General information terms and definitions: 1. Board means the Mississippi State Board of Health. 2. Council means the Mississippi Council of Advisors in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. 3. ASHA means the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. 4. Department is the Mississippi State Department of Health. 5. Person means any individual, organization, or corporate body. However, only an individual may be registered under the Legislation Governing Speech-Language Pathologists/Audiologists. 6. Speech-language pathologist means an individual who practices speech-language pathology and who presents oneself to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words "speech-language pathologist," "speech pathologist," "speech therapist," "speech correctionist," "speech clinician," "language pathologist," "language therapist," "logopedist," "communicologist," "voice therapist," "voice pathologist," or any similar title or description of services. 7. Speech-language pathology means the application of principles, methods and procedures for the measurement, testing, evaluation, prediction, counseling, instruction, habilitation or rehabilitation related to the development and disorders of speech, voice, language, swallowing or feeding, or for the purpose of evaluating, preventing, ameliorating or modifying such disorders and conditions in individuals and/or groups of individuals. Licensure: General Requirements: 1. An application for a license as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist shall be submitted to the State Board of Health at its principal office in Jackson on an application form provided by the State Board of Health. 2. Every application shall be typed or written in ink, signed under the penalty of perjury, and accompanied by the appropriate fee and by such evidence, statements, or documents as therein required. 3. Approved applications and all documents filed in support thereof shall be retained by the State Board of Health. 4. Licenses issued under these regulations shall expire and become invalid at midnight of the expiration date. Qualifications for Licensure: 1. Education a. Education qualifications deemed equivalent to those specified in Section 73-38-9 shall be at least a master's degree, e.g., M.S., M.A., or M.Ed., in speech-language pathology, communicative disorders, or speech and hearing science or a doctoral degree in audiology from an institution recognized by the State Board of Health. Licensees currently licensed as an audiologist with a master’s degree will be “grandfathered” in and will remain licensed so long as they maintain their national certification. In addition, applicants for an audiology license who are already licensed as an audiologist in another state with only a master’s degree will be accepted for licensure in Mississippi if they are currently nationally certified. b. Institutions recognized by the State Board of Health within the meaning of Section 73-38-9 shall be those institutions with academic programs accredited by the American Speech-LanguageHearing Association or any other national accrediting body deemed appropriate by the Board. 2. Supervised Professional Employment a. The applicant must have obtained the equivalent of nine (9) months of full-time professional experience (the Supervised Professional Employment) in which bona fide clinical work has been accomplished in the major professional area (speech-language pathology or audiology) in which the license is being sought. Fulltime employment is defined as a minimum of thirty (30) clock hours of work a week. For applicants awarded a master’s degree, the Supervised Professional Employment Plan (SPEP) must begin after the degree has been awarded. For applicants awarded a doctoral degree, the Supervised Professional Employment Plan requirement may be met prior to awarding of the degree, provided the equivalent of the Supervised Professional Employment Plan is an integral part of the course of study which leads to the awarding of a doctoral degree. For applicants awarded a doctoral degree from institutions that do not incorporate the equivalent of the Supervised Professional Employment Plan into the degree-granting process, the Supervised Professional Employment Plan must begin after the degree has been awarded. b. Professional experience is construed to mean direct clinical work with patients, consultations, record keeping, or any other duties relevant to a bona fide program of clinical work. Eighty percent (80%) of full-time clinical experience and one hundred percent (100%) of part-time clinical experience will be in direct clinical contact with persons who have communication handicaps. Time spent in supervision of students, academic teaching, and research, as well as administrative activity that does not deal directly with management programs of specific patients or clients will not be counted as professional experience in this context. c. An applicant desiring to complete the Supervised Professional Employment Experience must apply to the Board for a temporary license on a form available from the Board and must demonstrate that he is or will be supervised according to Rule 10.4.5 of these regulations. 3. The National Examinations In Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology: a. The applicant must have passed a National Examination in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, either the National Examination in Speech-Language Pathology or the National Examination in Audiology. Each year at its first meeting, the Advisory Council will recommend to the State Board of Health a passing score for the coming year. Licensure by Reciprocity: An applicant for licensure by reciprocity shall submit to the Department, verified by oath, written evidence in form and content satisfactory to the Department that the applicant has met all requirements set forth in Rule 10.4.1 and 10.4.2 of these regulations. Temporary License: 1. A temporary license to practice as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist may be granted to an applicant for licensure meeting the requirements of Rule 10.4.1 and Rule 10.4.2 who has or has not taken the approved examination or who is entering the supervised professional employment plan subject to the conditions of Rule 10.4.5. 2. A temporary license must be issued prior to the beginning of the supervised professional employment plan. Renewal of License: 1. The Board shall issue regular licenses which shall be renewed prior to the expiration date of the license. 2. The licensure period shall be construed as July 1 through June 30 with all regular licenses expiring at midnight on June 30 of even-numbered years.
