Disclaimer: Law, rules and regulations, not Guidelines, specify the requirements for practice and violating them constitutes professional misconduct. Not adhering to this Guideline may be interpreted as professional misconduct only if the conduct also violates pertinent law, rules and regulations.
Support Personnel
New York State law restricts the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology to licensed professionals and individuals specifically exempt from licensure. Individuals who are not licensed may not provide audiology or speech-language pathology services. People who are employed to assist speech-language pathologists or audiologists in such activities as cleaning equipment, preparing a room for therapy, or performing secretarial duties should not be referred to as "Speech Aides," "Speech Assistants," "Audiology Aides" or "Audiology Assistants," as these terms may be misleading to the public.
Delegation to unlicensed persons: Certain support functions such as monitoring telecommunication devices, reading and transferring report information, education and technical writing, for example, may be delegated to unlicensed persons. Speech-language pathologists and audiologists must be certain that such support activities do not require a professional license. The delegation of professional tasks to unlicensed personnel is considered aiding and abetting the unlawful practice of the profession, and is defined as unprofessional conduct.