Speech Therapy Certification in Nebraska
When attempting to practice speech therapy in the state of Nebraska you must have an intricate knowledge of the requirements involved. You must also be well learned in what the capabilities of this field entail including the assessment and rehabilitation of peoples with language as well as auditory issues in some cases. One must study hard in order to be certified apply the principles associated with treating and evaluating language skills in other individuals. In addition to this there are a host of classes and certifications that must be completed before a person can even hope to begin to practice in this field including the gaining of a MA in speech and language pathology or one of similar relevance to the field.
Additional requirements for being certified to practice speech and language pathology or speech therapy in Nebraska including a person who wants to practice being of good character and the appropriate age to do so. In Nebraska, being age 19 or above is necessary to be certified as well as being a citizen or resident of the US. A law has also passed in Nebraska that a person must graduate from an accredited degree program with a master's or doctorate degree after the date of September 1, 2007 in order to practice speech-language pathology or audiology. As far as passing the rigorous examination required for this type of work, one must score a 600 or above.
In addition to the education requirements that are necessary to involve yourself in this type of work, you must have loads of professional experience. This professional experience includes going through many supervised clinical trials by already licensed professionals for a period that is no less than 36 weeks. This includes being supervised full time as well or having an equal amount of half time experience. This supervision also consists of a person who is trying to be certified managing treatment programs. If the potential pathologist or therapist hopes to become certified the training involved must also be successful as the potential pathologist is monitored and evaluated throughout their training.
In addition to this, the applying speech therapist must be endorsed by a professional and nationwide accrediting organization before certification occurs. This accrediting organization also must be certified by the American Speech Language and Hearing Association or an equivalent organization. There is also much documentation required to proceed toward gaining your certification. This documentation includes an application for licensing which has a fee of $140 and proof of age. Though your license or identification card can be used for the purposes of applying to be certified, other documentation must also be presented in order to prove your citizenship or residency in the US. Documents that can prove citizenship or residency include passports, birth certificates and certificates of citizenship.
Other documentation that must be submitted include an official transcript from your accredited college which shows successful completion of your rigorous course load in audiology or speech-language pathology,. You must also submit the official document suggesting you passed the PRAXIS Series specialty test for speech and language pathology with a score of 600 or above. This test score must be sent from the educational testing service directly or the accreditation process cannot be completed. There is also documentation to be presented from the clinic where you did your trials suggesting that you successfully completed them and that all required hours have also been completed. In addition to this documentation, if a person is convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, police records and an explanation of each charge is required for accreditation. A person applying must notify the department of these within 30 days of applying for their credentials and thus beginning to practice speech therapy.