I would like to welcome everyone to

this edition of the Ohio Speech and

Hearing Professional Board’s

eNewsletter. We have important

updates and information inside this

edition, such as licensure renewal and

telehealth guidelines issued by the

Ohio Department of Education for

school-based practitioners. During this

national health emergency, the Board

will maintain normal operations, such as

processing initial applications for

license, license renewals, investigating

Message from the Board President

Summer

eNewsletter

Message from the Executive Director

Welcome everyone, to this edition of the

Ohio Speech and Hearing Professional

Board’s eNewsletter. I hope everyone is

staying safe and healthy as all of us

continue to respond to COVID-19. As

the new school year is upon us, we have

important information to share from the

Ohio Department of Education

regarding services provided by our

school-based practitioners via

telehealth.

Our Board continues to collaborate with

various entities during this national

health emergency, such as the Ohio

Attorney General’s Office, Governor’s

Office, other state agencies such as

the Ohio Department of Administrative

Service, Ohio Department of Education,

Ohio Department of Health, Ohio

Department of Medicaid, Ohio State

Medical Board, and the National

Council of State Boards of Examiners

for Speech-Language Pathology and

Audiology, to name just a few. I would

like to remind you to visit our website

for the latest information regarding

Ohio’s preparedness to the COVID-19

pandemic. As we approach the license

renewal period, we have included

information about continuing education

resources that are available online.

I realize we are still persevering

through disruptions, challenges, and

situations related to this crisis. On

behalf of the Board, I would like to,

once again, express our appreciation for

(Continued on next page)

August 31, 2020

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Message from the Board

President - p. 1

Message from the Executive

Director - p. 1

Updating Your Contact Info. - p. 2

Licensure Statistics - p. 3

Licensure Renewal - p. 3

ODE’s Committee of Practitioners - p. 3

Hearing Test Procedures - p.4

ODE Telehealth Guidelines - p.4

Board Operations - pg, 5-6

COVID-19 Considerations for Masks in

the School Setting - pg. 6-9

COVID-19 Considerations for Profes-

sionals Working with Adults - pg. 9-11

COVID-19 Updates & Resources - p. 12

Board Thanks Helen Mayle - p.12

Continuing Education Update - p. 13

CE Broker - p. 13

Continuing Education Resources - p.13

Summer/Fall Calendar - p. 14

Ask the Board - p. 14

(Continued on next page)

Board Members:

Board President:

Tammy H. Brown, M.A., CCC-A, FAAA,

Board Certified in Audiology

Board Secretary:

Barbara L. Prakup, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Lisa Dodge Burton, Public Member

Karen Mitchell, Au.D., CCC-A

Michael R. Pratt, H.A.S.

Ann M. Slone, M.A., CCC-SLP

Carrie Spangler, Au.D., CCC-A

Matthew Starner, H.A.S.

Page 2

Message from the Board President

(continued from page 1)

Has your contact

information

changed?

Updating your contact

information is now a

self-service process in

the new eLicense Ohio

system. See the update

inside this edition for

details on how to

register and access your

license through your

new eLicense Ohio

dashboard.

All licensees are

required to update any

change of name, place of

business, or mailing

address within thirty

days of said change.

Message from the Executive Director

(continued from page 1)

Important

Information

Board’s Contact Information

Vern Riffe Center for

Government & the Arts

77 South High Street, Suite 1659

Columbus, Ohio 43215-6108

Phone: 614-466-3145

Fax: 614-995-2286

E-mail: board@shp.ohio.gov

Office Hours:

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Monday through Friday

Board office is closed during

observance of state holidays

complaints, and responding to inquir-

ies. If you have a question, issue, or

concern, please do not hesitate to con-

tact us. We remain committed to

providing the highest level of service

to all of our constituents during this

national health emergency.

We are posting regular updates on our

website as well as our Facebook page,

and this will be the best way to find

information and resources. Addition-

ally, we are sharing information and

links for other state agencies that may

impact our professions, such as the

Ohio Department of Education, Ohio

Department of Health, etc.

We invite you to visit our homepage at

www.shp.ohio.gov, and also visit us on

Facebook to stay updated throughout

the year.

If you recently contacted the Board for

services or information, please take a

moment to complete our customer ser-

vice survey and let us know your opin-

ion about that experience.

Best Regards,

Gregg B. Thornton, Esq.

Executive Director

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:

• Reminder: Board and

Committee meetings are open

to the public.

• Public comment is welcome at

all Board meetings.

• Please visit our website at

www.shp.ohio.gov for the

latest updates and information.

everything that each of you are doing to

ensure that the health and welfare of your

patients, clients, and students are being

met. You are indeed essential in this day

of discovering and developing new ways

for communicating in the ever emerging

pandemic circumstances! If you are using

social media, please “Like” our Facebook

page and accept notifications to ensure

you will receive the latest up-

dates. Our board staff continues to

work remotely and are available to assist

with any questions.

We will get through this challenging

time and be a stronger community of pro-

fessionals and collaborators for healthy

consumers.

Sincerely,

Tammy H. Brown, M.A., CCC-A, FAAA,

Board Certified in Audiology

Board President

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

Licensure Renewal Period: October 2 - December 31, 2020 For Audiologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Aides,

Hearing Aid Dealers, and Hearing Aid Fitters

During the week of September 28, 2020, license renewal letters will be mailed to all individuals whose

license will expire at midnight on December 31, 2020. The license renewal period begins on October 2,

2020 and runs through midnight on December 31, 2020. Licensed audiologists, speech-language

pathologists, dual licensees, aides, hearing aid dealers, and hearing aid fitters will receive their renewal letter

in the mail the week of September 28th and can renew their

license beginning October 2, 2020, online through the eLicense

Ohio license management system. In order to maximize cost

efficiencies, licenses must be renewed online through eLicense

Ohio. The Board will not be able to respond to any requests for a

paper renewal application or accept checks or money orders

submitted through the mail. Paper renewal applications will not

be available from the Board’s website. The Board will

periodically send reminders via e-mail to anyone who has not yet

renewed their license. Be sure to “Like” our Facebook page in

order to receive our updates. Licensure renewal information is

also available on the Board’s home page at: www.shp.ohio.gov.

Ohio Department of Education’s Ohio Committee of Practitioners The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) is now accepting

applications from school-based speech-language pathologists and

educational audiologists to serve on its Ohio Committee of

Practitioners. The committee is a requirement under section 1903

of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The

purpose of the committee is to help inform the work of the Ohio

Department of Education on its implementation of federal

education laws and regulations. ODE informed us that related

service providers, such as school-based speech-language

pathologists and educational audiologists are encouraged to

submit an application to serve on this committee. More

information about the committee, including an application, is

available on ODE’s website at: http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/

District-and-School-Continuous-Improvement/Federal-Programs/

Elementary-and-Secondary-Education-Act/Committee-of-

Practitioners.

Summer eNewsletter Page 3

Licensure Statistics

As of August 5, 2020

Audiologists: 1094

Audiology Aides: 89

Conditional SLPs: 327

Dual-Aud. & SLP 33

Hearing Aid Dealers: 232

Hearing Aid Satellites: 386

Hearing Aid Fitters: 466

Inactive Audiology: 54

Inactive Speech-Language Path.: 295

Speech-Language Pathologists: 7983

SLP Aides: 5

Trainee Permit Holders 51

Total Licenses: 11,015

OSHPB Staff:

Executive Director:

Gregg B. Thornton, Esq.

gregg.thornton@shp.ohio.gov

Investigator:

Connie J. Allen

connie.allen@shp.ohio.gov

Licensing Administrator:

Brandy R. Thomas

brandy.thomas@shp.ohio.gov

Administrative Professional:

Amanda Townsend

amanda.townsend@shp.ohio.gov

Principal Assistant Attorney General:

Cheryl R. Hawkinson, Esq.

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

Hearing Test Procedures During COVID-19 - Important Reminder

With Ohio’s Stay-At-Home order now lifted, Ohioans, including businesses,

governmental entities, and schools, are implementing responsible restart plans to

resume daily activities and services. During the Stay-At-Home order that went into

effect on March 23 and expired on May 29, 2020, certain exceptions allowed

individuals to leave their residence to work for or obtain essential services. This

exception included all individuals licensed under our Board’s Ohio Revised and

Administrative Code Chapters 4744, 4747, and 4753. The Board received inquiries

regarding whether or not in-person testing requirements for the dispending of hearing aids were waived due

to Ohio’s Stay-At-Home order issued in response to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). The Board

addressed this question in its special edition eNewsletter released in May, clarifying that the measurement

and testing of human hearing is a requirement for the fitting and sale of a hearing aid.

Even though the Stay-At-Home order is lifted, the Board would like to remind licensees that appropriate test

procedures must continue to be followed. In Ohio, for an audiologist, the measurement and testing of human

hearing by means of an audiometer or by any other means is a requirement for the purpose of selecting,

adapting, and selling a hearing aid to any person. Best practice would include an otoscopic examination.

For a hearing aid fitter, the rules specifically state the required hearing tests that shall be completed before

recommending, selling or fitting of a hearing aid. A screening for hearing loss does not meet the Board’s

rules/requirements for selecting, adapting, and selling of a hearing aid.

Ohio Department of Education Issues Telehealth Guidelines For Service Providers The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) issued telehealth guidelines for service providers, which includes

school-based speech-language pathologists and educational audiologists. As ODE noted, “One of Ohio’s top

priorities is to support the mental health and well-being of all Ohio’s students.” The Board’s school-based

practitioners must hold an ODE Pupil Service License in order to deliver appropriate services to students

with disabilities. During the spring 2020 ordered school-building closure period as a result of the COVID-19

pandemic, schools remotely supported continued learning and related services virtually when feasible. As

schools reopen, whether remote, in-person, or using a hybrid approach, school-based practitioners will face

important considerations when providing related services via telehealth to meet students’ needs. The Board

addresses telehealth communication for audiologists and speech-language pathologists under Ohio

Administrative Code Chapter 4753-2. ODE’s telehealth guidelines addresses other important considerations

for school-based practitioners, such as permission forms, telehealth platforms, privacy and confidentiality

considerations, to name just a few. ODE has addressed these considerations in the form of FAQs, which the

Board urges all school-based practitioners to review at the following link: http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/

Reset-and-Restart/Telehealth-Guidelines-for-Service-Providers. You will also find related resources

addressing Students with Disabilities Guidance, Additional Considerations for Special Education, and

Students with Disabilities Compendium of Resources.

Summer eNewsletter Page 4

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

Board Operations During COVID-19 - Update

Board Operations

All staff and operations of the licensure board continue without interruption and will be available remotely.

Licensure applications will continue to be processed as usual and complaints will continue to be investigated.

Board staff will be available to answer telephone calls and e-mails during our normal business hours, e.g.,

Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Board members are accessible when necessary to assist staff with

responding to any questions. You can contact the Board at (614) 466-3145 (select option #2) or via e-mail at:

board@shp.ohio.gov.

Update for Summer and Winter Graduates

ETS - Praxis Exam

Individuals graduating from the university programs, who intend to practice in Ohio, should submit their

application to the Board approximately 4-6 weeks prior to their graduation date. ETS has resumed the

PRAXIS exam; however depending on the situation due to COVID-19, candidates may be offered alternative

options to take the exam remotely. Applicants should contact ETS directly for more information at: https://

www.ets.org/.

Written and Practical Exams for Hearing Aid Fitters

The Board has resumed administering its written and practical exam for hearing aid fitters and is following

all health and safety protocols. Candidates will be contacted by the Board’s Licensing Administrator and

provided with appropriate information when scheduling their exam.

Criminal Background Checks

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office oversees the FBI and BCI criminal background check that is required

for initial licensure. Web-check entities, such as police departments, county sheriff's office, and authorized

web-check entities are not closed, but operating under greatly reduced hours due to COVID-19. We

recommend that applicants visit the Ohio Attorney General's website for information on locating an

authorized web-check vendor in their area at: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Business/Services-for-

Business/WebCheck/Webcheck-Community-Listing. The Attorney General's Office is recommending that

applicants call ahead before traveling to any location to verify they are providing fingerprinting services at

this time. Many web-check locations are open but observing limited hours and have specific restrictions in

order to adhere to social distancing requirements. If you cannot find a location in your county, you may find

better results by calling an authorized web-check entity in a surrounding county.

Service Requests

Until further notice, the Board will process service requests in eLicense for wall certificates and license

verification letters electronically. Anyone submitting these requests will receive an e-mail with the item(s)

attached.

Complaints

During this period, the Board requests that complaints not be sent via mail to the board office. Complaints

should be submitted through the complaint portal in the eLicesne Ohio license management system at:

https://elicense.ohio.gov/oh_filecomplaint.

Summer eNewsletter Page 5

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

Board Operations During COVID-19 - Update

(continued)

Mail

The Board is requesting that any correspondence be sent to its e-mail address at: board@shp.ohio.gov. If it

is necessary to send correspondence to the Board’s mailing address, it should be sent via regular mail and not

require a signature. Staff members will not be in the office as frequently to sign for packages and letters that

require a signature for delivery.

Important Considerations for Masks in the School Setting By Carrie L. Spangler, Au.D., CCC-A

Since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen many changes to how schools will reopen

this upcoming fall. We are #InThisTogetherOhio fellow speech language pathologists and audiologists!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the state of Ohio, and our local health departments

continue to provide critical information about how to protect yourself and others from developing COVID-

19 including:

• Wash your hands often

• Avoid close contact (6 feet physical distancing)

• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others

• Cover coughs and sneezes

• Clean and disinfect

• Monitor your health

As speech language pathologists and audiologists look to return to the schools, bullet points two and three

present multiple challenges to both the student and the speech language pathologist and audiologists.

Balancing safety with accessibility requires all of us to be creative, flexible, and ready to adjust as school

plans change and more information becomes available.

Specifically, the challenges the pandemic has caused for students with hearing loss and diverse learners are

largely attributed to several factors. Physical distancing leads to listeners and talkers being twice as far apart

resulting in a 6 decibel or more loss of sound making it harder to listen to speech. Masks can filter and

attenuate (reduces) speech sounds which impacts a student’s listening intelligibility in the classroom.

Access to auditory and visual cues (of the face) is paramount to learning in the classroom. In fact, speaking

and listening are the primary communication modes in auditory learning environments, where children are

involved in listening activities for approximately 75% of their school day. Visual characteristics of

instruction include facial expressions and lip movements that provide important contextual information about

the message (e.g., emotion, emphasis).

Summer eNewsletter Page 6

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

Important Considerations for Masks in the

School Setting By Carrie L. Spangler, Au.D., CCC-A

(Continued)

Research shows that students with the following characteristics are at-risk for learning in poor acoustical

environments (mask degradation); lack of visual access and non-verbal incidental cues further compounds

learning difficulties for many of these students.

• Young children (less that age 15 due to immature auditory brain development)

• Conductive hearing loss/ear infections

• Sensorineural hearing loss (bilateral and unilateral and all degrees of loss)

• Language and speech disorders

• Learning disability or dyslexia

• English as a second language

• Auditory processing deficit

• Developmental delays

• Attention deficits

• Autism spectrum disorder

COVID-19 has sent us all on a journey that we did not anticipate or foresee. As speech language

pathologists and audiologists, we need to be armed with the facts and provide important learning information

to the schools. Additional emphasis on personal hearing/visual technology will be required due to pandemic

challenges. Below are some possible solutions to help students as the schools reopen.

Clear Masks and Shields

The CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-

guidance.html) recognizes that wearing masks may not be possible in every situation or for some people.

Adaptations and alternatives should be considered whenever possible to increase the feasibility of wearing a

mask or to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading if it is not possible to wear one. Ohio also recognizes this

in the COVID-19 Health and Prevention Guidance for Ohio’s K-12 Schools and the CDC recognizes this in

its online document for Considerations for Wearing Masks.

In the CDC document, a specific example states: “People who are deaf or hard of hearing—or those who

care for or interact with a person who is hearing impaired—may be unable to wear masks if they rely on

lipreading to communicate. In this situation, consider using a “clear mask”. It should be noted that some

clear mask options degrade speech more than others.

Summer eNewsletter Page 7

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

Important Considerations for Masks in the

School Setting By Carrie L. Spangler, Au.D., CCC-A

(Continued)

When working with students who are deaf or hard of hearing and determining face coverings, it is important

to work closely with that student. Does your student rely more on auditory input, visual input, or both?

How will the student access communication with his peers? Can the student safely put on and remove his

mask with hearing technology? If the student uses an interpreter, what face covering gives the best access to

the teacher and interpreter?

Clear masks or face shields as a health/safety option would give all students, especially those who are

diverse learners, access to more auditory and facial cues.

Visual Supports When masks are in use, it is critical for students who have hearing loss and diverse needs to have access to

more visual supports. Some suggestions might include:

• Gain visual attention (even though may not be able to see whole face, it helps with focus)

• Write directions on board or provide written directions as handout/electronically

• Assign a note taker

• Use daily agendas

• Consider captioning

• Record important lessons without a mask and show in class to allow for better facial/visual cues

Auditory Supports An improved signal to noise ratio (classroom amplification and remote microphones) is an accommodation

that has proven effective when talking through a mask and at extended physical distance. For students with

diagnosed hearing loss and auditory processing deficits, be sure to contact your educational audiologist to

ensure the appropriate remote microphone technology is in place and programmed appropriately to

accommodate for masks. For ALL students and teachers, consider the use of a classroom amplification

system to overcome the impact of masks, physical distancing, vocal fatigue, and inadequate acoustics. In

addition, reducing as much background noise as possible will increase ability to hear and understand

auditory information.

Planned Listening Breaks Listening through masked conditions takes extra effort and concentration. Teachers will also be projecting

and repeating spoken information more frequently causing vocal fatigue. Incorporating planned listening

breaks throughout the day will help with anticipated increase in listening fatigue.

Summer eNewsletter Page 8

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

Important Considerations for Masks in the

School Setting By Carrie L. Spangler, Au.D., CCC-A

(Continued)

Additional Accommodations Masks and physical distancing will present additional challenges that might not have been present pre-

COVID in the classroom and remote setting. In addition, schools have talked about moving learning to the

outdoors introducing wind noise, traffic, and other outdoor distractions. Additional assistive technology and

accommodations may be necessary for access to the curriculum (in person, remote, and hybrid). Additional

accommodations may include increased visual supports, personal amplification, speech-to-text, written

instructions, adequate lighting, reducing glare, pre-teaching, listening checks, adjustments to hearing

technology (mask program for listening), social emotional learning support, increased self-advocacy training.

Additional accommodations need to also be considered for virtual learning and access.

Final Thoughts Remember we are all #InThisTogetherOhio! It is important to take care of yourself, be patient, be flexible,

be creative, and collaborate with others during these uncertain times.

COVID-19: Considerations for Professionals Working with Adults By Barbara L. Prakup, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Since the first known case of COVID 19 in the United States was identified in January of 2020, we continue

to learn a great deal about the symptomatology, course and some of the sequelae of this disease. Although

there is much more to learn, as more information is gained from patients who have suffered from this

disease, we have become increasingly aware that COVID 19 can have effects on speech, swallowing and

hearing function in adults. Originally, it was thought that this disease was primarily a respiratory ailment.

The symptoms associated with COVID 19 initially included fever, cough, shortness of breath and flu-like

symptoms. As the number of cases increased, patients diagnosed with COVID-19 presented with an

increasing number of symptoms. According to the most recent information update from the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the list of symptoms can include, in addition to the previously listed

symptoms, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste (ageusia) or smell (anosmia), sore

throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-

ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html. Based on our evolving knowledge of symptomatology and sequelae

of COVID-19, it is important for our licensees to remain informed about the acute and chronic challenges

facing individuals with this disease. In particular, it is important for speech-language pathologists in the

acute, long-term, home health and outpatient settings to advocate for our patients to meet their immediate

and long-term needs following this disease.

Summer eNewsletter Page 9

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

COVID-19: Considerations for Professionals

Working with Adults By Barbara L. Prakup, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

(Continued)

Health and Safety Considerations

According to research evidence gathered by the CDC, the elderly population can be particularly vulnerable

to COVID-19, especially elderly individuals affected by certain medical conditions such as heart disease,

cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes and other disorders

that can affect the elderly population. Information regarding the evidence suggesting increased risk from

COVID-19 is presented here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/evidence-

table.html. It is imperative that licensees be well informed regarding these health factors that affect safety

for our consumers. Learning about and following all safety and infection control guidelines and

recommendations is the first step in keeping everyone safe and healthy.

Keeping our consumers and ourselves safe from COVID-19 is everyone’s primary concern. Good infection

control procedures are the most effective way to maximize safety. The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) has provided numerous resources that licensees can utilize to understand and

communicate good infection control practices which can be found here:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control.html. Information regarding COVID-19

has been specifically prepared for healthcare providers by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and can be

found at this website: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/healthcare-providers-and-local-

health-districts/. Each of these websites offers resources that healthcare providers can use to learn more and

gain updates on the latest research and data as well as information and resources that can be provided to

adult clients and their families to keep them informed. In addition to these resources, it is essential that our

licensees in the State of Ohio remain up to date on all public health orders issued regarding COVID-19 in

order to be in compliance with best practices for our state. Public Health orders are available by visiting this

website: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/resources/public-health-orders/public-health-

orders. Additional information and resources are available from the American Speech-Language-Hearing

Association (ASHA): https://www.asha.org/SLP/healthcare/Research-Articles-Related-to-SLP-Services-in-

Health-Care-During-COVID-19/, American Academy of Audiology: https://www.audiology.org/practice-

management/covid-19-resources, and the International Hearing Society: http://ihsinfo.org/covid-19/.

Summer eNewsletter Page 10

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

COVID-19: Considerations for Professionals

Working with Adults By Barbara L. Prakup, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

(Continued)

Practical Considerations When working with the adult population, there is a need to consider the effect that use of proper personal

protective equipment (PPE) will have on the delivery of services. Use of masks when working with people

with communication disorders distorts the speech of the care provider and eliminates the visual modality of

processing that people rely on to adequately process speech. Some potential solutions that can minimize this

communication barrier with people with hearing impairment are listed below:

Please read the companion article in this newsletter written by Dr. Carrie Spangler. It presents additional

information regarding visual and auditory supports that can be provided to people with hearing impairments

in consideration of the measures that we must take to protect our consumers from COVID-19.

Summary The COVID-19 pandemic presents serious challenges to all of us. The Mission of the Ohio Speech and

Hearing Professionals Board is to protect consumers by regulating the practice of audiology, hearing aid

dealing, fitting and dispensing, and speech-language pathology by establishing, promoting, and enforcing

practice standards and professional competency among licensees pursuant to Chapters 4744, 4747, and 4753

of the Ohio Revised Code and Ohio Administrative Code. As part of the board’s mission to protect

consumers, the Ohio Speech and Hearing Professionals Board provides a link and telephone contact

information to access constantly updated information regarding COVID-19 in the State of Ohio which can be

found here: https://shp.ohio.gov/. Information found here can serve as a helpful resource to licensees as we

strive to provide the best care for our patients or clients.

Summer eNewsletter Page 11

Communication Barrier Potential Solution

Mask distorts care provider’s speech Decrease rate of speech

Increase articulatory precision

Mask eliminates visual speech cues Use clear masks and face shields

Provide visual supports (captioned/printed material)

Ambient noise (TV, radio, noisy environment) Decrease background noise as much as possible

Turn off or mute the television

Move to a quiet area

Close the door to the treatment room

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

COVID-19 Updates and Resources

Visit: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/

for the latest information and updates about Ohio’s

preparedness to COVID-19.

Board thanks Helen Mayle for her service The Board would like to thank Helen Mayle for her service as a public board member. Ms. Mayle was first

appointed to the Ohio Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology in June of 2014 to complete the

remaining term of public board member Elizabeth Tracy, who accepted a board appointment to the Ohio

Ethics Commission. Ms. Mayle was reappointed by then Governor John R. Kasich to a full term in

September 2016. Ms. Mayle completed her term on January 20, 2018, when the former board was

consolidated with the Ohio Hearing Aid Dealers and Fitters Licensing Board. On January 21, 2018, Ms.

Mayle was appointed by Governor Kasich to the newly created Ohio Speech and Hearing Professionals

Board. She completed a one year staggered term appointment and was appointed by Governor DeWine in

March 2019 and served until June 2020. During the six years that Ms. Mayle served on the Board, she

advocated for consumer protection in the professions. She was extensively involved on several committees

and workgroups, including the Ohio Department of Health’s Universal Newborn Infant and Hearing

Subcommittee, Ohio Department of Education Related Service Provider Workgroup, Rules Committee, and

Professional Competency Committee. She was also very active with the National Association of State

Boards of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and attended several annual

conferences that addressed professional and consumer protection issues in the audiology and speech-

language pathology professions. Ms. Mayle attended numerous board presentations at state association

conferences and personally addressed questions from the public board member perspective. She was very

involved with the school SLP shortage and workload/caseload issues, and accompanied the Board’s

Executive Director for meetings with school administrators to discuss the impact of the workload

determination process to speech-language pathologists and audiologists. She was involved in many board

sponsored ethics trainings. Ms. Mayle also attended conferences sponsored by the Hearing Healthcare

Alliance of Ohio and provided her perspective for issues impacting consumers receiving services from

hearing aid dealers and hearing aid fitters. The Board wishes Ms. Mayle all the best with her future

endeavors.

Summer eNewsletter Page 12

Stay Updated and Informed - Ohio’s Preparedness to COVID-19

In addition to visiting coronavirus.ohio.gov or calling 1-833-4-ASK-ODH, you may also visit the

Board’s website and Facebook page to stay updated with the latest information about Ohio’s prepared-

ness to COVID-19, including orders issued by Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of

Health.

• Board website: https://shp.ohio.gov/

• Board’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OhioSpeechandHearingProfessionalsBoard/

(Be sure to “Like” our Facebook page to receive notifications when posted.)

O h i o S p e e c h a n d H e a r i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s B o a r d

Continuing Education and Ethics Requirement Reminder

Continuing Education & Ethics Resources Available at: http://shp.ohio.gov/ce-ethics

The Board would like to remind all licensees about their respective continuing

education requirements.

Requirements for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists

Audiologists and speech-language pathologists are required to complete twenty

hours of continuing education, including two hours related to ethics pursuant to Ohio

Administrative Code section 4753-4-01. At least ten hours of continuing education must be specific to the

clinical practice in the area the person is licensed. A licensee is not required to obtain continuing education

for the first renewal. Licensed audiologists and speech-language pathologists required to complete

continuing education have until December 31, 2020 to complete their hours.

Requirements for Hearing Aid Fitters

Hearing aid fitters are now required to complete twenty hours of continuing education, including two hours

related to ethics pursuant to Ohio Administrative Code section 4747-1-11. Continuing education clock hours

must be acquired in subjects related to hearing aid fitting or audiology. A licensee is not required to obtain

continuing education for the first renewal. Licensed hearing aid fitters required to complete continuing

education have until December 31, 2020 to complete their hours.

CE Broker - Sign-up Today! Please visit the Board’s website at: http://shp.ohio.gov/continuing-education to sign-up with CE Broker, the

licensure board’s official continuing education tracking system and begin the easy process of reporting your CE

hours. Several thousand licensees are now signed-up and tracking their continuing education hours. CE Broker

is available to licensees on a voluntary basis. Licensees may register for a free basic account. Additional

information is also available from CE Broker’s website at: https://cebroker.com/oh/plans.

Benefits of reporting your continuing education to CE Broker

• Track your continuing education hours required to renew your Ohio license

• Know precisely how many hours you’ve completed and how many hours are remaining

• Exemption from a continuing education audit once your 20 hours are reported

• Searchable courses

Continuing Education Resources The Board would like to remind licensees that there are many opportunities to obtain continuing education hours

virtually, with many providers offering content for free or at discounted rates. All twenty of the required

continuing education hours, including the two hours related to ethics, can be obtained virtually/online as long as

there is a post-test component for the program. Up to ten hours may be completed virtually/online without a post-

test component. You can visit the Board’s website for a list of continuing education resources. Please note that

the Board does not endorse or is affiliated with any continuing education provider or maintain the websites posted

on this page.

Summer eNewsletter Page 13

Page 14

What is the best way to receive

information from the Board during

this emergency?

The best way to stay informed is to visit

our board website at:

https://www.shp.ohio.gov or “Like” us

on our Facebook page. We are posting

updates on Ohio’s preparedness to

COVID-19 on a regular basis from

Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio

Department of Health, Ohio Department

of Education, and other state agencies as

their information is received.

Ask the Board:

OSHPB SUMMER/FALL

CALENDAR—2020

September 1 Application Review and Approval

September 7 State Holiday - Labor Day - Board Office Closed

September 15 Application Review and Approval

September 22 Board Committee Meeting

October 1 Application Review and Approval

October 7 Board and Committee Meetings

October 12 State Holiday - Columbus Day - Board Office Closed

October 15 Application Review and Approval

November 2 Application Review and Approval

November 11 State Holiday - Veteran’s Day - Board Office Closed

November 16 Application Review and Approval

November 26 State Holiday - Thanksgiving Day - Board Office Closed

December 1 Application Review and Approval

December 7 Board and Committee Meetings

December 15 Application and Review Approval

Reminder - On December 31, 2020 licenses will expire for aides, audiologists, hearing aid dealers,

hearing aid fitters, and speech-language pathologists. The Board will mail a licensure renewal

letter to licensees beginning the week of September 28, 2020. The licensees will be able to review

their license via their eLicense Ohio account beginning on October 2, 2020.

Note: Board & Committee meeting dates are subject to change. Visit our website to confirm dates.

Please visit the Board’s website at www.shp.ohio.gov for the specific time and location of the Board and committee

meetings. In addition, you may also download the Board’s agenda and meeting minutes.

Please note that this calendar is subject to change without notice.

Regular Feature

Frequently asked questions will appear in each quarterly newsletter.

The Board is on Facebook. Please visit

our Facebook page at: https://

www.facebook.com/

OhioSpeechandHearingProfessionals-

Board/ or by clicking on the icon above

and “Like” us to receive our notifications

and information.