As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) “The practice of speech and language pathology” means the application of principles, methods and procedures for the measurement, testing, diagnosis, prediction, counseling or instruction relating to the development and disorders of speech, voice or language or feeding and swallowing or other upper aerodigestive functions for the purpose of diagnosing, preventing, treating, ameliorating or modifying such disorders and conditions in individuals or groups of individuals, and includes screening individuals for hearing loss or middle ear pathology using otoacoustic emissions screening, screening tympanometry or conventional pure-tone air conduction methods, including otoscopic inspection.

(2) “Licensed speech and language pathologist” means a person licensed under this chapter to practice speech and language pathology. “Speech and language pathologist” includes an individual who engages in the practice of speech and language pathology under any title or description of service incorporating the words speech pathologist, speech pathology, speech therapist, speech therapy, speech correction, speech correctionist, speech clinician, language pathologist, language pathology, aphasiologist, aphasia therapist, voice therapy, voice therapist, voice pathologist, phoniatrist, communication disorder specialist, communication specialist or any similar titles or description of services.

(3) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Public Health.

(4) “Department” means the Department of Public Health.

(P.A. 73-570, S. 1, 12; P.A. 77-614, S. 336, 610; P.A. 82-472, S. 96, 183; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-360, S. 5, 32; P.A. 05-272, S. 22; P.A. 06-196, S. 252; P.A. 09-232, S. 61.)

History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner and department of health with commissioner and department of health services and deleted former Subdiv. (a) defining “council” as advisory council on speech pathologists and audiologists, relettering remaining subdivisions accordingly, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 82-472 replaced alphabetic Subdiv. indicators with numeric Subdiv. indicators; P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-360 amended the definition of “the practice of audiology” in Subdiv. (3) by adding “including the fitting or selling of hearing aids”; P.A. 05-272 amended Subdiv. (1) by replacing “speech pathology” with “speech and language pathology” and expanding definition to include development and disorders of feeding and swallowing or other upper aerodigestive functions, and made conforming changes in Subdiv. (2); P.A. 06-196 made a technical change in Subdiv. (3), effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 09-232 redefined “the practice of speech and language pathology” in Subdiv. (1) and “licensed speech and language pathologist” in Subdiv. (2), deleted former Subdivs. (3) and (4) re definitions of “the practice of audiology” and “licensed audiologist”, and redesignated existing Subdivs. (5) and (6) as Subdivs. (3) and (4).