2023 Annual Plan and Budget
Approved September 17, 2022
Published September 28, 2022
Part 1 – Introduction and Background
ACSLPA regulates the practice of speech language pathologists and audiologists on behalf of all Albertans by establishing, maintaining, and enforcing standards for competent, safe, and ethical practice. ACSLPA’s regulatory work includes but is not limited to:
- setting admission standards for the professions,
- considering applications for regulated membership and issuing practice permits,
- creating and enforcing a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice,
- investigating complaints of unprofessional conduct,
- creating guidelines and practice documents, and
- enforcing Continuing Competence standards.
ACSLPA is an independent public agency created and empowered by the Health Professions Act (HPA). The College operates under a shared-governance model in which 50% of the governing Council are made up of individuals from the public appointed by Government (vacancies remain) and 50% are made up of regulated members of ACSLPA.
Under shared governance, ACSLPA’s members continue to experience many of the privileges of self-regulation, meaning that ACSLPA’s regulation is shaped substantially by professional members of the College who are obligated to the public and to each other to uphold the public interest. Features of self-regulation continue to be present through the volunteer work of professional members on the ACSLPA Council, Registration Committee, Membership List, Continuing Competence Committee, and various taskforces and working groups who meet throughout the year. Self-regulation is also demonstrated through the individual efforts of members in their practice who uphold the public interest through their work and their commitment to competent, ethical practice each day.
In addition to “business as usual” and incremental improvements to our operations, the focus of the 2023 Annual Plan and Budget is to implement the first year of ACSLPA’s new 2023-2025 Strategic Plan.
The 2023 Annual Plan and Budget is intended to help interested stakeholders learn more about ACSLPA’s direction and priorities for the year. The annual plan has been prepared by staff and approved and endorsed by ACSLPA Council.
Nicole Baumback, R.SLP, President | Michael Neth, P. Eng., Registrar & CEO
ACSLPA regulates two distinct but related professions; audiology and speech-language pathology.
The College is a dynamic professional regulatory organization. It deals with duties and obligations of a regulator as well as the challenges and opportunities of a not-for profit organization.
Almost all ACSLPA’s operating revenue comes from dues and fees paid by its roughly 1,800 regulated members.
ACSLPA is governed by a Council that consists of:
- six (6) regulated SLPs and Audiologists selected by members of the College through an election process, and
- six (6) public members appointed by the Government of Alberta to represent the public (vacancies remain).
The College staff currently consists of:
- five (5) full-time employees,
- two (2) part-time employees,
- one (1) casual employee; and
- one (1) casual contractor.
ACSLPA has the following committees, which include volunteer registered members:
- Registration Committee,
- Competence Committee,
- Membership List (source of members for Hearing Panels and Complaint Review Committees),
- Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee, and
- Nominations Committee (includes Council member(s)).
Ad-hoc committees, working groups, and taskforces are called as needed.
Part II – Planned Activities & Costs by Function and Area
The total budgeted operating expense for ACSLPA’s operational activities in 2023 is $1,451,250 (2022 operating budget: $1,353,266) against anticipated revenues of $1,182,000 (2022 budgeted operating revenue: $1,217,240). The result will be a budgeted shortfall of $269,250 which will be drawn from ACSLPA’s invested savings. Invested savings plus reserves were $1,631,331 on June 30, 2022, which is significantly above our required reserved amount of $1,100,000.
ACSLPA’s 2023 capital budget is $59,500. Capital spending is amortized, or expensed against ACSLPA’s operating budget, over the useful life of assets. For example, the capital cost of ACSLPA’s new re-designed website will be expensed against the Administration area budget over 3 years from 2023 to 2025.
2023 Function Budget: $77,000
2022 Function Budget: $77,537
The Governance function encompasses the functional areas of Council & Governance, Key College Documents (which includes Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, Guidelines, and other related regulatory tools), and Affiliations.
2023 Area Budget: $54,000
2022 Area Budget: $34,625
The Council of ACSLPA fulfills leadership and adjudicative roles. In its leadership role, the Council is the governing body of the College. In its adjudicative role, the Council hears reviews and appeals from the registration and conduct areas of the College.
In 2023, the work of the Council will include:
- Orientation for new and returning Council members,
- Nomination and election of Council members,
- Five (5) regular hybrid Council meetings (full day), of which two (2) will occur in Calgary for those attending in person, and special meetings as needed,
- Five (5) Council dinners with stakeholders,
- One (1) retreat (1.5 days), which will be planned at a central location in Alberta,
- Registrar & CEO performance and compensation reviews,
- Training for the President/Chair of Council, and
- Regular Executive, Governance, Nominations and Audit and Risk Management committee meetings.
Elected Council members will receive honorariums for attendance at meetings in accordance with policy. The Council has discretionary funds available for consultants, contractors, special training, or facilitators.
Areas of special focus for 2023 will include:
- Clarify the role of Council and its relationship with staff,
- Adopt an updated Council Code of Conduct,
- Clarify ACSLPA’s stance on EDI and government relations, and
- Conduct a feasibility study of options for College sustainability in 2025 and beyond.
2023 Area Budget: $15,000
2022 Area Budget: $33,412
Key College Documents are the set of directives or principles that govern the conduct of regulated members in their professional practice. ACSLPA has a legislated obligation to establish, maintain, and enforce standards of practice and a code of ethics, and to provide direction to regulated members in their practice.
In 2023, the routine work in the Key College Documents functional area will include:
- Ongoing incremental improvements and/or updates to key College documents as required.
Areas of special focus for 2023 will include:
- Updating ACSLPA’s existing English Language Learners Guideline, and
- Scoping a future update to the Competency Profiles for the professions.
2023 Area Budget: $8,000
2022 Area Budget: $9,500
ACSLPA’s effectiveness is enhanced through its affiliations with other organizations that have similar interests and needs. Working in association with others allows for harmonization of requirements, mutual assistance (particularly on complex regulatory matters), and sharing of costs and workload on issues of common concern.
In 2023, the routine work in the Affiliations functional area will include:
- Alberta Federation of Regulated Health Professions (AFRHP):
- Legislative Renewal and Action Committee,
- Continuing Competence Interest Group,
- Registration Interest Group,
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Interest Group,
- Complaints Process Working Group,
- Hearings Director Working Group,
- Virtual Care Interest Group, and
- Communications Interest Group.
- Other affiliations to maintain:
- Alberta Health Services (AHS),
- Alberta Education,
- Alberta Ministry of Health,
- University of Alberta Communication Sciences and Disorders and Rehabilitation Medicine departments,
- Canadian Council of University Programs in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CCUP-ASLP),
- Council for the Accreditation of Canadian University Programs in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CACUP-ASLP),
- Including the National Regulatory Panel (NRP),
- Canadian National Alliance of Regulators (CNAR),
- Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE),
- The Working Group for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Regulators, and
- Individual Colleges in Alberta and Canada with common interests/needs.
2023 Function Budget: $65,250
2022 Function Budget: $80,752
The Regulatory function encompasses the functional areas of Registration/Renewal/Title Enforcement, Complaints & Investigations, Hearings & Appeals, Continuing Competence, Committee Development and Recognition, and Practice Support.
Year-over-year budget decrease is due to a reallocation of budget between functions. Some budget was moved to Corporate Services.
An overall 2023 focus for Regulatory will be the development of a framework outlining principles to be used in ACSLPA’s regulation and decision making.
2023 Area Budget: $10,000
2022 Area Budget: $7,964
One of the key pillars of ACSLPA’s regulatory mandate is to establish, maintain, and enforce registration, title, and renewal standards for the professions. Registration includes admissions (applications), renewal, reinstatement, status changes, the public and internal registers, interprovincial mobility, foreign qualification recognition, and currency hours. Effectiveness in this area requires establishing admissions requirements and standards, engaging with pan-Canadian stakeholders, and close adherence to the Fair Registration Practice Act.
In 2023, the routine work in the Registration/Renewal/Title Enforcement functional area will include:
- Registrations, renewals, reinstatements, retirements, and status changes,
- Ongoing incremental improvements and/or updates to registration processes and policies,
- Receiving complaints against individuals and companies for inappropriate use of reserved SLP and audiology titles,
- Identifying non-compliance related to title use through self-initiated searches, and
- Contacting individuals and organizations that are suspected of being non-compliant to educate them about the reserved title provisions of the HPA and promote compliance. In some instances, legal action may be required to ensure compliance.
Areas of special focus for 2023 will include:
- Researching regulatory policies in other countries,
- Refreshing content of jurisprudence program,
- Updating registration messaging in keeping with Fair Registration Practices Act and principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,
- Re-examining English Language Proficiency requirements,
- Monitoring implementation of the Cross Provincial Practice Agreement, making improvements as necessary, and
- Implementing a Labour Mobility Act if proclaimed by the Government.
2023 Area Budget: $27,250
2022 Area Budget: $11,000
One of the key pillars of ACSLPA’s regulatory mandate is to receive and investigate complaints against members for unprofessional (unskilled or unethical) practice. The Complaints and Investigations functional area requires the legislated authority of the Complaints Director and Investigator(s) at various points. Primary areas of focus include establishing and communicating appropriate processes, conducting investigations, administering fair and impartial processes and decision-making, identifying opportunities for improvement in other regulatory areas and supporting their adoption, and elevating general awareness of professional conduct among members and the public. The 2023 budget is higher then the 2022 budget as a result of an increasing frequency and complexity of complaints received from the public.
In 2023, the routine work in the Complaints/Investigations functional area
will include:
- Receiving and responding to complaints, and
- Advising from a conduct perspective on other regulatory projects and College work.
Areas of special focus for 2023 will include:
- Developing and implementing publication frameworks,
- Optimizing professional conduct processes, and
- Refreshing conduct content of jurisprudence program.
2023 Area Budget: $0
2022 Area Budget: $8,600
As part of ACSLPA’s key pillar to receive and investigate complaints against members for unprofessional (unskilled or unethical) practice, ACSLPA also administers hearings, appeals, registration reviews, and complaint reviews. Hearings are called for the purpose of determining whether a member has engaged in unprofessional conduct. Appeals, registration reviews, and complaint reviews exist as an accountability measure to ensure decisions are fair and appropriate in the circumstances. The Hearings and Appeals functional area requires the legislated authority of the Hearings Director, Complaints Review Committees, Hearing Tribunals, and Council at various points.
It is not possible to accurately predict income or expenses for this functional area each year as they depend on the complaints that are received and decisions of the tribunals or committees with respect to fines and cost recovery awarded to ACSLPA. Historically, in most years ACSLPA has no hearings, review committees and appeals, and thus no income or costs. In 2023, ACSLPA will transition to budgeting $0 for current year Hearings & Appeal income and expenses when no hearings or appeals are scheduled, and instead move funds from the Professional Conduct Reserve to cover costs for current year tribunals and committees as needed. The Professional Conduct Reserve will be replenished the following year and this amount will be included in that year’s budget.
In 2023, the routine work in the Hearings/Appeals functional area will include:
- Receive requests and applications for hearings, appeals, registration reviews, and complaint reviews as needed.
Area of special focus for 2023 will include:
- Documenting and optimizing hearing processes.
2023 Area Budget: $7,500
2022 Area Budget: $13,313
One of the key pillars of ACSLPA’s regulatory mandate is to establish, maintain and enforce a Continuing Competence Program. Primary areas of focus include establishing and communicating the requirements of the Continuing Competence Program, administering fair and impartial processes and decision-making, conducting an annual audit of participation by members in the program, addressing competence concerns, and elevating general awareness of the importance of Continuing Competence among members and the public.
Previously established in policy, ACSLPA’s Continuing Competence Program must be established in Standards of Practice in accordance with Bill 46.
Year-over-year budget decrease is due to a reallocation of budget between functional areas.
In 2023, the routine work in Continuing Competence will include:
- Assisting regulated members to participate in the Continuing Competence Program by responding to inquiries and facilitating access to the online tools.
Areas of special focus for 2023 will include:
- Completing first audit of new Continuing Competence Program, and
- Piloting the practice assessment components of the new CCP; namely, the interview, record review and on-site visit components of the program.
2023 Area Budget: $17,500
2022 Area Budget: $11,250
The purpose of Committee Development and Recognition is to develop and recognize the volunteer members of our statutory, standing and ad hoc committees. Education and training are provided for committee members to assist them with fulfilling their committee responsibilities. Members of Statutory Committees will receive honorariums for attendance at meetings in accordance with policy.
In 2023, the routine work in Committee Development & Recognition will include:
- Training for committee members, and
- Recognizing the contributions of committee members.
2023 Area Budget: $3,000
2022 Area Budget: $28,625
Practice support includes providing proactive information to members on professional practice issues and topics including Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, Advisory Statements, and Practice Guidelines. Some information is pushed out to members and some is provided in response to individual or group inquiries. Member education aims to provide opportunities for members to increase their competence and awareness of professional practice issues. Topics are selected based on their current relevance, particularly in relation to possible issues that may present a risk to the public.
Year-over-year budget decrease is due to a reallocation of budget between functional areas.
In 2023, the work in Practice Support will include:
- Virtual member education sessions on professional practice issues throughout the year,
- Practice support to members via telephone, email, website, social media and written articles,
- Members’ forum (or similar event), and
- Participation in student training in the University of Alberta Communication Sciences and Disorders Department in a range of professional topics to better equip them for success as practicing professionals and to better familiarize them with the role of ACSLPA as a public agency.
Areas of special focus for 2023 will include:
- Ongoing support to regulated members in relation to the new Continuing Competence Program, and
- Rolling out new Key College Documents, including the new English Language Learners Guideline (once complete), the Hearing Screening Guideline, and new Standards of Practice for Restricted Activities and Female Genital Mutilation.
2023 Function Budget: $1,309,000
2022 Function Budget: $1,194,977
2023 Capital Budget: $59,500
2022 Capital Budget: $29,500
The Corporate Services function encompasses the functional areas of Administration, and Salaries, Wages, and Benefits. These functions are necessary to support the organizational mission and ensure the effective and efficient delivery of work that serves the public interest.
2023 Area Budget: $332,000
2022 Area Budget: $294,728
2023 Capital Budget: $59,500
2022 Capital Budget: $29,500
The Administration functional area encompasses all the overhead costs required to support ACSLPA except salaries and wages. This includes everything from paper and postage to contract professional services and information technology (IT) security.
Year-over-year budget increase reflects inflationary pressure on cost of routine work and new costs for areas of special focus for 2023.
Capital spending is depreciated, or expensed against ACSLPA’s operating budget, over the useful life of the asset (e.g., The capital cost of ACSLPA’s new re-designed website will be expensed again the Administration area budget over 3 years from 2023 to 2025).
In 2023, the routine work in Administration will include:
- Providing operational support and resources for all regulatory, governance, and member support/outreach activities,
- Accounting, year-end audit, and annual reporting,
- Management and stewardship of investments and accounts,
- Maintenance and support of IT infrastructure and security,
- Communications, and
- Ongoing incremental improvements and/or updates to finance, human resources, IT, occupational health and safety, and communications processes and policies.
Areas of special focus in 2023 will include:
- Starting a review of ACSLPA’s human resources policies by a human resources consultant,
- Re-designing ACSLPA’s website with the assistance of consultants,
- Developing a communications metrics framework for ACSLPA’s communications channels (will require external expertise),
- Begin updating jurisprudence modules, and
- Developing an ACSLPA communications style guideline.
2023 Area Budget: $977,000
2022 Area Budget: $900,249
Salaries, wages & benefits are by far ACSLPA’s largest cost center. The reason for this is that we provide services to people (members, the public, stakeholders, etc.) and the bulk of those services are provided by staff. ACSLPA does not have significant materials, facilities, or product costs because, unlike some other businesses, our materials and products are mainly ideas and words (written, spoken, or otherwise).
Year-over-year budget increase is due to a reallocation of budget between functional areas (majority), increasing payroll taxes, and a cost of living increase for employees.