Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology License Defense
Representation Before the Board
The State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology licenses speech-language pathologists and audiologists in the Commonwealth. Audiologists may fit and dispense hearing aids within their scope of practice; hearing aid fitters and dealers who are not audiologists are registered separately by the Department of Health.
Board matters commonly arise from patient and family complaints, school and employer reports, billing and documentation audits, supervision of clinical fellows and assistants, and allegations of impairment. Pediatric practice in schools and early intervention settings is a frequent source of complaints.
Mimm Law, LLC represents speech-language pathologists and audiologists at every stage of a Board matter, including matters involving the Professional Health Monitoring Program.
Governing Law
- Board
- State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
- Statute
- Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Licensure Act, Act of December 21, 1984, P.L. 1253, No. 238, as amended, 63 P.S. §§ 1701-1719
- Regulations
- 49 Pa. Code Chapter 45
- Licensees
- SLPs, audiologists and related licensees
- Renewal
- Biennial; licenses expire July 31 of even-numbered years
Who the Board Regulates
- Speech-language pathologist license
- Audiologist license
- Provisional licenses
- Certification for audiologists performing neurophysiologic intraoperative monitoring
Grounds for Discipline
Section 10 of the Act (63 P.S. § 1710) authorizes the Board to refuse, suspend or revoke a license for:
- Fraud, misrepresentation or concealment in obtaining a license
- Violation of the Act or the Board's regulations
- Aiding another person to violate the Act
- Conviction of a felony, or of a first- or second-degree misdemeanor, within ten years before the date of application for licensure
- Unprofessional conduct as defined in the Board's regulations
- Fraud or deceit in providing services
- Inability to practice safely because of illness, alcohol, controlled substances or a mental or physical condition
Sanctions the Board May Impose
The Board may refuse, suspend or revoke a license after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, and may reinstate a license when just and proper. The Act authorizes civil penalties of up to $10,000 and provides criminal penalties for certain violations.
In addition to the sanctions in the Board's own statute, Chapter 31 of Title 63 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes authorizes each licensing board to impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation and to assess the costs of investigation against a licensee found to have violated the law.
Obligations That Often Lead to Board Matters
Documentation and Billing
Treatment notes, evaluations and billing records must accurately reflect the services provided. School-based and insurance-funded services are frequent subjects of audits.
Supervision
Licensees who supervise provisional licensees or support personnel are responsible for the supervision the regulations require and for the services provided under it.
Continuing Education
Licensees must complete 20 hours of continuing education for each license each biennial period, including child abuse recognition; a licensee holding both licenses must complete 40 hours. A license cannot be renewed more than five years after it expires unless the licensee shows continued competency.
Matters We Handle
- Documentation and billing irregularities
- Supervision of assistants and clinical fellows
- Client complaints concerning services
- Hearing aid fitting and dispensing issues
- Continuing education audits
- Criminal charges and convictions affecting licensure
How We Can Help
Board Investigations
Upon receipt of a letter of inquiry, a subpoena or contact from an investigator, the firm evaluates the allegations, reviews the licensee's records, prepares a written response and attends any investigative interview. In some matters, an early, well-documented response may resolve the matter before formal charges are filed.
Formal Charges and Hearings
When the Commonwealth files an Order to Show Cause, the time to respond is short, and a respondent who misses the deadline may be held in default and the facts alleged deemed admitted. The firm prepares and files the answer, negotiates a consent agreement where one serves the client's interests, and tries the matter before the hearing examiner or the Board where it does not.
Applications and Reinstatement
For applicants whose history may raise questions, and for licensees seeking reinstatement after suspension, revocation or lapse, the firm assembles the application and supporting record and presents the matter to the Board.
Questions Licensees Ask
A school district has questioned my service logs. Is my license at risk?
It may be, if the logs are inaccurate or do not support the services billed. The response to the district should be accurate and complete, and it should be prepared with the possibility of a Board referral in mind. A person who holds a Department of Education speech or hearing credential and works in a school only within that position is excluded from the Act, so it matters whether the practitioner was practicing under a Board license.
Do hearing aid sales fall under this Board?
Audiologists who fit and dispense hearing aids do so within the scope of their license and are subject to this Board. Hearing aid fitters and dealers who are not audiologists are registered under a separate law, the Hearing Aid Sales Registration Law.
Is the Voluntary Recovery Program available to speech-language pathologists and audiologists?
Yes. The Board participates in the Professional Health Monitoring Program, and a qualifying licensee may enroll in the Voluntary Recovery Program and avoid public discipline by complying with its terms.
Should I speak with an investigator before I have counsel?
A licensee who receives a letter of inquiry, a subpoena or a telephone call from an investigator with the Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation should be courteous and should note the investigator's name and contact information, but should not give a substantive statement before obtaining advice. Anything said to an investigator may be included in the report reviewed by the prosecuting attorney and, later, by the Board. Counsel can determine what is being alleged, gather the relevant records and prepare a response that is accurate, complete and appropriately limited.
Must I report a criminal conviction, plea or ARD, or discipline in another state?
Yes. Pennsylvania law requires every licensee to notify the licensing board in writing within 30 days of discipline imposed by a licensing authority in another jurisdiction and of a finding of guilt, guilty plea, plea of nolo contendere, probation without verdict, disposition in lieu of trial or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition on a felony or misdemeanor charge. Some boards' regulations impose additional or earlier reporting duties, including, for nurses and massage therapists, a duty to report the filing of criminal charges within 30 days. A failure to report is itself a ground for discipline, and it is frequently charged alongside the underlying conduct.
Meet Your Attorney
Steven A. Mimm, Esq.
Founder, Mimm Law, LLC. Admitted in Pennsylvania (2008) and New Jersey (2022).
From 2014 to 2022, Attorney Steven A. Mimm served as a prosecuting attorney bringing disciplinary actions on behalf of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs before Pennsylvania's licensing boards. That experience informs how the firm evaluates evidence, negotiates with the Commonwealth and prepares cases for hearing. Where a licensee also faces criminal charges, the firm handles the licensing matter and coordinates with the licensee's criminal defense counsel.
Related: All Licensing Boards · Licensing and FAQs
Last reviewed September 2026. The information on this page is general in nature and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.