The Wave | September 2025 - Caslpo - College of audiologists and speech-language pathologists of Ontario

The Wave | September 2025 Issue

Welcome to The Wave!

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:

Man at computer

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30 marks both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day in Canada. It’s a solemn time to reflect on the legacy of residential schools and honour the children who were taken from their families, many of whom never returned. It is also a call to action for all non-Indigenous people to learn, listen, and take part in reconciliation.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was created to investigate and document the history and lasting impacts of Canada’s residential school system. The TRC gathered thousands of stories from survivors, families, and communities affected by residential schools. Survivors shared painful accounts of abuse, neglect, and cultural loss. These stories helped Canadians understand the truth about what happened and shaped the Commission’s 94 Calls to Action — recommendations to governments, institutions, and individuals to advance reconciliation.

Several Calls to Action directly connect to CASLPO’s role as a health regulator:

Call to Action 20 urges the federal government to address the distinct health needs of Métis, Inuit, and off-reserve Aboriginal peoples.
Call to Action 22 asks health providers to recognize and respect Aboriginal healing practices, working collaboratively with Elders and healers when requested by Aboriginal patients.
Call to Action 23 calls for increasing the number of Aboriginal professionals working in the health care field, supporting their retention in Aboriginal communities, and ensuring all health providers receive cultural competency training.

CASLPO is committed to advancing these goals. Our work includes:

developing guidance for AUDs and SLPs to address the unique health needs of the Indigenous, Métis, Inuit, and off-reserve Indigenous peoples.
engaging registrants who serve these populations and conducting research on culturally-inclusive services (in addition to the guidance offered in CASLPO’s Guide for Equitable and Inclusive Services).
seeking partnerships with communities, Elders, and Knowledge-Keepers to ensure this work is grounded in lived experience and cultural knowledge; and
exploring ways to increase Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit representation within the professions, supported by demographic data collected over the past three years which indicates that there are not many registrants who identify with these ancestries.

Earlier this year, we hosted an Indigenous Elder, who provided guidance on peacebuilding in health care. You can watch the recordings here. Our Board of Directors also learned about Jordan’s Principle and the importance of supporting timely care to Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit children — and our Board and Committees have incorporated the Seven Sacred Teachings/Seven Grandfather Teachings into specific Territory Acknowledgements to recognize the history and teachings from the people who have cared for Turtle Island since before living memory.

Reconciliation requires ongoing commitment. Learning about the history of residential schools is one step we can all take. We encourage you to visit the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation website for educational resources and opportunities. The Ontario College of Pharmacists also has a comprehensive resource page on its website to support Indigenous cultural competency here.

Support for Survivors and those affected by residential schools is available 24/7: https://chiefs-of-ontario.org/priorities/irs-resources/

Reminder: Registration Renewal Deadline is Next Week!

The deadline to renew your CASLPO registration is Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 11:59 PM (EDT) —less than one week away!

If you haven’t already done so, log in to the Registrant Portal and click “Your 2025/2026 Renewal” to get started. Renewing now will help you avoid the 20% late fee of $156 and give you time to resolve any questions or issues.

Need help? Visit our Renewal FAQs or contact us at [email protected]. We’re here to support you.

Renew Your Registration Now

Ontario Proposes Scope of Practice Expansions for Regulated Health Professions

Man at computer The Ministry of Health has launched public consultation on proposed changes to expand the scope of practice for several regulated health professions. If approved, the proposal would grant several regulated health professionals including dental hygienists, denturists, physiotherapists, chiropractors, chiropodists, and speech-language pathologists, the authority to order and/or perform certain diagnostic imaging procedures.

For CASLPO registrants, the proposed changes would authorize SLPs to:

order x-rays for videofluoroscopic swallowing studies; and
order the application of soundwaves for diagnostic ultrasounds for the purposes of assessing and managing speech disorders.

There are no proposed scope of practice changes for audiologists currently.

These proposals recognize the high level of training and expertise SLPs bring to their work. If adopted, they could improve access to timely care, reduce pressures on physicians and hospitals, and enable health professionals to work to the full extent of their training and expertise.

It is important to note that these changes have not yet been approved. The Ministry of Health is currently consulting with system partners and health regulators before moving forward with any changes.

You can read the message we sent SLPs and AUDs last week for further details. If you have any questions or comments, please contact CASLPO Practice Advice.

Supporting Future Professionals Through Clinical Supervision

One of the biggest challenges in expanding university program capacity is finding enough Clinical Educators. To help address this, a number of efforts are underway to encourage more registrants to take on student clinical education roles.

To better understand who is already involved, CASLPO added a question to the 2025 Self-Assessment Tool (SAT). The results show that 995 registrants supervised a total of 1,720 students in clinical placements. While placement durations varied, the most common timeframe was over one month (633), with others supervising students for more than 10 weeks (158), one week to one month (177), or just a few days (108).

In addition to supervising students, 336 registrants also reported mentoring an AUD or SLP.

Nearly one in five of CASLPO’s over 5,000 registrants are already helping to train future professionals. We thank everyone who is already contributing their time and expertise to support clinical education.

As these efforts continue, we encourage all registrants to consider how they can support clinical education and contribute to strengthening the future of the profession.

What Ontario’s New “As of Right” Rules Mean for SLPs and AUDs

The Ontario government recently announced labour mobility changes aimed at making it easier for professionals from across Canada to start working in Ontario. The new “As of Right” rules apply across professions covered by more than 50 regulatory authorities and 300 certifications.

Starting January 1, 2026, regulated professionals including audiologists (AUDs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) will be able to begin practicing in Ontario sooner under the new “As of Right” rules. Regulated health professionals from other Canadian jurisdictions can start working in Ontario immediately after submitting an application and attestation form to their regulatory College, without waiting for their registration to be finalized. They may continue practicing for up to six months while completing the registration process. The government’s goal with these changes is to help address workforce shortages and allow qualified professionals to begin serving Ontarians more quickly. It is important to note that the “As of Right” rules apply only to in-person patient care provided in Ontario and not to virtual practice.

What this means for you

If you are already a CASLPO registrant in Ontario: Your registration status does not change.
If you are an SLP or AUD registered in another Canadian province or territory: You will be able to apply for CASLPO registration under the new “As of Right” rules and begin in-person practice with patients in Ontario immediately after submitting an application and attestation form — without waiting for your registration to be finalized. You can continue to work in Ontario for up to six months while completing the registration process.
If you want to work outside Ontario: The “As of Right” rules only apply to Ontario. Other provinces and territories have not adopted similar rules. If you plan to practice elsewhere, you will need to confirm requirements with that province’s regulator.

Cross-provincial practice

For temporary or short-term practice, CASLPO registrants can obtain a Cross-Provincial Practice (CPP) Certificate from our partner jurisdictions: Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan.

Similarly, CASLPO offers a CPP Certificate to applicants from these partner jurisdictions who wish to practice in Ontario. This may be an option if you’re looking to practice in those provinces for 12 months or less.

What happens next

The details of how “As of Right” registration will work for SLPs and AUDs are still being developed. CASLPO is working with the government and other regulators to make sure the process is clear, consistent, and maintains public protection.

We will share updates in The Wave as soon as more information is available.

Providing Tier 1 Services

Tier 1 is a “universal” level of support implemented by school boards to benefit all students. It is not a CASLPO regulatory requirement, but part of the Ministry of Education’s tiered service model. Sometimes called “good-for-all” support, Tier 1 is defined by your school board. Your employer’s requirements may differ, so confirm your approach with your board and collaborate with colleagues. Always follow general principles for consent and record-keeping to ensure compliance and protect student well-being.

As part of Tier 1 services, SLPs provide universal supports in classrooms, which may include:

Strategies for teachers to support communication
Suggestions for classroom setup and use of visual supports
Group screenings for speech, language, or literacy difficulties to identify students who may need further assessment

These supports are general in nature and focus on enhancing the classroom communication environment while working collaboratively with classroom staff.

Do I need consent or documentation for Tier 1 services?

Answer: It depends on the type of activity:

General “good-for-all” supports: If you are providing “good for all” information that is not specific and does not depend on the results of a screening or assessment, you do not need informed consent according to the Health Care Consent Act, 1996 (HCCA) or to keep records according to CASLPO’s Records Regulation and Documentation Standards. Some boards notify caregivers or relevant others with a general letter outlining the SLP’s role in the classroom, which is often sufficient.
Screenings: For group screenings, records must include the student’s name, group, date, nature and results of the screening, any action taken, and consent obtained (Records Regulation, 32 (3)). Boards often track these using spreadsheets instead of individual files.

How should I obtain consent for screenings?

Answer: Because screenings are considered an intervention, consent is required. Options include:

Sending consent forms to parents or guardians
Providing contact information so parents can ask questions and give truly informed consent
Remember that consent can be verbal or written, but it must be informed; parents should understand the nature, benefits, risks, alternatives, and potential consequences of not participating.
Colleagues may help send out consent forms and assist with obtaining consent; however the SLP or audiologist must ensure that informed consent has been received and properly documented before screening takes place.