(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)

1. (a) An applicant for licensure as a speech-language pathology assistant must have earned 60 semester credit hours in a program of study that includes general education and the specific knowledge and skills for a speech-language pathology assistant. The curriculum of a speech-language pathology assistant program must include all of the following content, as further provided by rule promulgated by the Department:

   1. (1) Twenty-four semester credit hours in general education.
   2. (2) Thirty-six semester credit hours in technical content areas designed to provide students with knowledge and skills required for speech-language pathology assistants, which must include (i) an introductory or overview course in communication disorders;
   3. (ii) phonetics;
   4. (iii) speech sound disorders;
   5. (iv) language development;
   6. (v) language disorders; and
   7. (vi) anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing mechanisms.
   8. (3) Completion of at least 100 hours of supervised field work experiences supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist at least 50% of the time when the student is engaged in contact with the patient or client. An applicant must obtain written verification demonstrating successful completion of the required field work experience, including a description of the setting in which the training was received and an assessment of the student's technical proficiency.
2. (b) The Department may promulgate rules that change the curriculum requirements of subsection (a) in order to reflect the guidelines for speech-language pathology assistant programs recommended by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.
3. (c) Any applicant for licensure as a speech-language pathology assistant who applies to the Department prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly or any person who holds a valid license as a speech-language pathology assistant on the effective date of this amendatory Act shall not be required to meet the new minimum requirements for a speech language pathology assistant program under subsection (a) of this Section 8.6 that are established by this amendatory Act.

(Source: P.A. 103-1004, eff. 1-1-25.)