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The Wave | May 2025 Issue
Welcome to The Wave, CASLPO’s monthly update for registrants! The Wave replaces our semi-annual ex.press newsletter and brings together all of our other key updates into one easy-to-read format.
In This Issue:
May is Speech and Hearing Month— a time to raise awareness about communication health and recognize the vital work of audiologists (AUDs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs).
Across Ontario, SLPs and AUDs support people of all ages with speech, language, hearing, balance, and swallowing challenges. Your work helps individuals connect with others, participate in their communities, and thrive in daily life. This month also emphasizes the importance of early identification and intervention. Whether it’s helping a child build language skills, supporting an adult with hearing loss, or guiding someone through recovery after illness or injury, your care makes a lasting difference.
We’re proud to regulate a community of professionals committed to ethical, evidence-based care. Thank you for the skill, compassion, and dedication you bring to your work each day.
Highlights from this month’s Facebook posts:
Don’t forget—helpful tools like self-evaluation checklists and guidance on when to see an SLP or AUD are available on our website. You can find them, and more information, here.
CASLPO Board UpdatesBoard Election Results
Voting for the CASLPO Board election closed on May 14. We received five eligible nominations for one open seat in District 6 – All Ontario. Over 18% of registrants voted. The candidate with the most votes was Lidia Giosa, SLP. A HUGE thank you to all the candidates who ran and to everyone who voted!
Congratulations, Lidia Giosa! She has officially joined the Board and will attend her first meeting on June 6.
New Public Board Member Appointed
We’re pleased to welcome Rebecca Minogue as a new public member of the CASLPO Board, appointed by the Ministry of Health on April 17 for a one-year term.
Public Board Member Departure
Bonny Li has stepped down from the Board. CASLPO has contacted the Public Appointments Secretariat to begin the process of finding a replacement.
Our recent two-part DEI E-Forum, in partnership with the College of Opticians of Ontario, “Towards Accountable Action on Equity, Allyship, and Peacemaking in Healthcare,” drew strong interest, with over 500 participants attending each session.
In Part 1 (March 31), speakers introduced the Coin Model of Privilege and Critical Allyship—a framework to help individuals reflect on their roles in advancing equity, inclusion, and justice. The session also explored how mindsets shaped by colonial systems can affect both the delivery and experience of healthcare.
In Part 2 (April 28), attendees received Indigenous teachings focused on shifting away from power-over dynamics. The session offered alternative perspectives to help build new habits of mind that support peacemaking and inclusive approaches to healthcare.
CASLPO Demographic Data Collection
As part of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), CASLPO began collecting voluntary demographic data during the annual registration renewal process in 2022. This initiative helps us better understand who makes up our registrant base, identify potential barriers to access or retention in the profession, and inform programs that promote inclusive and competent care.
By analyzing this data, we can evaluate whether our registrant base reflects Ontario’s diverse population—and take action where gaps exist. These insights already support initiatives such as inclusive application form design, our DEI E-Forum series, and updates to accessibility policies.
Your participation makes a real impact. It helps us build a regulatory environment that is inclusive, representative, and better equipped to serve all Ontarians. In order for CASLPO to have an accurate picture of the demographics of the professions over time, it is important for registrants to continue to participate in the data collection each year. We encourage you to take part in future data collections and help shape the future of the professions.
Learn more about CASLPO's DEI initiatives
How volunteer clinical supervision helps internationally educated professionals take their final step toward CASLPO registration.
Starting a professional career in a new country can be challenging—especially for internationally educated applicants to CASLPO. Many arrive with strong clinical backgrounds but may be missing a small number of required “minor area” clinical practicum hours (about 20) in the complementary discipline: audiology hours for speech-language pathology applicants, or vice versa.
To meet this requirement, applicants are responsible for finding a qualified supervisor on their own. Without an established professional network, this can be a challenge. That’s where volunteers like Mathew Kuruvilla (AUD) make a big difference.
Mathew knows the process well. After completing his audiology education in India, he navigated his own path to CASLPO registration. Today, he gives back by supervising internationally educated applicants who need those final practicum hours.
“My motivation to volunteer comes from my own journey as an international applicant to CASLPO more than a decade ago,” Mathew said. “Fortunately, I received tremendous support from both CASLPO staff and registrants, which made a lasting impact on me. I am deeply grateful to my initial advisors (informal mentors) in Canada, who generously shared their time and insight to help me find my footing. Their kindness and guidance inspired me to pay it forward.”
Mathew has already supervised three international applicants. One of them, Davide—trained in speech-language pathology in the UK—was struggling to find a supervisor. With Mathew’s support, he completed his hours and is now a fully registered CASLPO member.
Supervising an international applicant involves a modest but meaningful time commitment: providing observation opportunities, overseeing the required direct patient contact hours (either solo or shared), and completing a two-page clinical practicum evaluation checklist. To qualify, supervisors must:
Mathew describes the experience as mutually rewarding. “Seeing applicants grow in confidence, gain clarity, and eventually achieve registration is incredibly fulfilling. I’ve personally experienced how valuable support can be during that journey.”
“It’s also rewarding to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and share not just information, but encouragement and reassurance. I know how isolating and overwhelming the process can feel at times, so being a source of support, just as others were for me, feels both personally and professionally enriching. It’s a privilege to be part of their transition into the profession and to help them feel a sense of belonging within the Canadian healthcare system.”
CASLPO is creating a list of registrants who are open to volunteering to supervise internationally educated applicants needing minor hours. If you would like to add your name to the list (with no obligation) or want more information about this initiative, contact Jennifer Cupit (Research, Data & Policy Analyst) at [email protected].
Thank you, Mathew, for your generosity and leadership. Your support is helping to grow a stronger, more inclusive profession in Ontario. If an international applicant reaches out to you, consider volunteering. Your support could be the final step that helps someone launch their professional journey—and strengthens our professions for the future.
Learn more about Mathew's experience
Ontario Health, in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and Public Health Ontario (PHO), recently hosted an information session for hospitals, primary care providers, and public health units on the province’s response to the current measles outbreak.
The session covered important topics including the latest epidemiological data, local case and contact management protocols, testing procedures, immunization strategies, post-exposure prophylaxis, and infection prevention and control measures.
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists must continue to follow CASLPO’s Infection Prevention and Control Standard. PHO has resources on IPAC best practices, including Measles: Information for Health Care Providers and Routine Practices and Additional Precautions.
If you have questions or need additional support, don’t hesitate to contact your local Public Health Unit or CASLPO’s Practice Advice Team.
© 2026 CASLPO
© 2026 CASLPO
This website is intended to provide information to the public and registrants. Should there be difference in documentation previously distributed to CASLPO registrants, it is up to the registrant to source the latest version posted on the CASLPO website. Note: the term "member" and "registrant" are used interchangeably throughout CASLPO's website and documents. Both terms are synonymous with "member" as defined in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Act, 1991, and the Regulations under those Acts.
