SHAV Position Statements

  • Position Statement on Speech-Language Pathology Assistants

    It is our association’s position that there is a tremendous need to create a regulation system for Virginia SLP Assistants (SLPAs).





  • Position Statement on the Regulation of Hospitals; Patients Who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing

    The Speech Language Hearing Association of Virginia (SHAV) is in agreement and emphatically supports HB 1956 regulations which require each licensed hospital to develop a process for identifying patients who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and take steps to ensure that patients who are deaf or hard-of-hearing are able to effectively communicate with health care providers involved in their care.

  • Support Letter for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPA) in Virginia

    SHAV remains focused on the integrity of services provided by qualified professionals to patrons in the state of Virginia.




  • Position Statement on the Regulation of Home Health Organizations Reporting

    Our Association, representing speech‐language pathologists in the Commonwealth, strongly recommends that the Commonwealth consider moving forward with amending this bill, adding home health organizations to the current regulation.

  • Position Statement on Licensed Audiologists in the Commonwealth of Virginia

    It is our association’s position that requiring Audiologists in the Commonwealth to also hold a Hearing Aid Specialist license is unnecessary, costly and burdensome duplication.

  • Position Statement on Universal Licensure for Speech‐Language Pathologists in the Commonwealth of Virginia

    It is our association’s position that moving toward a universal licensure requirement for all Speech‐Language Pathologists in the Commonwealth would be beneficial and cost effective.

  • Position Statement on Licensed Audiologists in the Commonwealth of Virginia

    It is our association’s position that Audiologists licensed in the Commonwealth have, within their scope of practice, the management of cerumen as specified by the national associations (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the American Academy of Audiology).

  • Virginia Society of Otolaryngology Position Statement

    We believe it is not the role of the BASLP to suggest or expand scope of practice changes.  We consider scope of practice changes to be a policy decision that should be determined by the Virginia General Assembly. 


  • Position Statement for Provisional Licensure Proposal for Clinical Fellowship Speech Pathologists

    The Speech‐Language‐Hearing Association of Virginia (SHAV) is in agreement with the proposed changes of Chapter26,§54.1‐2604. This provisional license will align Virginia with the licensure requirements of many other states.

  • Position Statement on Consumer-Administered Hearing Tests and Direct-to-Consumer Hearing Aide Sales

    In January 2012, hi HealthInnovations, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, began offering hearing aids over the Internet with no out-of-pocket costs to certain United Healthcare Medicare Advantage members, as well as direct-to-consumer hearing aids for people outside its network.