Continuing Education

18VAC30-21-100. Continuing education requirements for renewal of an active license.

A. In order to renew an active license, a licensee shall complete at least 10 hours of continuing education prior to the renewal date each year. One hour of the 10 hours required for annual renewal may be satisfied through delivery of professional services, without compensation, to low-income individuals receiving health services through a local health department or a free clinic organized in whole or primarily for the delivery of those services. One hour of continuing education may be credited for three hours of providing such volunteer services, as documented by the health department or free clinic.

B. Continuing education shall be activities, programs, or courses related to audiology or speech-language pathology, depending on the license held, and offered or approved by one of the following accredited sponsors or organizations sanctioned by the profession:

1. The Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia or a similar state speech-language-hearing association of another state;

2. The American Academy of Audiology;

3. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association;

4. The Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education of the American Medical Association offering Category I continuing medical education;

5. Local, state, or federal government agencies;

6. Colleges and universities;

7. International Association of Continuing Education and Training; or

8. Health care organizations accredited by The Joint Commission or DNV GL Healthcare.

C. If the licensee is dually licensed by this board as an audiologist and speech-language pathologist, a total of no more than 15 hours of continuing education are required for renewal of both licenses with a minimum of 7.5 contact hours in each profession.

D. A licensee shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements for the first renewal following the date of initial licensure in Virginia under 18VAC30-21-60.

E. The licensee shall retain all continuing education documentation for a period of three years following the renewal of an active license. Documentation from the sponsor or organization shall include the title of the course, the name of the sponsoring organization, the date of the course, and the number of hours credited.

F. The board may grant an extension of the deadline for continuing education requirements, for up to one year, for good cause shown upon a written request from the licensee prior to the renewal date of each year.

G. The board may grant an exemption for all or part of the requirements for circumstances beyond the control of the licensee, such as temporary disability, mandatory military service, or officially declared disasters.

H. The board may periodically conduct an audit for compliance with continuing education requirements. Licensees selected for an audit conducted by the board shall provide all supporting documentation within 30 days of receiving notification of the audit.

I. Failure to comply with these requirements may subject the licensee to disciplinary action by the board.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 23, eff. August 10, 2016; amended, Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 11, eff. March 9, 2017; Volume 34, Issue 16, eff. May 2, 2018; Volume 36, Issue 11, eff. March 5, 2020; Volume 39, Issue 7, eff. January 5, 2023.