Page last updated: January 13, 2021
Schools, health care facilities, and other practice settings have been forced to adjust to restrictions put in place related to COVID-19. As a result, opportunities for graduate student clinicians and clinical fellows to be physically present with clients/patients to participate in supervised clinical experiences as planned also have needed to be altered or have been canceled.
The CAA and CFCC are maintaining clock hour requirements in accordance with CAA accreditation standards and CFCC certification standards. However, the CFCC has extended through December 31, 2021, accommodations to allow hours/experience to be counted for ASHA certification in ways that were previously not allowed.
The amount of supervised clinical hours that may be obtained by graduate students through clinical simulation will not be expanded. Once the maximum has been reached toward supervised clinical hours, programs may employ clinical simulations to support a student’s remediation or continued development of skills and competencies.
The CFCC has received many inquiries related to expanding the use of clinical simulations to supplement direct client/patient experience, which the CFCC rejected. As you may be aware the certification standards already allow for up to 75 hours to occur at the undergraduate level and 75 hours to be acquired through clinical simulations, which means only 250 hours of the 400 hours of clinical practicum have to come from direct client/patient care, which can be done through telepractice. The CFCC believes these 250 hours are necessary to ensure students are ready to begin their CF experience.
The CAA‘s standards are not prescriptive about the use of telesupervision and telepractice; the standards discuss what expectations are for supervision, but not how clinical practice and clinical supervision are provided via tele options.
Please see the latest message from the CFCC outlining guidelines to address the growing concerns related to the COVID-19 situation and specific information for students and clinical educators.
Note: If a program uses telesupervision and telepractice, the program should be aware of applicable state licensure and/or certification restrictions related to tele options. We understand that several states do not permit the use of telepractice; however, given the current environment and need for health care services, many of those states are considering emergency legislation to permit for telepractice. If you have questions about telepractice within your state, please contact your state licensure boards or visit ASHA’s telepractice resources page to get information on state-by-state regulatory information on telepractice and temporary practice.