CONCEPT DRAFT

SUMMARY

This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.

This bill proposes to transfer the licensure of individuals who provide speech pathologist services to Maine schools from the auspices of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation and the Board of Examiners on Speech-language Pathology and Audiology under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, chapter 77 to the Department of Education, thereby making such individuals subject to the department's rule- making authority.

It is the intent of this concept draft to expand the number training programs in order to provide local school departments with the needed personnel in this critical shortage area.

Additionally, the bill would provide that:

1. Out-of-state, degree-granting institutions may offer programs to meet Maine's personnel needs in the area of speech pathology; and

2. Certain speech pathology services may be delivered by individuals who hold less than a master's degree in speech pathology if those individuals are under the supervision of a master's-level speech pathologist.