459.24 Licensure.

(1) License required. Except as provided under s. 459.22, no person may do any of the following:

(a) Engage in the practice of speech-language pathology or use the title “speech-language pathologist" or any similar title unless the person holds a current speech-language pathologist license granted by the examining board under sub. (2) or (6) (a).

(b) Engage in the practice of audiology or use the title “audiologist," “clinical audiologist," or any similar title unless the person holds a current audiologist license granted by the examining board under sub. (3) or (6) (b).

(1m) Prohibited titles. No person may use the title “certified hearing aid audiologist," “certified hearing instrument audiologist," “licensed hearing instrument audiologist," or “licensed hearing aid audiologist."

(2) Speech-language pathologist license. The examining board shall grant a speech-language pathologist license to an individual who does all of the following:

(a) Submits an application for the license to the department on a form provided by the department.

(b) Pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1).

(c) Subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322 and 111.335, submits evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she does not have a conviction record.

(d) Submits evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she has completed a supervised clinical practicum and received a master's degree in speech-language pathology from a college or university approved by the examining board, or has completed education or training that the examining board determines is substantially equivalent to the completion of those requirements.

(e) Submits evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she has passed the examination required for certification as a speech-language pathologist by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or passes an examination under s. 459.26 (2) (a) to determine fitness as a speech-language pathologist or has completed education or training that the examining board determines is substantially equivalent to passing one of those examinations in determining fitness as a speech-language pathologist.

(f) Submits evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she has completed a postgraduate clinical fellowship in speech-language pathology approved by the examining board or has completed education or training that the examining board determines is substantially equivalent to the completion of such a fellowship.

(3) Audiologist license. The examining board shall grant an audiologist license to an individual who does all of the following:

(a) Submits an application for the license to the department on a form provided by the department.

(b) Pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1).

(c) Subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322 and 111.335, submits evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she does not have a conviction record.

(d) Submits evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she has completed a supervised clinical practicum and satisfied one of the following:

1. Received a master's degree in audiology from a college or university approved by the examining board, or has completed education or training that the examining board determines is substantially equivalent to the completion of those requirements. This subdivision does not apply to applications received after December 31, 2009.

2. Submits evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she possesses a doctoral degree in audiology from an accredited academic institution approved by the examining board by rule. The doctoral degree program must consist of not less than 3 years of educational course work and not less than 12 months of clinical rotation or externship. This subdivision applies to applications received after December 31, 2009.

3. Submits evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she has completed education or training that the examining board determines is substantially equivalent to the requirements under subd. 2. This subdivision applies to applications received after December 31, 2009.

(e) Submits evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she has passed the examinations selected or approved by the examining board by rule under s. 459.26 (2) (am), or has completed education or training that the examining board determines is substantially equivalent to the examinations selected or approved by the examining board under s. 459.26 (2) (am).

(em) Passes an examination under s. 459.26 (2) (b).

(f) Submits evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she has completed a postgraduate clinical fellowship in audiology approved by the examining board or has completed education or training that the examining board determines is substantially equivalent to the completion of such a fellowship. This paragraph applies to applications received on or before December 31, 2009.

(3m) Fitting and sale of hearing aids. An audiologist licensed under this subchapter or an individual granted a permit to practice audiology under this subchapter who engages in the practice of fitting and dealing in hearing aids shall do all of the following:

(a) Deliver to each person supplied with a hearing aid a receipt. The receipt shall contain the signature and show the business address, license or permit title, and number of the licensee or permittee, together with specifications as to the make and model of the hearing aid and full terms of sale clearly stated. If a hearing aid that is not new is sold, the receipt and the container must be clearly marked as “used" or “reconditioned", whichever is applicable. The terms of the guarantee, if there is any given, shall be set out in not less than 8-point type.

(b) Give to a purchaser of a hearing aid a personal guarantee that is at least identical in its terms to the guarantee given by the manufacturer of the hearing aid.

(4) Posting of license. Each person issued a license under this subchapter to practice speech-language pathology or audiology shall post the license in a conspicuous place in the licensee's place of business.

(5) Expiration and renewal. The renewal dates for licenses granted under this subchapter, other than temporary licenses granted under sub. (6), are specified in s. 440.08 (2) (a). Renewal applications shall be submitted to the department on a form provided by the department and shall include all of the following:

(a) The renewal fee determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9) (a).

(b) Proof that the applicant completed, within the 2 years immediately preceding the date of his or her application, 20 hours of continuing education programs or courses of study approved or required under rules promulgated under sub. (5m). This paragraph does not apply to an applicant for renewal of a license that expires on the first renewal date after the date on which the examining board initially granted the license.

(5m) Continuing education.

(a) The examining board shall do all of the following:

1. Promulgate rules establishing the criteria for approval of continuing education programs or courses of study required for renewal of a license under sub. (5) and the criteria for approval of the sponsors and cosponsors of continuing education programs or courses of study.

2. Approve continuing education programs and courses of study in accordance with the criteria established under subd. 1.

3. In consultation with the department, promulgate rules that do each of the following:

a. Require each person granted a speech-language pathologist license to whom sub. (5) (b) applies to complete a specified continuing education program or course of study to ensure competence with respect to a matter related to the practice of speech-language pathology if the examining board has received a significant number of consumer complaints about the matter or if the examining board otherwise determines there is a need for such a requirement.

b. Require each person granted an audiologist license to whom sub. (5) (b) applies to complete a specified continuing education program or course of study to ensure competence with respect to a matter related to the practice of audiology if the examining board has received a significant number of consumer complaints about the matter or if the examining board determines there is a need for such a requirement.

(b) Rules promulgated under par. (a) 3. shall establish criteria for the examining board's approval of the specified continuing education program or course of study and of sponsors and cosponsors of the continuing education program or course of study. The rules shall also require the examining board to administer, prior to the continuing education program or course of study, an examination on the matter that is the subject of the continuing education program or course of study and to waive a requirement to complete the continuing education program or course of study if a person granted a license under this subchapter passes the examination. A person who takes an examination specified in this paragraph shall pay the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1) (b).

(6) Temporary license.

(a) Upon application, the examining board may grant a temporary license to practice speech-language pathology during the completion of the postgraduate fellowship required under sub. (2) (f) if the applicant practices under the supervision of a speech-language pathologist licensed under sub. (2), satisfies the requirements under sub. (2) (a) to (d) and has submitted an application to take the next available examination for licensure as a speech-language pathologist under s. 459.26 (2) (a).

(b)

1. Upon application, the examining board may grant a temporary license to practice audiology during the completion of the postgraduate fellowship required under sub. (3) (f) if the applicant practices under the supervision of an audiologist licensed under sub. (3), satisfies the requirements under sub. (3) (a) to (d), and has submitted an application to take the next available examinations for licensure as an audiologist under s. 459.26 (2) (b). No license may be issued under this paragraph after December 31, 2009.

2. The examining board may grant a temporary license to practice audiology to an individual who satisfies the requirements under sub. (3) (a) to (e).

(c) A temporary license granted under this subsection is valid for a period designated in rules promulgated by the examining board. The rules may designate a period that terminates if an applicant fails to take the next available examination under s. 459.26 (2) (a) or (b) for reasons other than inaction by the examining board or hardship. A temporary license granted under par. (a) may be renewed once by the examining board. A temporary license granted under par. (b) may be renewed once by the examining board if the applicant fails an examination for audiologist licensure under s. 459.26 (2) (b) and applies to take the next available examination or if the applicant shows, to the satisfaction of the examining board, sufficient cause for the renewal. An applicant for a temporary license shall pay the fee specified in s. 440.05 (6).

History: 1989 a. 316; 1993 a. 16, 66; 1997 a. 49; 1999 a. 9; 2003 a. 270; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 356.