Regulatory Thoughts

March 2024

Dear registrants,

Engaging with you has been a focus for the College over the first three months of the year. Consistent with a key component of ACSLPA’s vision, establishing meaningful contacts and connections will continue to be a priority for the College and for us personally. Professional regulators, like ACSLPA, have a responsibility to engage with the public and other partners in the healthcare and education systems. Engagement with regulated members is equally important to good professional regulation. Regulated members have insight into the issues being encountered by the public accessing their services and the challenges to receiving safe, competent, and ethical care.

You may have noticed an email about a new initiative that arrived in your inbox last Thursday. ACSLPA sent each non-courtesy registrant a link to a registrant survey being overseen by a third party. The feedback received through this survey will be used to inform ACSLPA’s decision-making, help evaluate the College’s effectiveness, assist ACSLPA with improving the services provided to registrants and applicants, and help the College understand the perspectives and experiences of registrants. Your input will help guide the College as it considers regulatory solutions in an ever changing world that includes increased virtual care, artificial intelligence, and a better understanding of how discrimination negatively impacts health outcomes for marginalized groups. Thank you to the over 219 people who have already started or completed their survey!

Staff and Council also appreciated the perspectives registrants have generously shared in their responses to surveys about the potential introduction of a pre-authorized pre-payment plan and a potential advanced authorization for SLPs to be able to order ionizing radiation for the purpose of videofluoroscopic swallowing studies. The results of the first survey were shared in February’s Essentials. The results of the advanced authorization survey will be shared soon – watch your email. Council’s decisions on these matters
will be shared by the end of June.

We, as leaders, have also had the opportunity to engage with registrants who have had questions about professional regulation and fees, and with individuals who generously volunteer their time to participate as members of statutory committees, ad hoc committees, and ACSLPA’s Council. The College could not fulfill its mandate without the participation of the Alberta public, SLPs, and audiologists who engage in public service in these ways. If you are interested in participating in the regulation of your profession, consider volunteering to become a member of the Nominations Committee and watch for the call for Council nominations later this year.

We invite you to continue to engage with us and with College staff. Please reach out with your comments, questions, feedback, and ideas, or attend an upcoming webinar. And importantly, please remember to click on the registrant survey link that was emailed to you on March 14. Your feedback matters to staff and ACSLPA Council and is vital to ensuring competent, safe, and ethical audiology and SLP services for the Alberta public.

Sincerely,