President's Corner
Gregg Thornton

Greetings to everyone receiving our spring NCSB newsletter.  It’s hard to believe that 2024 is well under way. Since the beginning of this year, NCSB hit the ground running.  We are in the process of renewing our Secretariat contract with the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact Commission.  We have welcomed Beth Findley, who serves on the South Carolina Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, as our newest member to the Board of Directors (BOD) and we are in the process of electing a new audiologist to replace Glenn Waguespack, who stepped down from his position on the BOD at the end of last year.  As many of you know, Glenn was a long-time member with our organization and his many and tireless contributions are the reason NCSB has grown to become the only national association dedicated to supporting licensure boards regulating speech-language pathology and audiology.  We will miss Glenn and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.  We look forward to thanking him more formally at our fall conference.

Speaking of the fall conference, you are encouraged to send one or more Board representatives to the 37th Annual NCSB Preconference Workshop and Conference.  Plans are underway to bring you an invigorating and information-filled conference this year related to licensure.  We’ll have more details to share about the speakers and topics in the next newsletter, but please save the dates, and we’ll look forward to seeing you at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas from September 26-28, 2024.  Thanks to Doreen Oyadomari for once again working her magic to negotiate an excellent group rate at the hotel.  You can find more information about the conference on NCSB’s website at: https://www.ncsb.info/conference.  We anticipate having the preconference and conference programs finalized and registration available starting in June.

If you did not attend last year’s conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, based on the evaluations and feedback, you missed an engaging experience.  The conference theme was “Racing to Clean Regulatory Barriers in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.”  The Pre-Conference Workshop presented by Theresa Rodgers, Glenn Waguespack, and Nahale Kalfas received high praise from participants who completed the new board member training.  Our keynote speakers were Bill West, MBA, ICE-CCP and Rachel Watkins, JD, with Cornerstone Strategies, LLC, who spoke on artificial intelligence.  Other topics included PRAXIS exam and certification security, legislative & policy trends to watch in 2023-2024, open meetings in a virtual world & ensuring security, social media issues, to name just a few of the topics presented on Friday.  Attorney Jeffrey Gray from North Carolina gave quite the engaging presentation entitled, “In Defense of Occupational Licensing: A Legal Practitioner’s Perspective.”  Topics on Saturday included the audiology and speech-language pathology interstate compact, over-the-counter hearing aids, and immunity of licensure boards.  For the full conference program, please visit our website: https://ncsb.info/2023/schedule. Many of the speakers made their presentations available for download.

So why all the hoopla about last year’s conference, you may be asking?  Well, I hope you’ll agree that there were a lot of great speakers and timely topics impacting licensure boards.  We are excited and plan to bring you the same high caliber of speakers and topics at this year’s conference.  And thanks to the financial support of licensure boards and other organizations who were sponsors at last year’s conference, we were able to bring these great speakers to our conference. 

We hope you will consider being a sponsor at this year’s conference because your support helps the conference planning committee bring these engaging speakers from across the country.  Because at the end of the day, it’s not necessarily about how great a person on the conference faculty spoke, but how their information can be used by you, our member states, to take back and share with your own board and staff.  The NCSB board would like to thank our sponsors, exhibitors, presenters, and attendees for making our 2023 conference outstanding.

I would like to invite all of you to share your stories with NCSB this year.  Whether your story is shared in San Antonio during the State Information Exchange or in our newsletter, we encourage everyone to share their stories of how you are addressing issues and trends in the professions for consumer protection.  Finally, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Kerri Philips for her hard work and dedication to our organization.  Kerri’s term on the Board of Directors ended at the end of December.  She will continue to serve as NCSB’s representative liaison to the ASLP-IC Commission.

We look forward to seeing everyone in San Antonio in the fall!

Warmest regards,
Gregg Thornton, Esq.
NCSB President - 2024

NCSB Membership

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

• 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.
  
  
• 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 $35.00 for individuals whose state is a member board and $50.00 for individuals residing in states that do not hold membership in NCSB.
  
  
• 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.

NCSB 37^th Annual Conference Update

Planning is Underway

The NCSB Board of Directors met February 16 and 17 to develop the program for the next NCSB Conference to be held September 26-28 in San Antonio, Texas. The program is still in the development stage; however, some speakers have been confirmed.  The keynote speaker, Angie Neal will address “Shortages and Recruiting Challenges and the Impact on Regulation.” Other topics covered include the ethical vs. unethical use of Artificial Intelligence, DEI, the role of public board members, and more.  As always, the State Information Exchange will provide attendees with an opportunity to share successes and challenges. Information regarding the conference hotel is provided below. The 37th annual NCSB Conference will be held in San Antonio, Texas, Thursday through Saturday September 26-28, 2024. More registration information will be included in the summer edition of the newsletter.

Hotel information: NCSB group rate is $124/night plus tax. The historic Menger Hotel reigns as the oldest continuously operating hotel west of the Mississippi. Just steps from the Alamo, this storied hotel has played host to generations of guests who delight in its architectural grandeur, glamorous public spaces and thoughtful modern-day services and amenities. From its museum-worthy furnishings, walls and display cases crowded with mementoes and photographs that capture its esteemed history to its celebrated mango ice cream, the Menger is the essence of San Antonio. Its Spanish courtyard garden, filled with palm trees, azaleas and a 3-tiered fountain, is one of the most peaceful in town. The outdoor pool is open from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m.  The Fitness Center is open from 6:30 a.m. until 9 p.m.

The reservation cut-off date is September 5, 2024, or earlier if the block rooms sell out.

Reservation Method: click here to book online using the group discount rate or contact the Menger Hotel directly at (800)-345-9285 and say you are attending the NCSB Conference. All reservations must be received by the cut-off date on September 5, 2024 and guaranteed with a credit card at time of booking. The guest will be charged a prepayment of the cost of the first night within 1 day before arrival. Individual reservations must be cancelled prior to 3PM (CST) the day before the arrival date to avoid a charge of one-night room and tax. There is a $75.00 early check out fee for not advising the hotel of any change of planned length of stay at check-in.

Dining: The hotel offers room service (during limited hours). The Menger Bar is open Sunday through Thursday from Noon – 11 p.m. and Friday & Saturday from Noon to Midnight. Sunday from noon-10 p.m. The Colonial Room Restaurant is open daily from 6:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

NCSB Call for BOARD of Director Nominations
Terms Beginning 2025

Each year at its Corporate Business meeting, NCSB member states have one vote toward the slate of Board of Directors who will be serving the organization. NCSB opens the call for nominations online to all member states for nominations of candidates willing to serve.

NCSB is issuing this as a call for nominations for two 3-year positions on the Board of Directors (BOD) and one partial term position to fill our current vacancy to end December 31, 2026. TWO Nominees will serve a 3-year term, beginning January 1, 2025 and ending December 31, 2027.

See the NCSB Bylaws and contact the main office: info@ncsb.info

According to the NCSB Bylaws, "Members of the Board of Directors shall be from states that are members of the Council or shall hold individual membership in the Council." At least two of the three MUST be an audiologist. No more than two members of the Board of Directors will be elected from the same state.
Let your voice be heard! Nominate yourself or others who will have an impact on our organization. We welcome nominees from all parts of the country!

Nominations must include the following:

• Position you are APPLYING for: FULL Term; Partial Remaining Term Ending 2026
• Name of nominee
• Email of nominee
• Has the nominee been notified and agrees to serve if elected? (YES/NO)
• Name of nominator
• Email of nominator
• Licensure Board NCSB Member State
• Licensing Board Role (Speech-language pathologist; audiologist; board attorney; board administrator; public member)

Submit your nominations for the Board of Directors on or before June 30, 2024. 

NCSB Call for AWARDS & HONORS Nominations

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 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 on the NCSB website, follow the links below.

NCSB encourages member boards to respond to the Call for Nominations for these two awards. Recipients will be recognized at the Business Meeting Friday, September 27, 2024 in San Antonio, TX at the Menger Hotel.

This serves to request your participation in the nomination process for the NCSB Honors and NCSB Special Recognition Awards. Nomination criteria, guidelines and procedures for these awards can be found online at https://ncsb.info/ncsb-awards.

The nomination form can be downloaded from the web site and must accompany the supporting documentation, which includes two letters of support.

Tentative Timeline

• June 30: Deadline for receipt of nominations: nomination packets are reviewed for completeness and reasonable efforts will be made to follow-up with anyone who submitted an incomplete packet.
• August 16: Notification sent to award recipients.
• October: Award is presented at the fall conference.
• October: After the fall conference, Honors Committee Chair and president of NCSB send letter to award recipient’s home state licensure board and/or employer.

NCSB 36^th Annual Conference Report & Corporate Meeting Minutes

NCSB hosted its 36th annual conference in Charlotte, North Carolina from October 5-7, 2023. The conference opened on Thursday with Board Member Training and began with a statutory authority presentation by a board attorney. Following the statutory authority session in the morning, attendees participated in a mock compliance hearing, a mock disciplinary hearing, examined complaints, and discussed ethical decision-making utilizing board scenarios.

Much of the conference program October 5 and 7 was devoted to the conference theme of reducing barriers to licensure. In addition to the main topic, there was considerable discussion regarding licensure boards, licensure compacts, and other topics that may come before a state regulatory board.

After the welcome, there were presentations on the topics of artificial intelligence and exam security, followed by a session on legislative and regulatory policy trends.  Presentations on open meetings in a virtual environment, social media issues, and AAA, ADA & ASHA updates, and the defense of occupational licensure rounded out the overall conference theme.  The state information exchange provided attendees with the opportunity to share successes and failures while opening the door for much networking among boards.

Transcript review, immunity of boards, and an update on the new over-the-counter hearing aid category were important topics that provided attendees with current information regarding the regulation and practice of audiology and speech-language pathology.  The conference also included an update on the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (ASLP-IC) licensure compact. A panel discussion provided attendees with further information on the current status and future direction of the ASLP-IC, along with a discussion regarding challenges and advantages of the ASLP-IC. 

Note:  A complete listing of the program and the presenters is available on the NCSB website: NCSB Business Office - Schedule

The NCSB Board of Directors met February 16 and 17 to develop the program for the next NCSB Conference to be held September 26-28, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The program is still in the development stage; however, updates will be provided on the latest hot topics related to regulation and, as always, the State Information Exchange will provide attendees with an opportunity to share successes and challenges. If you or your board would like to be involved, either through serving as a presenter or suggesting topics, please contact the Program Chair.

In order to keep boards abreast of NCSB happenings, the minutes of each Fall corporate meeting are published.  Following are the minutes of the 2023 meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.

These minutes are abbreviated due to digital loss of the original minutes.

National Council of State Boards of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (NCSB)
Corporate Business Meeting – October 6, 2023
Hilton University Place, Charlotte, NC

Sponsors: President Brown identified and thanked the sponsors of this year’s conference - North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Ohio Speech and Hearing Professionals Board, West Virginia board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Special thanks to the West Virginia board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and the American Academy of Audiology for facilitating the continuing education process for the preconference workshop and conference. Approval of the Agenda: President Brown asked for approval of the agenda. Motion to approve the agenda was made and seconded. The motion was carried unanimously by member vote.

Approval of the Minutes: President Brown asked for approval of the minutes from the 2022 Corporate Business Meeting. Motion to approve the minutes was made and seconded. The motion was carried unanimously by member vote.

Report of the President: Tammy Brown provided a list of activities and highlights of NCSB over the last year including work done as the secretariat for the Audiology & Speech Language Pathology Interstate Compact Commission (ASLP-ICC) and collaboration for the ASLP-ICC annual meeting to occur in conjunction with the NCSB conference.

Report of the President-Elect: Gregg Thornton thanked attendees of the conference. Attendance increased for both this year’s pre-conference workshop and conference from previous year. Gregg also thanked Theresa Rodgers, Glenn Waguespack and Nahale Kalfas for their Board Member Training workshop completed on Thursday.

Treasurer’s Report: Doreen Oyadomari provided a summary of the 2023 budget outcome and the proposed 2024 budget. Motion to approve the treasurer’s report and proposed 2024 budget was made and seconded. The motion was carried unanimously by member vote.

Secretary’s Report: Nicole Jeffcoate requested attendees verify their membership information on the sign in sheet in order to update records.

Editor’s Report: Glenn Waguespack reported that the next newsletter will be coming out in the spring and to contact him if you have anything to report. Newsletters can be viewed online on the NCSB website.

Report of Past President: Amy Goldman reported the NCSB election results. Glenn Waguespack, Au.D (LA)  Amy Goldman, SLP (PA) and Beth Montgomery, SLP (SC) were elected to the board for the coming term. Amy reviewed the role that NCSB has held as ASLP-ICC Secretariat.  As there were no nominations for awards this year, she encouraged boards to nominate for the Special Recognition and Honors of the Association Awards.

Announcements: The 37th Annual NCSB Conference will be held at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio, TX September 26-28, 2024.

Ceremonial Passing of the Gavel: President Brown passed the Gavel to incoming President Gregg Thornton, whose term will begin on January 1, 2024.

Adjournment: President Brown adjourned the meeting at approximately 1:00 pm.

NCSB Board of Directors Voting Results
Terms Beginning 2024

NCSB would like to announce the following election outcome from the NCSB 2023 Annual Conference in North Carolina for the term beginning in 2024.

We warmly welcome those voted in:

Beth F. Montgomery, MS, SLP
South Carolina
I have served on the South Carolina Labor License and Regulation’s (SC LLR) Board for Speech Language Pathology and Audiology since 2015. I am currently serving as Vice-Chairperson for our Board. Professionally, I am the Lead Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) for Lexington School District Two in West Columbia, SC, and I have worked for this school district since 2001. In addition to my full-time job with Lexington School District Two, I have also worked PRN at both a local hospital and a residential military high school. After graduating from the Honors College at the College of Charleston in 1995 with a degree in Special Education, I graduated from the University of South Carolina with my Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology in 2001.

Amy S. Goldman, MS, CCC-Sp/L
Pennsylvania
Amy has been a vigorous advocate for people with complex communication needs throughout her long career as a speech-language pathologist. She is the Past-President of the US Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (USSAAC) and represents USSAAC on the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC). Amy was President of the PA Speech-Language-Hearing Association (PSHA) (two terms) and has received Honors of the Association. She sat on the Pennsylvania Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, where she was past chair for several years. She has held a variety of offices on the Board of Directors of the National Council of State Boards of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.

**Glenn Waguespack, MS, CCC-A
Louisiana
Glenn M. Waguespack, a private practice audiologist and ASHA Fellow, is former President of the National Council of State Licensing Boards (NCSB), former Chair of the ASHA CEB, Former Chair of the ASHA CAA, former member of the ASHA Committee on Honors, Editor of the NCSB newsletter, and Chair-Elect of the Council for Clinical Certification. Having served numerous terms on the Louisiana licensure board and five years on the ASHA Board of Ethics, he co-presents sessions in ethics resolution at the annual NCSB board training and currently serves as Treasurer of the commission for the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Licensing Compact.

**We send a Lifetime of Gratitude to Glenn Waugesback for so many years of expertise and service!

Glenn has communicated that due to unforeseen circumstances he will not be able to hold the position for which he was elected. As our longtime Board of Director, Editor, Historian, Keeper of the by-laws, New Board Member Trainer and so many other roles at local, state, and national levels as a dynamic steward of the professions and regulators, not to mention a private practitioner, it is an understatement to say Glenn will be missed.

Per Bylaws, we will be accepting new nominations for another new board member in his stead. That member must be an Audiologist. This call for nominations and the special election will be announced forthcoming.

NCSB BOD Election Results 2023 for 2024

President-Elect

• Vickie Pullins, MS, CCC-SLP, West Virginia
  Term Ending: 2026
  

Board of Directors – 3 year terms ending 12/31/2026

• Beth F. Montgomery, MS, SLP, South Carolina
• Amy Goldman, MS, CCC-SLP, Pennsylvania
• Glenn Waguespack, MS, CCC-A, Louisiana

NCSB Officers for 2024

President

• Gregg Thornton, Esq., Ohio
  Term Ending: 2025

President-Elect

• Vicki Pullins, West Virginia
  Term Ending 2026

Past President

• Tammy H. Brown MA CCC-A, Ohio
  Term Ending 2024

Treasurer

• Katie Brice, Texas
  Term Ending 2025

Secretary

• Nicole Jeffcoate, North Carolina
  Term Ending 2024

ASLP-IC Liaison for NCSB

• Kerrilyn Phillips, SLP.D., CCC-SLP, Louisiana

Other NCSB Board of Directors

• Doreen Oyadomari, Ph.D., SLP, Alabama
  Term Ending: 2025
• Elizabeth Williams, MS, CCC-SLP
  Arkansas
  Term Ending: 2025

VACANT AUDIOLOGY *

Spotlight on Licensure Boards
Pennsylvania State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

NCSB periodically spotlights licensure boards so that readers can gain a perspective of what is happening with regulation across the country.  The spotlight may contain information about the members of the Board, how to file a complaint, and other pertinent data for all interested audiologists and speech-language pathologists.  If you would like to have your board spotlighted, please contact Vickie Pullins. This edition shines the spotlight on Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

The State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology regulates the practice and licensure of persons offering speech-language and hearing services in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All regulatory boards are under the Pennsylvania Department of State. The board was enacted on December 21, 1984 and meets quarterly with hybrid meetings.  The board issues the following licenses and certifications:

• Speech-language pathologist license;
• Audiologist license;
• Provisional license as a speech-language pathologist;
• Provisional license as an audiologist; and
• Certification for an audiologist to utilize neurophysiologic intraoperative monitoring.

The board also requires assistants who work under the direction and supervision of an audiologist or speech-language pathologist to file with the board. Speech-language pathologists and audiologists must complete 20 hours of CEU for each license renewal period.  The addresses follow:

Mailing Address
State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
P.O. Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA  17105-2649
 
Physical Address
2525 N 7th Street
Harrisburg, PA  17110

ST-SPEECH@PA.GOV

Board Members are as follows:

Butler, Lisa A. (Chair)
6/29/23 - 6/29/26 USQ for Six Months
2nd Term
Speech Language Pathologist Seat
 
Delano, Sarah E. CCC-A (Secretary)
2/9/2022 - 2/9/2025 USQ for Six Months
2nd Term
Audiologist Seat
 
Goldman, MS, CCC, Amy S.
11/16/20 - 11/16/23 USQ for Six Months
2nd Term
Speech Language Pathologist Seat
 
McCall, M.D. FACS. Andrew
02/09/22-02/09/25 USQ for Six Months
2nd Term
Physician Seat

Murphy, Au.D, M.Ed, Patrick Maxwell (Vice Chair)
6/29/23-6/29-26 USQ for Six Months
2nd Term

2 Public Member Positions, Open

Update - Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC)

Considerable attention has been given to the ASLPC-IC, including its development and implementation. Following is general information about the compact as well as an update on its status. More information can be obtained from the Council of State Governments and from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Background
The Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Licensing Compact (ASLP-IC) is a cooperative agreement enacted into law by participating states to facilitate the interstate practice of audiology and speech-language pathology while maintaining public protection. The compact became operational once 10 states enacted the compact language into law and met for the first time in January 2022.  A Commission now serves as the administrative body to manage the compact. Compact privilege refers to the authorization granted by a remote state to allow a licensee from another state to practice as an audiologist or speech-language pathologist in the remote state under that state’s law and rules. The practice occurs in the member state where the patient/client/student is located at the time of the encounter. The audiologist or speech-language pathologist has a home state of license which is the licensee’s primary state of residence.

The ASLP-IC Commission is the interstate administrative body created by the Compact. The Commission is composed of two Delegates from each member state’s licensing board/agency and is tasked with implementing the Compact’s provisions for interstate practice of audiology and SLP.  Committees are now meeting monthly. The meetings are open to the public, and you can find more information here.

• Nahale Kalfas is the compact’s Legal Counsel.
• Andrew Floyd is the compact’s Executive Director.
• The Council of State Governments (CSG) assists with services related to activating the compact.
• The National Council of State Boards of Examiners (NCSB) provides secretariat services to the compact.

The process of establishing the commission and operationalizing the compact typically takes 18 months to two years. Once the commission is fully operational and the member states are fully integrated in the compact’s data system, compact privileges to practice will become available. It is expected that applications for compact privileges will open in late 2024 – early 2025.

Update (provided by Kerri Phillips, Ex Officio)
The ASLP-IC Executive Committee conducted a special joint compact commission meeting on January 18, 2024, with the Counseling Compact Commission and the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact Commission. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the request for proposal (RFP) process for a data bank system.  After a review of proposals, each of the compacts’ chairs voted on which entities to interview.  The interviews were conducted the week of February 16, 2024.  All information will be posted and updated on the ASLP-IC website.

There are now 31 states that are part of the ASLP-IC, with Florida and Wisconsin being the newest member states. 

Join NCSB on Facebook

Keep up to date on the latest news andinformation from NCSB.  Join Facebook and have access to early announcements of conference locations, accommodations, and programs.  Get “social” with NCSB.  Membership in the Facebook 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 trending information and hot topics related to the regulation of the communication profession.  Invite your friends to “like” and “follow” us.  Connect with your colleagues about timely issues in the professions and share news about what is happening in your state.

National Council of State Boards

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