HB5532 Summary

• Amends the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act to allow speech-language pathology assistant graduates to perform services under licensed speech-language pathologist supervision.

• Establishes qualification requirements for speech-language pathology assistant licensure including good moral character, an associate degree or bachelor's degree from approved programs, and at least 100 hours of supervised field work.

• Requires speech-language pathology assistant programs to include 60 semester credit hours: 24 hours in general education and 36 hours in technical content areas covering communication disorders, phonetics, speech and language disorders, and anatomy/physiology of speech and hearing.

• Allows candidates for speech-language pathology assistant licensure to perform authorized duties under supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist, with specific duties defined in Section 8.7 and supervision standards defined in Section 8.8.

• Grandfathers applicants who apply before this amendment's effective date and existing license holders from meeting the new minimum program requirements established by this act.