(a) For the purposes of this section, the term:

(1) “Speech-language pathology clinical fellow” means an individual who is registered with the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology to engage in practice as a speech-language pathology clinical fellow.

(2) “Supervision” means the on-site or other personal oversight and involvement of a supervising speech-language pathologist in any and all ways that will permit the supervising speech-language pathologist to monitor, improve, and evaluate the clinical fellow’s performance in professional employment according to the degree of oversight and involvement necessary to support the particular clinical fellow’s development in self-recognition of clinical and professional strengths and areas requiring additional development of skill.

(b) A person who practices as a speech-language pathology clinical fellow shall be registered with the Board according to rules adopted by the Mayor, renew the registration as required by rule, and pay the required registration fee established by the Board.

(c) To be eligible for registration as a speech-language pathology clinical fellow, a person shall provide proof acceptable to the Board that he or she:

(1) Meets the minimum qualifications established by the Mayor through rulemaking;

(2) Has graduated from an accredited college or university with at least a Master’s degree based on a program of studies primarily focusing on speech-language pathology or communicative sciences and disorders, or a program determined by the Board to be substantially equivalent in subject matter and extent of training to a Master’s or doctoral degree in speech-language pathology;

(3) Is enrolled in a clinical fellowship that meets the following criteria:

(A) The clinical fellowship was completed under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist, except as provided for by subsection (e)(1) of this section;

(B) The clinical fellowship consists of direct clinical work with patients, consultations, record keeping, and other duties relevant to a program of clinical work, including clinical experience with persons who have communication disorders. The professional experience shall pertain directly to the evaluation, treatment, and case management of specific patients or clients; and

(C) The supervising speech-language pathologist monitors and evaluates the clinical fellow’s performance;

(4) Unless an exception is approved by the Board, has begun the clinical fellowship within 2 years after the completion of the academic course work and clinical practicum requirements, and shall complete the clinical fellowship within 36 months;

(5) Will be employed under the supervision required by this section as a professional in the field of speech-language pathology, for a period of time set forth by the rules adopted by the Board; and

(6) Has paid the required registration fee.

(d) A person shall not practice as a speech-language pathology clinical fellow or use the title of speech-language pathology clinical fellow unless he or she:

(1) (1) Is registered with the Board to practice as a speech-language pathology clinical fellow under this chapter;

(2) Practices under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist, except as provided for in subsection (e)(1) of this section; and

(3) Wears a name tag bearing the title “speech-language pathology clinical fellow” while acting in a professional capacity and displays his or her current registration in a conspicuous place in the office where the speech-language pathology clinical fellow is employed.

(e) A registered speech-language pathology clinical fellow shall not:

(1) Practice as a speech-language pathology clinical fellow unless practicing while under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist, or, if the supervising individual is employed by any agency of the federal government, while performing the duties of that agency; or

(2) Provide any services for which he or she has not received training to enable him or her to competently and safely perform the assigned tasks and job duties.

(f) A licensed speech-language pathologist may delegate duties to a speech-language pathology clinical fellow that are appropriate to the training and experience of the speech-language pathology clinical fellow and within the scope of practice of the supervising speech-language pathologist; provided, that the speech-language pathologist shall not delegate to a speech-language pathology clinical fellow any task or function identified through rulemaking as a task or function that shall not be delegated.

(g) For a period of one year following March 26, 2014, unless further time is granted by the Mayor through rulemaking, a person who has received appropriate training for the tasks assigned may practice as a speech-language pathology clinical fellow, regardless of registration with the Board, while under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist, except as provided for in subsection (e)(1) of this section.

(Mar. 25, 1986, D.C. Law 6-99, § 911; as added Mar. 26, 2014, D.C. Law 20-96, § 102(r), 61 DCR 1184; Apr. 11, 2019, D.C. Law 22-300, § 2(g), 66 DCR 2024.)

This section is referenced in § 3-1201.02.

The 2014 amendment by D.C. Law 20-96 added this section.