How many continuing education hours are required during a reporting period?

Speech-Language Pathologists: SLPs licensed in Maine are required to complete ten (10) hours of continuing education every year.

Duel Licensees: A dually-licensed speech-language pathologist and audiologist shall certify at time of license renewal to completion of sixteen (16) hours of continuing professional education every year.

New Licensees: A licensee whose initial license is issued during the first six (6) months of the one-year license term shall certify to completion of five (5) hours of continuing professional education during the preceding license term at time of first renewal. A licensee whose initial license is issued during the second six (6) months of the one-year license term need not complete any continuing professional education to be eligible for a first renewal.

SLP Assistants: N/A

How long is the reporting period?

One (1) year.

Due Date

February 28^th.

How is credit hour defined?

One hour of continuing education is earned for each hour of actual instructional time, excluding breaks, lunch and other non-instructional time.

Can CE credits be carried over into the next reporting period?

N/A

Are there any specific courses that must be taken?

N/A

What types of activities can be used for the continuing education requirements?

Live attendance at seminars, workshops, institutes and in-service training sessions. Attendance must be documented by a certificate of completion from the presenter or provider that includes the title, date and time span of the activity, the location where the activity took place, the name and credentials of the presenter and the number of hours earned; or other reliable written proof of attendance that is acceptable to the board.

Academic courses at an accredited institution of higher education. Completion must be documented by an official academic transcript.

Distance learning activities in which immediate interaction with the instructor is available. Completion must be documented by a certificate of completion from the instructor or provider that includes the title, date and time span of the activity, the URL of the provider, the name and credentials of the instructor and the number of hours earned.

Are there limitations on the types of courses that can be taken?

A maximum of four (4) hours of continuing education overall may be earned by participation in one or more of the following activities only:

• Preparation and presentation of a seminar, workshop, institute or in-service training session targeted at speech-language pathologists, audiologists, or hearing aid dealers and fitters, for the initial presentation only. Presentation must be documented by a course description, course outline and copies of all materials presented or distributed to attendees.

• Published professional writing in a book or a peer-reviewed journal. (This does not include pamphlets or training manuals.) Continuing education credit will be recognized only for the license cycle during which the book or article was accepted for publication. Publication and date of acceptance must be documented by a copy of the article or title page of the book, and a letter of acceptance or letter from the publisher.

• Commercially-prepared home study courses. Completion must be documented by a scored post-test or certificate of completion.

• ·Distance learning activities in which immediate interaction with the instructor is not available. Completion must be documented by a scored post-test or certificate of completion.

What type of courses or activities are not allowed?

Continuing education credit will not be given to continuing education activities that do not directly relate to the practice of speech-language, pathology, audiology or hearing aid dealing and fitting. Examples of unacceptable content include, but are not limited to:

• Marketing and business communications and operations;
• Activities which deal with personal self-improvement, human relations, financial gain, time management or career options;
• Activities designed for lay persons; and
• Participation in or attendance at case conferences, grand rounds, and facility tours.

Content Requirement for Continuing Education Activities

To be recognized for credit, a continuing education activity must directly relate to the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology, depending on the license held by the renewing licensee. The following content areas directly relate to the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology:

• Anatomic and physiologic bases for the normal development and use of speech, language, swallowing, hearing and balance;
• Physical bases and processes of the production and perception of speech, language and hearing;
• Linguistic and psycho-linguistic variables related to normal development and use of speech, language and hearing;
• Technological biomedical, engineering and instrumentation information which would enable expansion of knowledge in the basic communication processes;
• Various types of disorders of communication, their manifestations, classification and cause;
• Evaluation skills, including procedures, techniques, and instrumentation for assessment;
• Principles in habilitation and rehabilitation of communication and swallowing disorders;
• Principles in evaluation and rehabilitation of balance and vestibular disorders;
• Provision of hearing care by selecting, evaluating, fitting, facilitating adjustment to, and dispensing prosthetic devices for hearing loss, including hearing aids, sensory aids, hearing assistive devices, alerting and telecommunication systems, and captioning devices;
• Assessment of candidacy of persons with hearing loss for cochlear implants and provision of fitting, programming, and aural rehabilitation to optimize device use;
• Service delivery models;
• The ethical practice of speech-language pathology or audiology;

• Supervision training related to the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology; and
• Related disciplines that pertain to delivery of speech-language pathology or audiology services.

What type of approval is needed for the courses?

N/A

What are the reporting requirements?

N/A

How long must continuing education records be retained?

N/A

Waiver

N/A

Audit

N/A

References

02 643 ME. Code § 8