7903 CLINICAL FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS

7903.1 A person completing the clinical fellowship requirements shall have a Master's or Doctoral degree and shall commence a clinical fellowship within 2 years from the date of conferral of the degree, and shall complete the clinical fellowship within three and a half (3.5) years from the date of conferral of the degree.

7903.2 The Board may extend the period of clinical fellowship for good cause shown.

7903.3 The Board may accept completion of the clinical fellowship required for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Certificate of Clinical Competence as meeting the requirements for clinical fellowship in this chapter.

7903.4 To complete a clinical fellowship the applicant shall be employed, with or without direct compensation, as a professional in the field of speech-language pathology under general supervision for a period of not less than nine (9) months with a minimum of thirty (30) hours of work per week. This requirement may also be met with part-time employment as follows:

(a) Fifteen (15) to nineteen (19) hours a week for a period of eighteen (18) months;

(b) Twenty (20) to twenty four (24) hours a week for a period of fifteen (15) months; or

(c) Twenty five (25) to twenty nine (29) hours a week for a period of twelve months.

7903.5 At least eighty percent (80%) of the supervisee's clinical fellowship shall be in direct client contact which includes the following:

(a) Assessment, diagnosis, evaluation and treatment;

(b) Screening;

(c) Habilitation and rehabilitation; and

(d) Activities related to case management.

7903.6 The remaining twenty percent (20%) shall be comprised of supervised activities such as writing, research or planning.

7903.7 The activities included in a clinical fellowship shall consist of the following:

(a) Conducting evaluations and treatment procedures;

(b) Interpreting test results;

(c) Determining case selections;

(d) Designing treatment programs;

(e) Collecting data and documenting performance;

(f) Maintaining clinical records;

(g) Providing written or oral reports (progress notes, diagnostic reports) regarding patients' or clients' status;

(h) Making referrals; and

(i) Participating in case conferences.

7903.8 An individual serving as a supervisor for the clinical fellowship requirement:

(a) Shall hold a valid District of Columbia license in speech language pathology, a license in another jurisdiction with requirements substantially similar to the licensure requirements in the District, or if in a state that does not require licensure, a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association in speech-language pathology;

(b) Shall have been in practice for a minimum of two (2) years after licensure or certification;

(c) May not supervise more than three (3) individuals at one time;

(d) May not have been disciplined by a board within the previous five (5) years; and

(e) Shall provide a minimum of thirty six (36) hours of supervisory activities during the clinical fellowship including a minimum of two (2) hours of monitoring activities each month.

7903.9 An individual serving as a supervisor in the District shall be legally responsible for services provided by the supervisee.

7903.10 An applicant for a license shall demonstrate qualifications required by §§ 7903.3-7903.6 by submitting with the application a signed statement from each supervisor who supervised the applicant during the required fellowship period which sets forth the following:

(a) The number of hours of the applicant's practice of speech-language pathology;

(b) The number of hours of general supervision of the applicant;

(c) The specific nature of responsibilities included in the applicant's practice;

(d) A rating of the applicant's performance;

(e) The location at which and period(s) of time during which the supervision took place; and

(f) The license number and jurisdiction in which the supervisor was licensed during the supervised period, or proof that the supervisor has a Certificate of Clinical Competence if the clinical fellowship is in a state that does not require licensure.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 7314 (September 4, 2009).