Registration Handbook

ACSLPA is the organization that protects and serves the public by regulating and ensuring competent, safe, ethical practice of audiologists and speech-language pathologists in Alberta. The Alberta government has given ACSLPA this power and has described the rules and responsibilities for this kind of work in the Health Professions Act (HPA).

ACSLPA’s main responsibilities are:

• Registering speech-language pathologists and audiologists who are qualified to practice in Alberta.
• Creating, maintaining and making sure the standards of practice for speech-language pathologists and audiologists in Alberta are followed.
• Creating, maintaining and making sure standards for continuing competence in the practice of speech-language pathologists and audiologists in Alberta are followed.
• Having a process to address complaints by the public about the practice of speech-language pathologists and audiologists in Alberta.

ACSLPA also:

• Develops professional practice guidelines and other resources to help ACSLPA members in their practice.
• Helps ACSLPA members with professional practice concerns.
• Develops communications and educational materials for ACSLPA members and the public.
• Offers professional development opportunities for its members.
• Manages an annual volunteer recognition program for the professions.
• Coordinates special projects/activities that support and benefit the professions and/or the public.

Every speech-language pathologist or audiologist, who meets the requirements for registration and provides professional services to the public as described in the HPA, must be registered with ACSLPA before providing any professional services in the province of Alberta.

If you are a speech-language pathologist or audiologist who wants to:

• Provide professional services directly to the public,
• Teach the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology to members of ACSLPA or to students of your profession, or
• Supervise members of ACSLPA who provide professional services to the public, then you must be registered with ACSLPA.

Professional services are described in the HPA as follows:

3(1) In their practice, speech-language pathologists do one or more of the following:

(a) Assess, diagnose, rehabilitate and prevent communication and oral motor and pharyngeal dysfunctions and disorders,
(b) Teach, manage and conduct research in the science and practice of speech-language pathology, and
(c) Provide restricted activities authorized by the regulations.

(2) In their practice, audiologists do one or more of the following:

(a) Assess auditory and vestibular function and diagnose, rehabilitate, prevent and provide appropriate devices and treatment for auditory and vestibular dysfunction,
(b) Teach, manage and conduct research in the science and practice of audiology, and
(c) Provide restricted activities authorized by the regulations.

Providing Services from Outside of Alberta (Virtual Care)

ACSLPA has the official and legal responsibility to protect the people of Alberta by regulating ethical^[1] practice of speech-language pathologists and audiologists in Alberta. Under the HPA you must be registered with ACSLPA and practice in Alberta following the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Even if you provide professional services to the Alberta public from outside of Alberta, you must be registered with ACSLPA. If you are registered in good standing in another province or jurisdiction^[2] that is recognized by ACSLPA and will be providing virtual services on an inconsistent basis, you may qualify for courtesy registration-please refer to information regarding registration categories in this document and on the ACSLPA website (see For Members & Applicants>New Applicant Information).

If you are a member of ACSLPA providing professional services to clients living outside of Alberta, you are responsible for knowing and following the laws of the area in which you are practicing.

It is illegal under the HPA for you to work or volunteer as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Alberta, or provide professional services to the public within Alberta, without being registered with ACSLPA.

^[1]Following the rules or standards for approved behaviour or practice.

^[2]Area or place of official control with the power to enforce rules.

The Health Professions Act (HPA) lists protected professional titles in health professions. These titles help people find qualified professionals and health services easily. You may only use the following protected professional titles if you are a member of ACSLPA:

The HPA also protects the use of the words “college”, “registered,” and “regulated,” and they may only be used by members of regulated colleges.

Using the Protected Title “Doctor”

Under the HPA and the Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Profession Regulation, you may use the protected title “Doctor” or “Dr.” when providing a health service in accordance with ACSLPA’s (2018) Use of the Protected Title “Doctor” or “Dr.” When Providing a Health Service Advisory Statement. Eligibility criteria and application to obtain authorization to make use of the title “Doctor” or “Dr.” when providing a health service are also available on the ACSLPA website.

Advisory Statement: Using Your Protected Professional Designation The Right Way

The membership categories are as follows:

4.1 Regulated Membership Categories – there are three categories under this type of membership:

4.1.1.   General Register Member
4.1.2.  Courtesy Register Member
4.1.3.  Non-Practicing Member

4.2 Non-Regulated Membership Category – there is only one category under this type of membership:

4.2.1.  Honourary Member

Please visit New Applicant Information to review the application process and to find the Registration Application package.

As per the Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Profession Regulations, to apply, you must:

1.  Have:

• • At least a master’s degree in speech-language pathology or audiology from an approved university level program, and
  • Completed the requirements for academic coursework and clinical practice experience. (See Appendix 1 for ACSLPA Coursework Requirements and Appendix 2 for Clinical Practice Hours Requirements), or
  • Be registered in good standing with a regulatory organization in another province in Canada, or
  • Have qualifications that the Registration Committee decides are substantially equivalent to the first bullet above. (NOTE: To decide this, the Registration Committee may ask an applicant to complete examinations, assessment, training or educational programs).

2. Demonstrate that your professional practice is current by showing you have:

• Graduated from an approved program within the three years before applying, or
• Practiced as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist for at least 1250 hours in the five years immediately before applying, or
• Successfully completed approved, refresher^[4] education courses in your profession within the three years before applying.

3. Demonstrate you have the required level of Professional Liability Insurance. (See Appendix 3)

4. Meet the English language proficiency requirements of ACSLPA. (See Appendix 4)

5. Demonstrate good character and reputation by submitting:

• A satisfactory Police Information Check including a Vulnerable Sector Check (PIC/VSC), or equivalent (See Appendix 5),
• A written reference or letter of good standing, and
• declarations on the ACSLPA registration form related to professional behaviour^[5] required for registration.

^[4]A study course that is a review of previous education.

^[5]Any questions regarding responses to declarations will be discussed with the applicant and a decision regarding whether the application can proceed will be made on a case by case basis.

Please read before proceeding with your application:
Important Messages for ACSLPA Applicants During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

7.1 General Information

7.2 Time Required to Process Registration Applications

7.3 Specific Information for Each Applicant Type

7.4 List of Credentialing Agencies

7.5 Translation of Documents

8.1 Renewing Your Registration

8.2 Late Submission/Failure to Submit Registration Renewal

If you will be leaving practice for an extended period of time (e.g., maternity leave), you may want to change your status to Non-Practicing while you are not working. Under this status, you may not work or volunteer as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Alberta. You may use the protected titles of your profession followed by “(Non-Practicing)”. Similarly, if you are currently Non-Practicing, you will need to change your status back to Registered before you return to work.

You may request a status change during the annual registration renewal process, or at any time of year using the appropriate Status Change Form (i.e, either the Application to Resume Active Practice, the Application to Change to Non-Practicing Status, or the Resignation from ACSLPA form). All registration fees or refunds are listed on the ACSLPA Fee Schedule.

If you decide that you no longer want to practice as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Alberta, you should submit a request to resign from ACSLPA. You can do this using the Resignation from ACSLPA Form or by using the online registration system of the College during registration renewal in the Fall.

Once you have resigned from ACSLPA, you can no longer work or volunteer as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Alberta or use the protected titles of your profession.

If you want to reapply for registration at a later date, after resigning from ACSLPA, you must then meet all the registration requirements in place at the time you apply, including the requirements for current qualifications. You may also need to successfully complete a written examination and/or some time under supervised practice.

To either register or renew your registration, as per the Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Profession Regulation you must give evidence that your professional practice is current by having:

1. Graduated from an approved program not more than three years before applying, or
2. Practiced as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist for at least 1250 hours in the five years immediately before applying^[8], or
3. Successfully completed approved, refresher^[9] education courses in your profession within the previous three years.

As a regulated member of ACSLPA, if you are applying for registration renewal or a status change to a regulated membership category and, specifically, do not meet the currency hour requirements, you will typically be required to demonstrate current competence through successful completion of a period of supervised practice.

11.1 Supervised Practice

11.2 Members Who Have Not Practiced For A Period of Greater Than Five Years

11.3 Members Who Have Practiced Greater Than 50 Hours and Less Than 1250 Hours in the Previous Five Years

11.4 Members Who Are < 50 Hours Short of the 1250 Hour Requirement

11.5 Members Whose Currency Hours Continue to Fall Short of Requirements Post-Supervision

11.6 The Registrar may refer any matter requiring a decision by the Registrar to the Registration Committee or Continuing Competence Committee for advice prior to making a final decision.

11.7 The Registrar, when issuing a registration and practice permit to allow a member or applicant to gain the required experience, shall apply the following conditions:

1. the member must practice only under the supervision of a regulated member,
2. the member must complete their supervised practice within a time limit set by the Registrar, and
3. other conditions set by the Registrar if appropriate in the circumstances.

^[8]Currency hours obtained while working in other provinces or jurisdictions will be considered (verification may be required).

Current qualification hours include ACTUAL volunteer or paid hours spent in professional practice activities, including the following:

• Clinical practice (including assessment, intervention, and consulting)
• Administration/management with respect to health service delivery
• Professional development (including coursework, review of scholarly articles and journals, conferences, webinars, etc.)
• Research
• Educating students in SLP, Audiology or a related field
• Participation in Council and committee work with an SLP or Audiology Professional body

Any of the professional practice activities listed above that are accrued as part of doctoral or post-doctoral studies following a qualifying professional degree would also be considered.

^[9]A study course that is a review of previous education.

The ACSLPA Courtesy Register allows practitioners to be registered in Alberta for a short term for a narrowly focused specific purpose, provided they are registered in good standing in another jurisdiction.

To view Courtesy Register requirements, duration, acceptable purposes, fees and application form, please click here.

13.1 Information About Regulated Members That Must Be Available to the Government and the Public

You will see when you’re completing your registration or renewal that we ask for certain information about you as a regulated member that is required by law. Under the Health Professions Act (HPA), ACSLPA must be able to give the following information about you as regulated member if anyone of the public requests it. This information is limited to:

• Your full name and your unique registration number
• Any restrictions or conditions placed on your practice permit
• The status of your practice permit, including whether it is suspended or cancelled
• Your practice discipline (i.e., profession) recognized by ACSLPA

The ACSLPA General Register is updated daily, and is available on the ACSLPA website at: https://acslpav6.alinityapp.com/Client/PublicDirectory.aspx. As an ACSLPA regulated member you should also be aware that Alberta Health collects health service provider information from us and other regulatory colleges by law under the HPA to allow for:

• Provider authorization and authentication
• Centralized source of current data
• Effective health workforce planning
• Health service provider identification

You are responsible for seeing that ACSLPA has accurate and current information for your file, and you must let us know of any changes to your information (i.e., name, contact information, employer/practice information).

13.2  Your Name as a Regulated Member on the General Register

Your name must be the same name that is on the General Register and that you use in your practice. To inform the College of a name change, you must use the form available on the College website.  You must also give ACSLPA proof of the name change. Government-issued marriage, name change, or divorce certificates are all acceptable.

If you are a new applicant, you must submit original documents for a name change if the name used on your registration application form is different from the name stated on other documents in your application (e.g., official transcripts). ACSLPA will keep a copy on file and we will return the original to you. We also accept notarized^[10] copies.

^[10]A notarized copy is a photocopy of an original document that has been certified by a notary public to be a true and accurate copy of the original document. A notarized copy may also be referred to as a certified copy.