2003-2004, and a past member of the ASHA Board of Directors, 2008-2010.

Kerri Phillips - Kerri R. Phillips holds the SLP.D. in speech-language pathology from Nova Southeastern University. She is an Associate Professor and Coordinator for Graduate Program in Speech-Language Pathology at Louisiana Tech University.  Her research interests are ethics, supervision, outcomes data, and child language.  She currently serves as  Editor for ASHA Division 11: Administration and Supervision; SLP Advisory Council Member for Louisiana; and, Vice-Chair of the Louisiana Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. 

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