President's Corner
Gregg Thornton

It’s been a busy and productive year thus far for NCSB. We continue our collaborative work with the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact Commission.  In our role as Secretariat, we are assisting the ASLP-IC Commission with various administrative tasks that will facilitate the compact becoming operational.

Our other area of focus has been on the planning for our 37th annual NCSB conference.  We are looking forward to seeing all of you for a great conference from September 26-28, 2024 in San Antionio, TX.  We encourage you to send one or more Board representatives.  If you have recently appointed new board members, please register them for the full-day, preconference workshop scheduled for Thursday, September 26th.  The ASLP-IC will once again hold their annual meeting immediately following the conference on September 28th.  Although the preconference workshop and conference will be in-person, if you are unable to attend our conference this year, there will be an option to attend the ASLP-IC’s annual meeting virtually.  We have more details about the preconference workshop, conference, and ASLP-IC’s annual commission meeting inside this edition and also on NCSB’s website at: https://ncsb.info/conference.

We look forward to seeing you at our conference in September.

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

NCSB 37^th Annual Conference Update

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the 37th Annual NCSB Pre-Conference Workshop and Conference from September 26-28, 2024 at the historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio, TX.  This year’s conference theme is entitled, “Saddle UP! Current Trends and Challenges for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Licensure Boards.”  This year’s conference will feature nationally recognized speakers addressing topics about the impact of shortages, recruiting and retention, mental health challenges for practitioners, website compliance for licensure boards, artificial intelligence in healthcare and its ethical and unethical use, role of public board members, DEI, speech and audiology assistants, updates from ETS, ASHA and AAA, social media and its impact on licensure boards, updates on the audiology and speech-language pathology interstate compact, and many more topics.

There will be a separate registration for our pre-conference workshop on Thursday, September 26th.  The pre-conference workshop is a full-day training for new board members.  Board attorneys and new board staff have also attended and benefited from this highly regarded training.  For more information about the pre-conference workshop, including the workshop schedule, please visit NCSB’s website at:  https://ncsb.info/workshop.

Continuing education hours for the pre-conference workshop (.65 CEUs or 6.5 clock hours) and conference (1.0 CEUs or 10 clock hours) are pending approval by the American-Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and American Academy of Audiology (AAA).  We will take care of the reporting of everyone’s continuing education hours to ASHA or AAA, and all attendees will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the conference. 

Registration for the pre-conference training is $225 per person for member states and $325 for non-member states and includes a flash drive with the NCSB training reference manual.  Registration for the conference, which includes the Friday luncheon and breaks, is $325 per person for member states and $500 for non-member states.  There is a discounted registration rate of $300 per person for multiple attendees from a member state.  Cancellation is as follows: on or before August 31: 90% of registration fees; beginning September 1: no refund due to cancellation.  We have negotiated a discounted room rate of $125 per night, plus tax at the conference venue, e.g., the historic Menger Hotel.  We strongly urge those attending to make their reservations as soon as possible.  The Group Rate is available until September 5th or until rooms sell out.

We have more details about the pre-conference and conference, including online registration, please visit NCSB’s website at: https://ncsb.info/conference.  

We would also like to report that immediately following the conclusion of the conference on Saturday, the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact Commission will hold its Annual Commission meeting of delegates at the same venue.  If you plan to attend our conference, we invite you to attend their annual meeting, which will be open to the public from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  

We look forward to seeing you in San Antonio in September!

Save the Date
NCSB 38th Annual Conference in 2025

Planning is Underway

The 2025 NCSB Workshop and Conference will be held on Thursday through Saturday, September 18-20, 2025, in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.  Information concerning registration, hotel and the program will be sent in the summer of 2025.  If there are topics that you or your board would like included in the 2025 program, please notify a member of the NCSB Board of Directors or send your suggestions to info@ncsb.info.

2025 Hotel:

Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Harbor
100 Ferry Wharf Road
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

With breathtaking views of the Lowcountry and harbor, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Harbor is a seven-story contemporary hotel which celebrated its official opening on March 24, 2021.  It is located at the foot of the iconic Ravenel Bridge overlooking Charleston Harbor.  It is less than six miles from Historic Downtown Charleston and is within two miles of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, championship golf, and Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park.  The area’s many beaches are just 15 minutes away.

Guest Room Group Rates are $199 per night on Wednesday and Thursday and $249 per night on Friday and Saturday plus applicable taxes and destination fees.  A complimentary hot breakfast buffet and complimentary evening reception with beer, wine, cocktails and light snacks are available for all overnight guests. When dining in, guests also can enjoy signature beverages, such as a Ferry Wharf Rum Punch at The Spirit Bar, while indulging in some of Charleston’s signature dishes at The High Tide Restaurant such as Virginia’s Fried Chicken, Coast Crab Dip and She Crab Soup. All guestrooms are suites with wet bar, microwave, sofa bed, minifridge and coffee maker.  Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in all guestrooms and meeting space. The group guestroom rate may apply two days pre and post the workshop/conference based on availability.  A group link will be provided to make reservations which also may be made by calling the hotel directly at 1-800-HILTONS by Friday, August 15, 2025, and referencing the “NCSB Annual Workshop.”

Reduced self-parking at the rate of $25 per overnight in the onsite parking garage will be available. For guests not staying at the hotel overnight, hourly parking is $2.00 for the first twenty minutes and $1.00 for each twenty minutes thereafter.  Note that the garage is not managed by the hotel, so pricing is subject to change.

The Charleston International Airport is about 14 miles away.

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.

Spotlight on Licensure Boards
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Advisory Board

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 Texas.

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Advisory Board

This Board began in 1983 as the State Committee of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology then was renamed in 1993 by the State Legislature to State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.  The State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology underwent a Sunset review and the program transferred to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) in 2016.

Licensing and regulation are administered by TLDR staff, and an advisory board is appointed by the Commissioner to provide important technical knowledge and industry expertise to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation and TDLR staff. All rules regarding scope of practice or standard of care must be proposed by the Advisory Board before being adopted by the Commission, and the Commission may not make substantive changes to scope of practice or standard of care rules without approval from the Advisory Board.

The Advisory Board meets throughout the year to conduct administrative business. The nine (9) advisory board members are appointed by the Commissioner of TDLR and serve staggered six (6) year terms. A quorum of five (5) members is required to conduct business. The meetings are open to the public and are live streamed on TDLR’s YouTube channel.

Members of the Board:

License Types and Continuing Education:

TDLR issues speech-language pathologist, intern in speech-language pathology, assistant in speech-language pathology, audiologist, intern in audiology, and assistant in audiology licenses.  All licenses are issued for two (2) year terms except intern licenses which are issued for one (1) year terms.

All speech-language pathologists, assistants in speech-language pathology, audiologists, and assistants in audiology must complete a minimum of twenty (20) hours of continuing education during each license term. Interns in speech-language pathology must complete ten (10) hours of continuing education and interns in audiology are exempt from continuing education requirements.  All licensees must all complete an approved training course in human trafficking prevention before each license renewal.

Contact the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation:

Mailing Address:

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
P.O. Box 12157
Austin, Texas 78711

Join NCSB on Facebook

Get “social” with NCSB and keep up to date on the latest news and information from NCSB.  Join NCSB on Facebook and have access to early announcements of conference locations, accommodations, and programs. 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

3416 Primm Lane
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P: 205-823-6106
info@ncsb.info
http://ncsb.info