Changes Affecting Registrants

Staffing Changes at the College

In January, CASLPO announced staffing changes to support leadership transition at the College:

• Caitlin Reid took on the role of Practice and Quality Assurance Advisor, starting January 20. Caitlin joined CASLPO in May of 2023 and has made many valuable contributions as the SLP Practice Advisor and Manager of Mentorship.
• Kassandra Kaminskas joined CASLPO as the new Audiology Practice Advisor and Manager of Mentorship, on February 3. Kassandra holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Western University. She has spent the past ten years at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre holding positions as Practice Lead and Clinical Audiologist with the adult Cochlear Implant Program. She also worked at Surrey Place Centre and Vivosonic. Kassandra served on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Academy of Audiology and is fluent in both English and French.

We look forward to their contributions to CASLPO!

 

Invitation to Review and Provide Feedback on CASLPO's Revised Standards

CASLPO is seeking input from all registrants on the revised Consent & Capacity Standards and Documentation Standards as well as from speech-language pathologists (SLPs) on the new Draft Practice Standards for Speech-Language Pathology Intervention during a 30-day consultation period, ending on March 26, 2025. 

Your feedback will help refine the standards to better protect the public and guide professionals. Once finalized and approved by the CASLPO Board of Directors, the standards will be translated into French and published on the website. By reviewing these standards and completing the survey(s), registrants can earn Continuous Learning Activity Credits (CLACs) towards a learning goal in their 2025 SAT.

Key Changes:

• The Draft Practice Standards for Speech-Language Pathology Intervention bring together important principles from existing SLP standards into one comprehensive framework for SLP practice in Ontario. Developed with input from two Advisory Working Groups (AWGs) of SLPs from diverse practice areas, these standards will replace the following existing standards:
  • Practice Standards for Dysphagia Intervention [EN / FR]
  • Practice Standards and Guidelines for the Assessment of Children by SLPs [EN / FR]
  • Practice Standards and Guidelines for the Assessment of Adults by SLPs [EN / FR]
  • Practice Standards and Guidelines for Acquired Cognitive Communication Disorders [EN / FR]
  • Practice Standards and Guidelines for Developmental Stuttering [EN / FR]
• The revised Consent & Capacity Standards and Documentation Standards clarify expectations around patient consent and record-keeping, in line with provincial legislation such as the Personal Health Information and Protection Act, 2024, (PHIPA) and the Health Care Consent Act, 1996, (HCCA). The updated Documentation Standards also reflect the CASLPO Records Regulation, 2015. These revisions streamline the content by focusing on requirements and necessary competencies and removing unnecessary details. These revised standards will replace the current versions (Consent and Capacity Standards [EN / FR] and Documentation Standards [EN / FR]).

All of these new and revised standards are principle-based, meaning they focus on professional judgment rather than specific actions. They are designed to stand the test of time, address risk of harm, and apply to all patients across all practice settings, including in-person, community, and virtual care

How to Share Your Feedback: 

Look out for emails from CASLPO containing links to complete our survey and detailed instructions on how to participate. Your feedback is essential to help us refine these standards, providing clearer guidance to protect the public and support professionals!  
For any questions, contact Dana Prutschi, Director of Professional Practice and Quality Assurance, at [email protected]. 

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Registration and Mentorship

Registrant Suspensions and Revocations

The Health Professions Procedural Code, Schedule 2 of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 requires information about suspended registrants to be made available to the public by each regulatory college. The reason for this is to ensure that the public knows that they should not be receiving services from these suspended registrants, nor should these registrants be using the protected titles.

The registrations of the following individuals are currently under suspension for failing to pay their annual fees for 2024/2025 in accordance with section 24 of the Code:

Speech-Language Pathologists - Suspended Registrations

Name	Registration Number
Maureen Elizabeth Tobin	3162
Renee Suzanne Laliberte	3636
Annick Ménard	3869
Anissa Joy Hersh	4234
Sophie Gravel	5203
Shelley Lynn Roberson	6278
Alisha C. Carvalho	7530

Since no registrants were suspended for non-payment of annual fees in 2023–2024, no certificates were revoked for that reason.

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 Practice Advice

Clarifying Standards for Audiologists When Prescribing Hearing Aids

Over the past year, CASLPO has focused on providing audiologists with the necessary support and resources to ensure safe, patient-centered care when prescribing hearing aids. We’ve consulted with a range of interested and affected parties and have released resources including a detailed FAQ and an E-Forum to help guide audiologists on the expectations for the hearing aid prescription process. 

In December, we sent an email notice to audiologists, highlighting important updates and offering clarification on the standards of practice when prescribing hearing aids. Below are some of the main points we addressed:

• Establishing a Professional Relationship with the Patient: When prescribing hearing aids, it’s crucial for audiologists to establish a professional relationship with the patient. This relationship should ensure that patients fully understand the audiologist's role in their hearing care and recognize that the audiologist is the regulated professional responsible for their hearing aid prescription. Audiologists should engage in a sufficient and meaningful interaction with the patient, as defined in the Code of Ethics (Principles 1a, 2d, g, 3g, j, l).
• Prescription Checklist and Form: The Prescription Checklist and Prescription Form, shared in CASLPO's April 17th FAQs, do not replace the prescriptive process but are intended to assist audiologists in meeting the necessary standards. These tools support audiologists in ensuring that they are following the prescriptive process as set out in the Practice Standards for the Provision of Hearing Aid Services (Standards H1 to H6), and the Code of Ethics (Principles 1a, 2b, g, 3d, e, f).
• Accepting Recommendations from Hearing Instrument Practitioners (HIPs): While audiologists may choose to consider recommendations from HIPs regarding the make, model, or style of hearing aids, the final decision regarding the prescription, including the selection of the device, remains the responsibility of the audiologist. This decision must be based on a patient-centered prescriptive process and thoroughly documented. This aligns with the Practice Standards for the Provision of Hearing Aid Services (Standard H4) and the Code of Ethics (Principles 2d, g, 3d, e, f, g).
• Regulatory Obligations and Declining Requests: Audiologists must inform those they work with of their regulatory obligations. If asked to prescribe hearing aids in ways that do not meet the standards or ensure quality patient care, audiologists can decline the prescription request. This decision must be clearly documented, with the patient’s best interests at the forefront (Code of Ethics, Principles 2d, e, g, 3d, i, 4d, f).

CASLPO's role is to regulate audiologists in the public interest. The involvement of audiologists in the prescription of hearing aids, as regulated health professionals who meet strict educational criteria and standards when caring for vulnerable populations is important for public protection.

For more information, please refer to CASLPO's FAQ and E-Forum, or reach out to Samidha Joglekar, Deputy Registrar, at [email protected]. 

 

Apple Hearing Features and Recent Developments with Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids 

In December 2024, Health Canada approved the Apple hearing test and hearing aid features for use in Canada with compatible software and AirPods Pro 2 earbuds. However, these features remain unavailable to the public in Canada. Apple indicates on its website that these are “regulated health features that require approval.” The College anticipates that decisions are needed by government to make the Apple features available. 

We have received several inquiries from members of the public who think that CASLPO is preventing access to the Apple features. However, this is not the case. CASLPO’s role as a health professions’ regulator is oversight of the practice of audiologists and speech-language pathologists according to existing laws and regulations. We do not have legal authority to approve or allow hearing devices or technology within the province. 

The College supports making affordable, high-quality hearing technology more accessible, so people can take steps toward managing their hearing loss. We also believe that the risks around the availability of this technology need to be properly managed through effective labeling and consumer education. For instance, audiologists will know that over-the-counter hearing technology is not suitable for treatment of hearing loss in infants and children, where speech and language development pose a high risk to outcomes if treatment of hearing loss is not based on thorough assessment and regular follow-up. Hearing technology that is available over the counter may also be ineffective or inappropriate for adults with symptoms or conditions that make their hearing loss more severe.

Audiologists play an essential role in the consumer education aspect of this issue – that is in helping the public understand which hearing technologies can best help them and in providing patient-centred care and support. CASLPO has the following resource: Practice Advice – Service for Over-the-Counter and other Non-Prescribed Hearing Aids.    

The College continues to monitor developments and consult with interested parties to assess how these changes may impact regulation in Ontario. 

For questions, contact Samidha Joglekar, Deputy Registrar, at [email protected]. 

 

Your Top Practice-Related Questions Answered

Answer: Communications Disabilities Access Canada (CDAC) has created the first communication intermediary program in the country. Communication Intermediaries (CIs) help victims, witnesses and accused individuals with speech and/or language impairments understand questions and communicate their answers effectively when interacting with police, legal, or justice professionals. In 2021, a new national non-profit, Communication Access to Justice (CAJust), was established to expand on the CDAC’s work. CAJust trains, supports, and maintains a national registry of communications intermediaries. To learn more and access the public registry of communications intermediaries, click here. It’s also important to collaborate with your patient’s legal counsel.

Answer: When considering a new intervention that lacks evidence, it's essential to ensure your approach aligns with CASLPO’s professional guidelines and standards.

• Code of Ethics: CASLPO’s Code of Ethics requires audiologists and speech-language pathologists to prioritize patient benefit and provide evidence-based services. Principle 2 – Patient Benefit, paragraph d, states that professionals must "use all reasonable resources to ensure that quality, evidence-based service is provided." 
• Evidence-Based Practice Standard: CASLPO has an Evidence-Based Practice Standard that defines evidence-based practice as the integration of current research, clinical knowledge, skill, judgment, and patient needs and values. Professionals should apply the best available research evidence in conjunction with their clinical expertise and consider the patient’s preferences, environment, culture, and values when selecting interventions.
• CASLPO’s Position on Alternative Approaches: CASLPO’s Position Statement on Alternative Approaches to Intervention highlights the importance of acting in the best interest of the patient, maintaining professional standards, and obtaining informed consent for services when recommending less common interventions.
• Consult with Colleagues and Professional Resources: If you’re considering a new approach, it may be helpful to consult with colleagues in similar practice settings, or SLP leaders in the field, to get insights on their experiences. Additionally, reviewing resources from Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC), the national professional association, or joining one of their special interest groups could also help you stay informed about the latest developments in the profession. By following these standards and consulting available resources, you can make informed decisions when considering new intervention approaches while ensuring the best outcomes for your patients.

Reach out to our Practice Advisors for your practice related questions.    

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Government - Legislative Changes / Announcements

Congratulations to Former CASLPO Registrant Aura Kagan on Her Appointment to the Order of Canada

CASLPO congratulates Aura Kagan, a former CASLPO registrant, on her appointment as a Member of the Order of Canada. This prestigious honour recognizes her exceptional contributions to Canadian society, particularly her pioneering work in aphasia—a debilitating language disorder often resulting from stroke, brain injury, or illness.

Aura’s commitment to improving communicative access, her approach to care, and her dedication to individuals with aphasia have made a lasting impact not only in Canada but around the world. From 2002 to 2022, she served as the Executive Director of the Aphasia Institute, and she continues to guide the organization as an Executive Advisor for Research and Strategy.

Throughout her career, Aura has earned numerous accolades, including being named a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 2003, receiving the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) Innovations Award in 2006, the Audrey Holland Award in 2017, and the UK Robin Tavistock Award in 2020.

Recently, Aura was featured on CBC's The Current with Matt Galloway, where she discussed her efforts in supporting individuals with aphasia. You can listen to the podcast here.

CASLPO has collaborated with the Aphasia Institute on a variety of initiatives over the years. We congratulate Aura on her remarkable achievements and are thrilled to see her receive this well-deserved recognition.