The Wave | January 2026 - Caslpo - College of audiologists and speech-language pathologists of Ontario

The Wave | January 2026 Issue

Welcome to The Wave!

Welcome to The Wave, CASLPO’s monthly e-newsletter for registrants! The Wave brings together all of the College's key updates into one easy-to-read format.

In This Issue:

New “For Patients” Resources to Support the Public

Over the past year, CASLPO has developed three new “For Patients” resources to help the public better understand hearing healthcare in Ontario. These plain-language documents respond to common questions and areas of confusion that CASLPO hears about regularly from the public.

As the regulator of audiologists (AUDs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs), CASLPO created these resources to support public understanding, reduce risk, and help patients make informed decisions about their care. Hearing healthcare in Ontario can be complex and involves multiple professionals — some regulated and some not. Many members of the public are unsure who is regulated, what different providers do, and what qualifications to look for. These resources directly address those gaps.

The three “For Patients” resources

Hearing Healthcare in Ontario – Understanding Who Does What
This document explains the different roles of professionals who provide hearing care—specifically audiologists, physicians, and hearing instrument practitioners (HIPs). While all three may be involved in hearing care, only audiologists and physicians are regulated in Ontario and allowed to prescribe hearing aids. The goal is to help people understand who does what and what to expect from each provider.
Accessing Hearing and Balance Care for Your Child
This document focuses on children’s hearing care. Some children in Ontario are getting hearing tests and advice from unregulated providers, which can lead to delays in getting the right help. Since untreated hearing problems can affect a child’s speech and language, learning, and social skills, it’s important that care is provided by trained, regulated professionals like audiologists or physicians. This document explains when to seek help and from whom.
What to Consider Before Using Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids
With some OTC hearing aids now approved for sale in Canada, many people are unsure if they can access these devices in Ontario and when these devices might be right for them. This document provides clear information about when an OTC hearing aid might be suitable, when it’s not, and why it's important to talk to a regulated hearing health professional in certain situations. Note: This document is in final stages of review with CASLPO’s OTC Task Force and will be shared later in 2026.

Before sharing these documents more broadly, CASLPO sought input from College staff practice advisors, CASLPO Board members, system partners including the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, the Ontario Medical Association, and the Ontario College of Family Physicians, and the Citizen’s Advisory Group (CAG), which represents patients and caregivers. Feedback was very positive and emphasized the importance of presenting this information clearly to the public.

How you can use these resources

We encourage you to use these resources to support conversations with your patients and their families and relevant others. The documents may be printed or shared digitally in your practice.

We also encourage registrants working in schools and pediatric settings to share these resources with colleagues such as teachers, educational assistants, social workers, and other school staff. These professionals are often the first to notice concerns about a child’s hearing and can play an important role in guiding parents and caregivers toward assessment and care by a regulated provider. Sharing these resources can help promote timely referrals and consistent, accurate information across school and healthcare settings.

Contact Samidha Joglekar, Deputy Registrar, at [email protected] for questions or comments about these resources.

Join Our E-Forum on the New SLP Intervention Standards

Last fall, CASLPO published new and revised practice standards to support safe, ethical, and high-quality care across the professions. As part of this rollout, we hosted an E-Forum on the revised Consent and Capacity Standards and Documentation Standards on December 9, 2025. These standards apply to both AUDs and SLPs. If you were unable to attend, you can review the presentation materials and watch the recorded session here. Your review of these standards may be counted as a learning goal and CLACs toward your 2026 SAT.

To further support you in your practice, we will be hosting an upcoming E-Forum about the new SLP Intervention Standards on February 25, 2026, from 12:00 – 1:30 pm.

Highlights of the new SLP Intervention Standards [EN / FR]

The new SLP Intervention Standards:

Combine and replace five existing standards, including dysphagia, stuttering, assessment of children, assessment of adults, and acquired cognitive communication
Set out high-level principles that apply across all areas of SLP practice in Ontario
Include an appendix with standards specific to dysphagia, recognizing the unique risks and considerations associated with this area of practice

These standards are designed to provide a clear, flexible framework that supports clinical judgment while promoting consistency and quality across practice settings.

Thank You for Your Feedback

Your feedback played an important role in shaping these standards. Input from advisory working groups, along with consultation surveys involving registrants and members of the public, helped ensure the standards are clear, practical, and supportive of safe, high-quality care. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their insights. Your contributions continue to strengthen practice standards and support safe, ethical, and effective care in Ontario.

If you have any questions about the new SLP Intervention Standards or the upcoming E-Forum, please contact CASLPO’s Practice Advice Team.

Reminder: 10 Days Left to Submit Your SAT

If you have not yet completed your 2026 Self-Assessment Tool (SAT), please note that it is due by Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (EST).

All General and Academic registrants must complete the SAT, including those who are on leave or currently unemployed. If your registration status has changed, please contact CASLPO.

What's new this year?

New required reading:
- Consent and Capacity Standards [English | French] – AUDs and SLPs
- Documentation Standards [English | French] – AUDs and SLPs
- Conflict of Interest Standards [English | French] – AUDs only
- Practice Standards for Speech-Language Pathology Intervention [English | French] – SLPs only
Revised indicators: mandatory reporting and professionalism

Resources Available

We’ve provided several guides and short “How To” videos to help you complete your SAT:

Which SAT Should You Complete? [English | French]
Quick 10-Step Guide [English | French]
Clinical [English | French] and Non-Clinical [English | French] SAT Guides
Video: How to Submit Your SAT

Who does not submit the SAT

Initial and Non-Practising registrants do not complete the SAT. More information is available on CASLPO’s Quality Assurance Program webpage.

Please ensure you submit your SAT on time. Missing the deadline may result in consequences.

Questions?

For questions about the SAT please contact:

Dana Prutschi, Director of Professional Practice & Quality Assurance: [email protected]
Caitlin Reid, Advisor for Speech-Language Pathology Practice & Quality Assurance: [email protected]
Quality Assurance Team: [email protected]

Complete the SAT

New “As of Right” Rules for AUDs and SLPs Starting January 2026

Starting January 1, 2026, AUDs and SLPs registered in another Canadian province or territory can begin practising in Ontario immediately under the new “As of Right” rules. This change is part of Ontario’s labour mobility reforms, which aim to help regulated professionals start working sooner and address workforce shortages.

Under these rules, out of province audiologists or speech-language pathologists can begin in-person practice in Ontario after submitting a CASLPO As of Right application and attestation form, while waiting for their registration to be finalized. Out-of-province audiologists and speech-language pathologists may continue practising for up to six months while completing the full registration process. The rules apply only to in-person care provided in Ontario; virtual practice across provinces is not included.

If you are already a CASLPO registrant, your status does not change. If you plan to practise outside Ontario, you must check requirements with the regulator in that province or territory.
For more information, including eligibility and how to apply, visit the new As of Right Registration Pathway page on CASLPO’s website.

Visit the new As of Right Registration Pathway page

Update: ADP Hearing Aid Funding Changes (Effective March 2, 2026)

The Assistive Devices Program (ADP) is changing its hearing aid funding application process as of March 2, 2026. These updates affect Ontario audiologists who act as ADP hearing aid authorizers or vendors.

What you need to know

A new Application for Funding Hearing Devices and a new Attestation Sheet will be required.
Vendors must review and complete the new Attestation Sheet, titled “Your Rights and Important Information About Getting a Hearing Aid in Ontario,” with each ADP applicant.
Hearing aid prescriptions must be completed by an audiologist or physician and documented separately, in accordance with CASLPO standards (see Practice Standards for the Provision of Hearing Aid Services by Audiologists, Standards H1-H6).
Vendors must provide patients with copies of their hearing aid prescription and Attestation Sheet. Vendors must also keep a copy of the hearing aid prescription on file.

Audiologists who are ADP-registered authorizers or vendors of hearing aids should have received the ADP’s January 8, 2026 email, which included copies of the new Attestation Sheet and revised ADP Hearing Devices Application forms in English and French. CASLPO also sent an email to audiologists with detailed information about the changes, including info on the ADP Attestation Sheet and College standards on January 13, 2026.

Audiologists should continue using the current version of the form until March 2, 2026.

Deadline Extended: Share Your Input on AI in Practice

The deadline to complete CASLPO’s survey on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in practice, has been extended to February 28, 2026.

If you completed the survey after it was shared in the December issue of The Wave, please note that there was an issue with the original survey link. To ensure your responses are recorded correctly, we ask that you please complete the survey again using this updated link. We apologize for the inconvenience and greatly appreciate your input on this rapidly evolving and important topic.

CASLPO is developing guidance to support ethical, safe, and responsible use of AI in practice. This work reflects the changing practice environment and steps being taken by other health regulators. Your feedback is essential to ensure this guidance is practical and reflects real-world practice.

If you have questions about AI or its use in practice, please contact CASLPO’s Practice Advice Team. Thank you for taking the time to share your input.

Complete the survey

Reminder: WSIB Consultation on Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Policy

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) is seeking feedback on its Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) Policy, with the public consultation closing January 30, 2026. Audiologists in Ontario who support patients with WSIB NIHL claims are encouraged to share their input.

WSIB has indicated that all submissions will be reviewed to inform potential policy revisions and will be posted publicly as part of the consultation process.