Government

In the state that I am from, I had a license to practice Speech-Language Pathology (allows me to work in clinics/privately) and a teaching certificate in Speech-Language impairment so that I could work in schools. The license is good for two years and you have to do 20 hours of continuing education every renewal period. If you get audited (supposed to be random), you have to show that you did the required 20 hours.

Of course, this year I got audited. I did 20 hours of continuing education in the field. So, I got my proof of continuing education and sent in my application and fee for my new license. My sister (mailing address I gave the state) got a letter saying that they didn't accept most of my continuing education. See, even though I did the hours within the period that my license is supposed to cover, I sent in my renewal late so they didn't accept it. Huh? Even though the law says it has to be done during the two year official period, they Department of Professional Regulations says that it has to be done within 24 months of your application. This means that continuing education I did in December 2003 may no longer count even though they counted it when I originally submitted my application.

To make things more complicated, the Department of Professional Regulations doesn't accept Department of Education approved continuing education. So, the continuing education that I did that I thought counted, doesn't. The lady I talked to on the phone said that there is a list of approved providers. I explained I looked for that list and couldn't find it. She said you have to call another department (or email them) and pay a fee to get the official list. So, I have to pay to do continuing education, pay to have the ability to practice, and pay to find out who I can pay for continuing education! Now that makes a lot of sense.

There was one thing that I learned from this whole process: if I go to continuing education that is not on the list (most of what I do here in Ireland), I can submit a description of the course within 90 days from when I took it and the Deparment of Professional Regulations can then determine whether or not to approve it. Otherwise, I can pay ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) to do continuing education online. That is how I am getting my current hours met. It actually costs less than most conferences and I am getting more hours. Gotta love the money machine of ASHA...