SHAV is Supporting 

Health insurance; coverage for speech therapy as a treatment for stuttering. Requires health insurance carriers whose health care plans include coverage for habilitative services and rehabilitative services, as such terms are defined in the bill, to provide coverage for habilitative speech therapy and rehabilitative speech therapy, as such terms are defined in the bill, as a treatment for stuttering. The bill provides that such coverage is not (i) subject to any maximum annual benefit limit, including any limits on the number of visits an insured may make to a speech-language pathologist; (ii) limited based on the type of disease, injury, disorder, or other medical condition that resulted in the stuttering; or (iii) subject to utilization review or utilization management requirements, including prior authorization or a determination that the habilitative or rehabilitative speech therapy services are medically necessary. The bill applies to health care plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on and after January 1, 2026.

SHAV is supporting

Public elementary and secondary school teachers; certain training activities; requirements and limitations. Prohibits any public elementary or secondary school teacher from being required to participate in any non-academic training activity, as that term is defined in the bill, more frequently than once within six months of employment with the applicable school board and once every five years thereafter, except in the case of certain training relating to secure mandatory test violations upon determination by the school board or division superintendent that additional training is necessary. The bill also provides that the total frequency and duration of non-academic training activities in which each such teacher is required to participate pursuant to (i) state law or regulation shall not exceed 15 hours every five years and (ii) policy or regulation of the school board shall not exceed three and a half hours every three years. The bill also directs the Department of Education to (a) conduct a survey of each school board every five years to identify each non-academic training activity in which public elementary and secondary school teachers employed by such school board are required to participate; (b) develop, post on its website, and annually review and update as necessary to ensure accuracy a list of all non-academic training activities that each public elementary and secondary school teacher in the Commonwealth is required to complete pursuant to state or federal law or regulation; and (c) develop and implement a comprehensive, statewide database designed to provide each school board access to and permit each public elementary and secondary school teacher to track his progress in completing each non-academic training activity in which each public elementary and secondary school teacher is required to participate pursuant to state or federal law. Finally, the bill repeals the provision of law requiring each teacher and school board employee holding a license issued by the Board of Education to complete cultural competency training at least every two years.

SHAV is Supporting

Budget Bill. Amends items of and adds items to Chapter 2 of the Acts of Assembly of 2024, Special Session I. See pages 144 and 180.

The same language below is also in Senate Bill 800:

"B. The Board of Education shall consider the caseload standards for speech-language pathologists as part of its review of the Standards of Quality, pursuant to § 22.1-18.01, Code of Virginia.

b. Out of the amounts for special education payments, general fund support is provided to fund the caseload standards for speech pathologists at 68 students for each year of the biennium."

Draft in Process, sponsored by Delegate Holly Seibold

SHAV is Supporting

The shortage of Virginia’s school Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) results in higher caseloads for current service providers. Virginia’s current caseload cap for school SLPs is 68 students, the second highest in the nation among states with a maximum caseload (ASHA, 2020). Moreover, this caseload cap is not enforceable in Virginia as it is a recommendation from the Virginia Department of Education, which poses significant challenges. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, there is no research to support the use of a specific caseload size and positive effects on student outcome data. However, high caseloads negatively impact the recruitment of SLPs and contribute to the attrition of current providers in schools (ASHA, n.d.). ASHA recommends that states use a workload model when comprised of not only the number of students that are provided services, but examining all of the activities performed by the SLP that ensure compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004). 

SLPs are vital to the success of many students in Virginia public schools. However, Virginia has only 49.4 SLPs per 100,000 people, ranking it the 12th lowest in the nation based on population (Brook, 2021).

One way we will increase the number of clinicians and decrease workload is by licensing Speech Language Pathology Assistants (SLPA). Licensing creates a framework for accountability, requiring SLPAs to adhere to ethical guidelines and professional standards. It will ensure that SLPAs meet specific educational and training standards, which helps maintain the quality of care provided to clients. A licensing system will help standardize the qualifications and practices of SLPAs across the state. This consistency can enhance collaboration among healthcare providers, improve service delivery, and ensure that clients receive evidence-based interventions regardless of where they seek care.

References:

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2020). 2020 State-by-State Caseload Guidance. https://www.asha.org/siteassets/practice-portal/caseloadworkload/state-caseload-chart.pdf

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (n.d.). Caseload/Workload (Practice Portal). Retrieved January 29, 2022, from www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/Caseload-and-Workload/

Brook, G. (2021). Annual Workforce Data: 2020 ASHA-Certified Audiologist- and SLP-to-Population Ratios. https://www.asha.org/siteassets/surveys/audiologist-and-slp-to-population-ratios-report.pdf

Students who need or use augmentative and alternative communication; documentation of needs on individualized education program; staff training. Requires each school division to document on the individualized education program of a student with a disability who needs or uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) such student's AAC and communication access and support needs prior to the provision of instruction or support to such student, including any extended school year period. The bill defines AAC as any method or tool other than oral speech that an individual uses to communicate, including gestures, facial expressions, writing, and speech-generating devices. The bill also requires each school division to provide to each employee or contractor who provides instruction or direct support to a student with a disability who needs or uses an AAC individualized training as an assistive technology to support the student's use of AAC and to ensure that curricula and instruction are designed or adapted as necessary to accommodate the student's unique communication access needs. The bill also established a timeline for such training based on certain circumstances.