• CASLPA has a mutual recognition agreement with ASHA regarding certification for S-LPs.Check out the ASHA website for information on their requirements for CASLPA clinically certified members applying for ASHA certification.
  
  
• This mutual recognition agreement applies to the whole process of certification, not just the exam. In other words, if you write the ASHA exam it is not transferable to CASLPA in lieu of the CASLPA exam. This agreement has to do with the whole process of certification that ASHA has: exam plus CFY.

Frequently asked questions by Canadians studying in the USA

I am a Canadian attending an ASHA accredited program in speech-language pathology. I have written the ASHA exam. Can I now become certified with CASLPA?

You cannot become certified with CASLPA based on the ASHA Praxis exam alone. You have to complete the certification process that ASHA has established: the ASHA exam and the clinical fellowship (CF) period. Once you have been granted your Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) then you can apply for CASLPA certification. However, you must first apply to be a full member of CASLPA before we will consider certifying you under our mutual recognition agreement with ASHA.

Once you hold your CCCs you contact ASHA, ask them to send CASLPA a letter of good standing and with full membership in CASLPA, we will grant you CASLPA clinical certification. Certification and membership are not separate in CASLPA as they are in ASHA. You MUST be a full member (not a student member) in order to hold certification. You don't need to wait however to become a full member of CASLPA. We have a student membership category and this would entitle you to have access to the CASLPA journals, newsletters and monthly enews, keeping you informed of happenings in Canada while you are away.

Does it cost extra to be a certified member?
No. Members and certified members pay the same membership fees. There is not an additional levy for being a clinically certified member. CASLPA has joint membership with some provincial/territorial professional associations in Canada so the cost of membership varies. Check out our website for the specific cost.

There is a cost of course to write the certification exam: membership fees plus the cost of the exam. Note our website for the exam costs as they vary depending on whether you chose to write the exam in a designated or non-designated site:

I want to return to Canada. Can I do my practicum, external placement or internship in Canada?

You can only do your practicum under the supervision of a professional who holds their CCC. These placements are all part of your program at your university, not part of the certification program with ASHA.

I am finished my program, I have written the ASHA exam and now I need to do my Clinical Fellowship (CF) to fulfill ASHA certification requirements. Can I return to Canada and complete this?

YES! You can be supervised by either a CASLPA certified person or an ASHA CCC holder. You will need to have your supervisor complete the ASHA forms for CF supervision and follow the ASHA guidelines for the CF.

Do I have to be certified in order to work in Canada?

No, certification is not mandatory. CASLPA clinical certification is recommended for speech-language pathologists and audiologists as this is a professional standard set by the national professional association of peers. Many clients and employers would prefer to be treated by or hire those holding clinical certification. Certification is required by centers that hold CASLPA accreditation. Those who hold certification must maintain and report 45 hours of continuing education and membership in CASLPA. For consumers, it is comforting to know that the person treating you is clinically certified by their professional association as it ensures that the professional is engaged in continuing education.

Being a clinically certified professional with either ASHA or CASLPA does not automatically guarantee that you will receive a license in the provinces or states that have regulatory bodies. You must apply for a license if you want to work in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec or New Brunswick. You can find the contact information on these regulatory bodies from our website.

If I want to become clinically certified should I write the CASLPA exam or the ASHA exam?

If you want to become clinically certified, you have a choice: you can either write either the ASHA exam and complete the CF or write the CASLPA exam. CASLPA does not have a CF requirement. The CASLPA clinical certification exam is written twice a year, the Saturday after Labor Day in September, and a Saturday towards the end of March. It is written in 15 designated sites in Canada but can be written in the United States with special permission and an extra fee. There is more information on our website.

What are the membership requirements in CASLPA?

You must have a Masters degree or equivalent in either audiology or speech-language pathology and clinical practicum hours. The acceptance of the American AuD is not automatically considered equivalent. Of particular note for speech-language pathology graduates is the requirement we have for 90 hours of course work in audiology, and for audiologists, 90 hours of course work in speech-language pathology. We require 350 hours of supervised clinical practicum for certification and the breakdown of assessment/treatment hours across disorders is on our website: Aud. Clinical Hours or S-LP Clinical Hours.

These requirements are roughly similar for the licensing bodies with the exception of 300 hours of clinical practicum instead of 350.

When can I write the CASLPA exam?

Only full members of CASLPA or students in the final year of their Masters degree who have completed all academic requirements can write the exam. We also recommend that students complete their clinical practicum before writing the exam as they learn a lot of practical knowledge and decision-making skills in their practicum that will help them in the exam.

How do I apply for the CASLPA certification exam?

You can contact national office for an application: 1-800-259-8519 or download it from our website: exam application package

You will need to have your university transcripts and signed clinical practicum forms sent to CASLPA from your university. Download the clinical hours forms:

• Audiology Clinical Hours Form
• Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Hours Form

How much does it cost to write the CASLPA exam?

You must first be a student member of CASLPA ($75.00) or a full member. The cost to write the exam at one of the designated sites in either the fall or the spring is $450.00 and $650 .00 if you wish to write the exam at a non-designated site. The cost for those writing at the request of one of the regulatory bodies is $1,000.

What is the designation for a certified professional in Canada?

Certified professionals use these trademarked designations: S-LP(C) or Aud(C) where C stands for Canada.

Once I am clinically certified, when do I have to start collecting and reporting continuing education equivalents (CEEs)?

You will receive a certificate of certification (no cost) once you have met the requirements for certification. You start collecting and reporting continuing education the January following issuance of your certificate. You will be assigned a three-year cycle in which you must collect and report 45 CEEs. One hour equals 1 CEE and activities do not need to be preapproved by CASLPA. One CEE is not equivalent to 1 ASHA CEU. You can complete the CEE form online as you complete an activity or you can mail in a continuing education form to CASLPA annually at the end of every year. There are various categories and minimum/maximum hours for continuing education activities. The CEE Form is available on our website.

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