2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 12 - Professions and Occupations
Health Care
Article 43.7 - Speech-Language Pathologists
§ 12-43.7-103. Definitions

As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Administrative unit" has the same meaning as set forth in section 22-20-103 (1), C.R.S.

(2) "Department" means the department of regulatory agencies.

(3) "Director" means the director of the division of professions and occupations or the director's designee.

(4) "Division" means the division of professions and occupations in the department created in section 24-34-102, C.R.S.

(5) "School speech-language pathologist" means a person licensed by the department of education to provide speech-language pathology services that are paid for by an administrative unit or a state-operated program. "School speech-language pathologist" includes a school speech-language pathology assistant authorized by the department of education pursuant to section 22-60.5-111 (10), C.R.S., to provide speech-language pathology services that are paid for by an administrative unit or a state-operated program.

(6) "Speech-language pathologist" or "certificate holder" means a person certified to practice speech-language pathology under this article.

(7) (a) "Speech-language pathology" means the application of principles, methods, and procedures related to the development, disorders, and effectiveness of human communication and related functions, which includes providing prevention, screening, consultation, assessment or evaluation, treatment, intervention, management, counseling, collaboration, and referral services for disorders of:

(I) Speech, such as speech sound production, fluency, resonance, and voice;

(II) Language, such as phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatic and social communication skills, and literacy skills;

(III) Feeding and swallowing; and

(IV) Cognitive aspects of communication, such as attention, memory, executive functioning, and problem solving.

(b) "Speech-language pathology" also includes establishing augmentative and alternative communication techniques and strategies, including the following:

(I) Developing, selecting, and prescribing augmentative or alternative communication systems and devices, such as speech generating devices;

(II) Providing services to individuals with hearing loss and their families, such as auditory training, speech reading, or speech and language intervention secondary to hearing loss;

(III) Screening individuals for hearing loss or middle ear pathology using conventional pure-tone air conduction methods, including otoscopic inspection, otoacoustic emissions, or screening tympanometry;

(IV) Using instrumentation such as videofluroscopy, endoscopy, or stroboscopy to observe, collect data, and measure parameters of communication and swallowing;

(V) Selecting, fitting, and establishing effective use of prosthetic or adaptive devices for communication, swallowing, or other upper aerodigestive functions, not including sensory devices used by individuals with hearing loss or the orthodontic movement of teeth for the purpose of correction of speech pathology conditions; and

(VI) Providing services to modify or enhance communication performance, such as accent modification and personal or professional communication efficacy.

(8) "State-operated program" has the same meaning as set forth in section 22-20-103 (28), C.R.S.