Contact information
What
will this ASHA reciprocity agreement mean to me?
For a CASLPA-certified
member, it means enhanced accessibility to certification in
the United States. This agreement provides mutual recognition
of the Canadian and American national certification programs
in audiology and speech-language pathology.
Certified
ASHA members
will be able to apply for Canadian certification, and Canadian-certified
members will be able to apply for ASHA certification.
Reciprocity
facilitates certification because:
- You will no longer
have to write the ASHA exam if you hold CASLPA certification.
- You will not have
to supply transcripts and clinical hours.
- You will apply to
have your experience evaluated to determine what portion
of the clinical fellowship year (CFY) you must complete.
- The supervision
of your CFY can be carried out by a CASLPA-certified member.
What
if I was grandfathered into the CASLPA certification program
prior to 1987, and didn’t write the CASLPA exam?
It doesn’t
matter: all certified CASLPA members are regarded as equivalent.
How
do I apply for ASHA CCCs?
As of January
1, 1998 you should:
- Contact ASHA and
request the appropriate application form for reciprocity
recognition;
- Have CASLPA send
ASHA a letter of good standing and proof of CASLPA certification;
- Pay the appropriate
fees to ASHA; and
- Submit evidence
of your work experience and/or supervision to determine
what portion of the CFY you may have to complete.
If
I become certified by ASHA does that mean I can work anywhere
in the States?
Before you
can work in the United States, you must first meet immigration
requirements. Also, you must comply with licensing requirements
that are in place in most states, recognising that a key component
of these requirements is frequently ASHA certification.
What
do I do about continuing education?
As part
of the CASLPA certification requirement, you must accrue 45
continuing education equivalents (CEEs) every three years.
ASHA is now implementing a CE program. You must maintain your
CEE activities for your CASLPA certification and if you wish
to collect continuing education units (CEUs) for ASHA, you
do so separately. ASHA requires that events be approved by
ASHA in order to collect CEUs, with forms being verified on
site by an appointed delegate. For CASLPA, the recording is
based on an honour system, with one hour of activity equalling
one CEE. However, you may be audited, so it is important to
keep proof of attendance for CASLPA.
Will
I get a reduction in my ASHA fees if I am already certified
in Canada?
No.
The ASHA membership fees and their certification fees are
separate and are not affected by your Canadian fees. In Canada
our certification and membership fees are one and there is
no additional cost for certification.
If
I have ten years’ experience, do I still have to do a
CFY?
The modification
in the length of the CFY will be determined on an individual
basis by ASHA, as the CFY is one of the requirements for ASHA
certification.
What
happens if I drop my CASLPA membership and certification?
You have
two years to repay your dues. After that, to reactivate your
certification, you would have to reapply, meet the current
standards, and rewrite the certification examination.
If you do
not meet the continuing education requirements of 45 credits
every three years, you are also in jeopardy of losing your
certification. You may apply in writing for an extension,
with a plan for achieving your continuing education over a
short period of time. This plan would be reviewed by the CASLPA
manager of professional standards in consultation with the
standards committee.
What
happens if I drop my ASHA certification and choose to maintain
only my CASLPA certification and membership?
This agreement
was signed in response to the belief that increased trade
and mobility between the United States and Canada have heightened
the need and desirability for mutually recognised certification.
So, the intent was to support portability and also to encourage
members of both associations to take advantage of each others’
educational activities. To understand the implication of dropping
ASHA certification, it is best if you contact ASHA directly
at (301) 897-5700 or 1 (800) 498-2071.
Does
the ASHA clinical fellowship year still need to be supervised
by a holder of ASHA certification
For
Canadian-certified professionals, the clinical fellowship
component can be supervised by another Canadian-certified
professional, not just a professional holding ASHA certification
as before. Graduates of ASHA accredited programs seeking certification
can be supervised for their CFY by and ASHA CCC holder or
a CASLPA certified professional.
If
I am a non-certified CASLPA member, who is certified by ASHA,
how do I go about getting my CASLPA certification?
Have ASHA
send us a letter in good standing, apply for CASLPA certification,
and we will send you your certificate.
Please
send any questions you may have
to Sharon Fotheringham (sharon@caslpa.ca).
