Bill Text: IL HB3102 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act. Provides for licensure of audiology assistants, including qualifications for licensure, minimum requirements for audiology assistant programs, the scope of responsibility of audiology assistants, and requirements for supervision of audiology assistants.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-11-29 - Rule 19(b) / Motion Referred to Rules Committee [HB3102 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB3102-Introduced.html

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102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2021 and 2022 HB3102 Introduced , by Rep. Theresa Mah SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
225 ILCS 110/8.9 new
225 ILCS 110/8.10 new
225 ILCS 110/8.11 new
225 ILCS 110/8.12 new
Amends the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act. Provides for licensure of audiology assistants, including qualifications for licensure, minimum requirements for audiology assistant programs, the scope of responsibility of audiology assistants, and requirements for supervision of audiology assistants.
LRB102 16994 SPS 22414 b
FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
HB3102 LRB102 16994 SPS 22414 b
AN ACT concerning regulation.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and
Audiology Practice Act is amended by adding Sections 8.9,
8.10, 8.11, and 8.12 as follows:
(225 ILCS 110/8.9 new)
Sec. 8.9. Qualifications for licensure as an audiology
assistant. A person is qualified to be licensed as an
audiology assistant if that person has applied in writing or
electronically on forms prescribed by the Department, has paid
the required fees, and meets the following criteria:
(1) Is of good moral character. In determining moral
character, the Department may take into consideration any
felony conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere of
the applicant, but such a conviction or plea shall not
operate automatically as a complete bar to licensure.
(2) Is at least 18 years of age.
(3) Has received: (A) an associate degree from an
audiology assistant program that has been approved by the
Department and that meets the minimum requirements set
forth in Section 8.10; (B) a bachelor's degree and has
completed course work from an accredited college or

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university that meets the minimum requirements set forth
in Section 8.10; (C) certification as an assistant through
the American Speech Language Hearing Association; or (D) a
license from the State of Illinois as a hearing instrument
dispenser.
(225 ILCS 110/8.10 new)
Sec. 8.10. Minimum requirements for audiology assistant
programs.
(a) An applicant for licensure as an audiology assistant
with an associate's degree must have earned 60 semester credit
hours in a program of study that includes general education
and the specific knowledge and skills for an audiology
assistant. The curriculum of an audiology assistant program
must include the following content, as further provided by
rule adopted by the Department:
(1) Three semester hours of anatomy and physiology of
the hearing mechanism, 3 semester hours of hearing
science, 3 semester hours of introduction to audiology,
and 3 semester hours of aural rehabilitation from an
accredited institution of higher education that is
recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or that
meets the U.S. Department of Education equivalency as
determined through a National Association of Credential
Evaluation Services member.
(2) Completion of at least 100 hours of supervised

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field work experiences supervised by a licensed
audiologist at least 50% of the time when the student is
engaged in contact with the patient or client. An
applicant must obtain written verification demonstrating
successful completion of the required field work
experience, including a description of the setting in
which the training was received and an assessment of the
student's technical proficiency.
(b) An applicant for licensure as an audiology assistant
who holds certification through the American Speech Language
Hearing Association must meet requirements set forth by that
Association. Certification with the American Speech Language
Hearing Association must be issued and in good standing at the
time of application for an audiology assistant license.
(c) The Department may adopt rules that change the
curriculum requirements of subsection (a) in order to reflect
the guidelines for audiology assistant programs recommended by
the American Speech Language Hearing Association.
(d) Any applicant for licensure as an audiology assistant
who applies to the Department before the effective date of
this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly or any
person who holds a valid license as an audiology assistant on
the effective date of this amendatory Act shall not be
required to meet the new minimum requirements for an audiology
assistant program under subsection (a) of this Section.

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(225 ILCS 110/8.11 new)
Sec. 8.11. Scope of responsibility of audiology
assistants.
(a) The scope of responsibility of audiology assistants is
limited to supplementing the role of an audiologist in
implementing the treatment program established by the
audiologist. The functions and duties of an audiology
assistant are:
(1) scheduling patients;
(2) packaging and mailing earmold orders, device
repairs, and manufacturer and lab returns;
(3) maintaining inventories of supplies and checking
function of equipment;
(4) performing checks on hearing aids and other
amplification devices;
(5) performing troubleshooting and minor repairs to
hearing aids, earmolds, and other amplification devices;
(6) cleaning hearing aids and other amplification
devices;
(7) performing electroacoustic analysis of hearing
aids and other amplification devices;
(8) instructing patients in proper use and care of
hearing aids and other amplification devices;
(9) demonstrating alerting and assistive listening
devices;
(10) instructing patients in proper ear hygiene;

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(11) assisting audiologists in treatment programs;
(12) assisting audiologists with setup and technical
tasks;
(13) preparing materials for ear impressions;
(14) maintaining and restocking test and treatment
rooms;
(15) performing equipment maintenance and biological
checks;
(16) conducting hearing and tympanometric screening on
older children and adults (without interpretation);
(17) conducting otoacoustic emission screening;
(18) performing nondiagnostic otoscopy;
(19) performing pure-tone audiologic reassessment on
established patients;
(20) preparing the patient for VNG/ENG or evoked
testing;
(21) assisting audiologists in hearing testing of
pediatric patients;
(22) performing pure-tone hearing screening and
universal newborn hearing screening tests;
(23) performing infection control duties within the
clinic or service;
(24) assisting patients in completing case history or
other relevant forms;
(25) interacting with hearing instrument manufacturers
and suppliers regarding status of orders and repairs;

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(26) acting as an interpreter for non-English speaking
and American Sign Language patients or clients and their
family members when competent to do so; and
(27) assisting with audiology research projects,
in-service training, and family or community education.
(b) An audiology assistant may not:
(1) determine case selection or evaluation protocols;
(2) interpret observations or data into diagnostic
statements of clinical management strategies or
procedures;
(3) participate in team or case conferences or on any
interdisciplinary team without the presence of the
supervising audiologist or an audiologist designated by
the supervising audiologist;
(4) write, develop, or modify a patient's
individualized treatment plan;
(5) assist with patients without following the
treatment plan prepared by the audiologist or without
proper supervision;
(6) compose or sign any formal documents (such as
treatment plans, reimbursement forms, or reports);
progress notes written by audiology assistants may be
reviewed and co-signed by the supervising audiologist,
subject to local facility policy;
(7) transmit or disclose clinical information, either
orally or in writing, to anyone, including the patient,

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without the approval of the supervising audiologist;
(8) select patients for treatment services or
discharge patients from treatment services;
(9) counsel or consult with the patient, family, or
others regarding the patient status or service or make
referrals for additional services; and
(10) refer to themselves either orally or in writing
with a title other than one determined by the supervising
audiologist.
(225 ILCS 110/8.12 new)
Sec. 8.12. Supervision of audiology assistants.
(a) In this Section, "direct supervision" means in-view
observation and guidance by an audiologist while an assigned
activity is performed by the audiology assistant.
(b) An audiology assistant shall practice only under the
supervision of an audiologist who has at least 2 years
experience in addition to the supervised professional
experience required under paragraph (f) of Section 8 of this
Act. An audiologist who supervises an audiology assistant must
have completed at least 2 clock hours of training in
supervision related to audiology. The Department shall adopt
rules describing the supervision training requirements. The
rules may allow an audiologist to apply to the Board for an
exemption from this training requirement based upon prior
supervisory experience.

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(c) An audiology assistant must be under the direct
supervision of an audiologist at least 30% of the audiology
assistant's actual patient or client contact time per patient
or client during the first 90 days of initial employment as an
audiology assistant. Thereafter, an audiology assistant must
be under the direct supervision of an audiologist at least 20%
of the audiology assistant's actual patient or client contact
time per patient or client. Supervision of an audiology
assistant beyond the minimum requirements of this subsection
may be imposed at the discretion of the supervising
audiologist. A supervising audiologist must be available to
communicate with an audiology assistant whenever the assistant
is in contact with a patient or client.
(d) An audiologist who supervises an audiology assistant
must document direct supervision activities. At a minimum,
supervision documentation must provide: (1) information
regarding the quality of the audiology assistant's performance
of assigned duties; and (2) verification that clinical
activity is limited to duties specified in Section 8.11.
(e) A full-time audiologist may supervise no more than 2
audiology assistants. An audiologist who does not work
full-time may supervise no more than one audiology assistant.