1999 Minnesota Statutes

     148.512 Definitions. 

    Subdivision 1.    Scope.  For the purpose of sections 
 148.511 to 148.5196, the following terms have the meanings given 
 to them. 

    Subd. 2.    Accredited educational institution.  
 "Accredited educational institution" means a university, 
 college, or other post-secondary educational institution that 
 offers speech-language pathology or audiology training and that 
 is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing 
 Association or the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher 
 Education.  

    Subd. 3.    Advisory council.  "Advisory council" means 
 the Minnesota Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist 
 Advisory Council established under section 214.13, subdivision 4.

    Subd. 4.    Applicant.  "Applicant" means a person who 
 applies to the commissioner for registration or registration 
 renewal.  

    Subd. 5.    Approved continuing education sponsor.  
 "Approved continuing education sponsor" means an organization 
 that offers a learning experience designed to promote continuing 
 competency in the procedures and techniques of the practice of 
 speech-language pathology or audiology and that meets the 
 criteria in section 148.5193, subdivision 3, or is a preapproved 
 sponsor listed in section 148.5193, subdivision 2. 

    Subd. 6.    Audiologist.  "Audiologist" means a natural 
 person who engages in the practice of audiology, meets the 
 qualifications required by sections 148.511 to 148.5196, and 
 registers as an audiologist with the commissioner.  Audiologist 
 also means a natural person using any descriptive word with the 
 title audiologist.  

    Subd. 7.    Commissioner.  "Commissioner" means the 
 commissioner of the department of health or a designee.  

    Subd. 8.    Contact hour.  "Contact hour" means an 
 instructional session of 50 consecutive minutes, excluding 
 coffee breaks, registration, meals without a speaker, and social 
 activities.  

    Subd. 9.    Continuing education.  "Continuing 
 education" is a planned learning experience in speech-language 
 pathology or audiology not including the basic educational 
 program leading to a degree if the education is used by the 
 registrant for credit to achieve a baccalaureate or master's 
 degree in speech-language pathology or audiology.  

    Subd. 10.    Credential.  "Credential" means a license, 
 permit, certification, registration, or other evidence of 
 qualification or authorization to engage in the practice of 
 speech-language pathology or audiology issued by any authority.  

    Subd. 11.    Individual.  "Individual" means a person 
 over whom the commissioner has jurisdiction under sections 
 148.511 to 148.5196.  Individual includes an applicant, 
 registrant, or person who uses any title protected under section 
 148.513, whether or not authorized to do so under sections 
 148.511 to 148.5196.  

    Subd. 12.    Practice of audiology.  The "practice of 
 audiology" means:  

    (1) screening, identification, assessment, and 
 interpretation, diagnosis, rehabilitation, and prevention of 
 hearing disorders; 

    (2) conservation of the auditory system function; 
 development and implementation of hearing conservation programs; 

    (3) measurement, assessment, and interpretation of auditory 
 and vestibular function; 

    (4) selecting, fitting, and dispensing of assistive 
 listening devices, alerting and amplification devices, and 
 systems for personal and public use, including hearing aids and 
 devices, and providing training in their use; 

    (5) aural habilitation and rehabilitation and related 
 counseling for hearing impaired individuals and their families; 

    (6) screening of speech, language, voice, or fluency for 
 the purposes of audiologic evaluation or identification of 
 possible communication disorders; or 

    (7) teaching of, consultation or research about, or 
 supervision of the functions in clauses (1) to (6).  

    Subd. 13.    Practice of speech-language pathology.  The 
 "practice of speech-language pathology" means:  

    (1) screening, identification, assessment and 
 interpretation, diagnosis, habilitation, rehabilitation, 
 treatment and prevention of disorders of speech, articulation, 
 fluency, voice, and language; 

    (2) screening, identification, assessment, and 
 interpretation, diagnosis, habilitation, and rehabilitation of 
 disorders of oral-pharyngeal function and related disorders; 

    (3) screening, identification, assessment, and 
 interpretation, diagnosis, habilitation, and rehabilitation of 
 communication disorders associated with cognition; 

    (4) assessing, selecting, and developing augmentative and 
 alternative communication systems and providing training in 
 their use; 

    (5) aural habilitation and rehabilitation and related 
 counseling for hearing impaired individuals and their families; 

    (6) enhancing speech-language proficiency and communication 
 effectiveness; 

    (7) audiometric screening for the purposes of 
 speech-language evaluation or for the identification of possible 
 hearing disorders; or 

    (8) teaching of, consultation or research about, or 
 supervision of the functions in clauses (1) to (7). 

    Subd. 14.    Register or registered.  "Register" or 
 "registered" means the act or status of a natural person who 
 meets the requirements of sections 148.511 to 148.5196 and who 
 is authorized by the commissioner to use the titles in section 
 148.513.  

    Subd. 15.    Registrant.  "Registrant" means a person 
 who meets the requirements of sections 148.511 to 148.5196 and 
 is authorized by the commissioner to use the titles in section 
 148.513.  

    Subd. 16.    Registration.  "Registration" is the system 
 of regulation defined in section 214.001, subdivision 3, 
 paragraph (c), and is the process specified in sections 148.511 
 to 148.5196. 

    Subd. 17.    Speech-language pathologist.  
 "Speech-language pathologist" means a person who practices 
 speech-language pathology, meets the qualifications under 
 sections 148.511 to 148.5196, and registers with the 
 commissioner.  Speech-language pathologist also means a natural 
 person using, as an occupational title, a term identified in 
 section 148.513. 

    Subd. 18.    Supervisee.  "Supervisee" means an 
 individual who, under the direction or evaluation of a 
 supervisor, is: 

    (1) engaging in the supervised practice of speech-language 
 pathology or audiology; 

    (2) performing a function of supervised clinical training 
 as a student of speech-language pathology or audiology; or 

    (3) performing a function of supervised postgraduate 
 clinical experience in speech-language pathology or audiology.  

    Subd. 19.    Supervision.  "Supervision" means the 
 direct or indirect evaluation or direction of:  

    (1) a practitioner of speech-language pathology or 
 audiology; 

    (2) a person performing a function of supervised clinical 
 training as a student of speech-language pathology or audiology; 
 or 

    (3) a person performing a function of supervised 
 postgraduate clinical experience in speech-language pathology or 
 audiology.  

    Subd. 20.    Supervisor.  "Supervisor" means a person 
 who has the authority to direct or evaluate a supervisee and who 
 is: 

    (1) a registered speech-language pathologist or 
 audiologist; or 

    (2) when the commissioner determines that supervision by a 
 registered speech-language pathologist or audiologist as 
 required in clause (1) is unobtainable, and in other situations 
 considered appropriate by the commissioner, a person practicing 
 speech-language pathology or audiology who holds a current 
 certificate of clinical competence from the American 
 Speech-Language-Hearing Association.  

    HIST: 1996 c 363 s 2