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1999 SESSION
999848661WHEREAS, many citizens of the Commonwealth are afflicted with speech and hearing problems; and
WHEREAS, consumers with these problems visit speech pathologists, audiologists, and hearing aid specialists; and
WHEREAS, audiologists and speech pathologists are licensed and regulated by a board in the Department of Health Professions, and hearing aid specialists are licensed and regulated by a separate board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; and
WHEREAS, audiologists who dispense hearing aids must be licensed by both boards; and
WHEREAS, a consumer with a complaint about audiology, speech pathology or hearing aid services may be confused as to where to file that complaint; and
WHEREAS, several other states have resolved problems with lack of coordination in the regulation of speech pathologists, audiologists and hearing aid specialists by creating a combined board to license and regulate all three professionals; and
WHEREAS, it may be in the best interests of the Commonwealth’s consumers to have both of these boards combined so that regulation is in one place, making it easier for consumers to be sure their concerns are heard by the appropriate board; and
WHEREAS, such a merger may also result in governmental efficiency in the regulation of those who provide services to people with speech and hearing problems; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology and the Board of Hearing Aid Specialists met over the past year to develop a proposal to merge the boards; and
WHEREAS, the boards were unable to develop a proposal that was satisfactory to both boards and the organizations of professionals regulated by the boards; and
WHEREAS, the lack of consensus may have been due to insufficient time to develop a proposal that more adequately protects consumers without unfairly infringing on any one of the regulated professions; and
WHEREAS, different routes to the development of competence for licensure among the professionals and other concerns remain, impeding agreement on any current proposal regarding merger of the boards; and
WHEREAS, representatives of the Speech and Hearing Association of Virginia and the Virginia Association of Hearing Aid Specialists met once to discuss possible merger proposals; and
WHEREAS, the two associations agreed that there are mutual areas of concern that may be resolved through a merger of the two boards; and
WHEREAS, the two associations believe continued discussions may promote areas of consensus between the professionals and could result in consensus about a board merger; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That it is the sense of the General Assembly that the Speech and Hearing Association of Virginia and the Virginia Association for Hearing Aid Specialists should continue their discussions regarding a possible merger of the boards that license speech pathologists, audiologists and hearing aid specialists; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Associations should keep the Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology and the Board of Hearing Aid Specialists informed of their discussions and, when appropriate, include members of the licensure boards in the discussions between representatives of the associations; and, be it
RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for transmittal to the aforementioned associations and boards in order that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly.