Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 4753 | Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
Section 4753.01 | Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist Definitions.

Effective: November 5, 1992
Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 179 - 119th General Assembly
As used in sections 4753.01 to 4753.12 of the Revised Code:
(A) "Speech-language pathologist" means a person who practices speech-language pathology and who represents himself to be a speech-language pathologist when he holds out to the public by any means, or by any service or function he performs, directly or indirectly, or by using the term "speech pathology," "speech pathologist," "speech correction," "speech correctionist," "speech therapy," "speech therapist," "speech clinic," "speech clinician," "language pathology," "language pathologist," "voice therapy," "voice therapist," "voice pathology," "voice pathologist," "logopedics," "logopedist," "communicology," "communicologist," "aphasiology," "aphasiologist," "phoniatrist," or any variation, synonym, coinage, or whatever expresses, employs, or implies these terms, names, or functions. "Person" means an individual, partnership, organization, or corporation, except that only individuals may be licensed under this law.
(B) "Speech-language pathology" means the application of principles, methods, or procedures related to the development and disorders of human communication. Disorders include any and all conditions, whether of organic or nonorganic origin, that impede the normal process of human communication including disorders and related disorders of speech, articulation, fluency, voice, oral and written language; auditory comprehension and processing; oral, pharyngeal or laryngeal sensorimotor competencies; mastication or deglutition following a medical examination by a physician licensed pursuant to Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code; auditory or visual processing; auditory or visual memory and cognition; communication; and assisted augmentative communication treatment and devices.
(C) "Practice of speech-language pathology" means planning, directing, supervising, and conducting habilitative or rehabilitative counseling programs for individuals or groups of individuals who have or are suspected of having disorders of communication, any service in speech-language pathology including prevention, identification, evaluation, consultation, habilitation or rehabilitation, instruction, and research.
The practice of speech-language pathology may include pure-tone air conduction hearing screening, screening tympanometry, and acoustic reflex screening, limited to a pass-or-fail determination for the identification of individuals with other disorders of communication. The practice of speech-language pathology also may include aural habilitation or rehabilitation which means the provision of services and procedures for facilitating adequate auditory, speech, and language skills in individuals with hearing impairment. The practice of speech-language pathology does not include the practice of medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery, or the performance of a task in the normal practice of medicine and surgery by a person to whom the task is delegated by a licensed physician.
(D) "Audiologist" means a person who practices audiology and who represents himself to be an audiologist by using the term "audiology," "audiologist," "audiometry," "audiometrist," "audiological," "hearing therapy," "hearing therapist," "hearing clinic," "hearing clinician," or "hearing aid audiologist," or any similar title.
(E) "Audiology" means the application of principles, methods, or procedures related to hearing and the disorders of hearing.
(F) "Disorders" includes any and all conditions, whether of organic or nonorganic origin, peripheral or central, that impede the normal process of human communication including disorders of auditory sensitivity, acuity, function, or processing.
(G) "Practice of audiology" means the planning, directing, supervising, and conducting of habilitative or rehabilitative counseling programs for individuals or groups of individuals who have or are suspected of having disorders of hearing; any service in audiology, including prevention, identification, evaluation, consultation, habilitation or rehabilitation, instruction, and research; participating in hearing conservation, hearing aid and assistive listening device evaluation, selection, preparation, dispensing, and orientation; fabricating ear molds; providing auditory training and speech reading; and administering tests of vestibular function and tests for tinnitus in accordance with section 4753.14 of the Revised Code. The "practice of audiology" includes speech and language screening limited to a pass-or-fail determination, for the purpose of identification of individuals with disorders of communication. The practice of audiology does not include the practice of medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery, or the performance of a task in the normal practice of medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery by a person to whom the task is delegated by a licensed physician.

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