37-15-102. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following definitions apply:
     (1) "ASHA" means the American speech-language-hearing association.
     (2) "Association" means the Montana speech-language and hearing association.
     (3) "Audiologist" means a person who practices audiology and who meets the qualifications set forth in this chapter. A person represents to the public that the person is an audiologist by incorporating in any title or description of services or functions that the person directly or indirectly performs the words "audiologist", "audiology", "audiometrist", "audiometry", "audiological", "audiometrics", "hearing clinician", "hearing clinic", "hearing therapist", "hearing therapy", "hearing center", "hearing aid audiologist", or any similar title or description of services.
     (4) "Audiology aide" means any person meeting the minimum requirements established by the board of speech-language pathologists and audiologists who works directly under the supervision of a licensed audiologist.
     (5) "Board" means the board of speech-language pathologists and audiologists provided for in 2-15-1739.
     (6) "Department" means the department of labor and industry provided for in Title 2, chapter 15, part 17.
     (7) "Practice of audiology" means rendering or offering to render a service in audiology to individuals or groups of individuals who have or are suspected of having hearing disorders. These services include:
     (a) prevention, identification, measurement, testing, evaluation, prediction, consultation, habilitation, rehabilitation, instruction, and research;
     (b) participating in hearing conservation and hearing aid and assistive listening device evaluation, prescription, preparation, dispensing, and orientation;
     (c) fabricating ear molds;
     (d) providing auditory training and speech reading;
     (e) conducting tests of vestibular function;
     (f) evaluating tinnitus;
     (g) planning, directing, conducting, or supervising programs that render or offer to render a service in audiology; and
     (h) speech or language screening, limited to a pass/fail determination.
     (8) "Practice of speech-language pathology" means rendering or offering to render a service in speech-language pathology to individuals or groups of individuals who have or are suspected of having communication disorders. These services include:
     (a) prevention, identification, measurement, testing, evaluation, prediction, consultation, habilitation, and rehabilitation;
     (b) determining the need for augmentative communication systems and providing training in the use of these systems;
     (c) planning, directing, conducting, or supervising programs that render or offer to render a service in speech-language pathology;
     (d) nondiagnostic pure-tone air conduction, tympanometry, and acoustic reflex screening, limited to a pass/fail determination;
     (e) aural rehabilitation, which includes services and procedures for facilitating adequate receptive and expressive communication in individuals with hearing impairment;
     (f) oral motor rehabilitation, which includes services and procedures for evaluating and facilitating face, lip, and tongue mobility and control;
     (g) cognitive retraining, which includes services and procedures for evaluating and facilitating memory, attention, reasoning, processing, judgment, and other related areas in individuals with language impairment resulting from head injury, stroke, or other insult; and
     (h) dysphagia therapy, which includes services and procedures for evaluating and facilitating swallowing and feeding in those individuals with swallowing disorders.
     (9) "Speech-language pathologist" means a person who practices speech-language pathology and who meets the qualifications set forth in this chapter. A person represents to the public that the person is a speech-language pathologist by incorporating in any title or description of services or functions that the person directly or indirectly performs the words "speech pathologist", "speech pathology", "speech correctionist", "speech corrections", "speech therapist", "speech therapy", "speech clinician", "speech clinic", "language pathologist", "language pathology", "voice therapist", "voice therapy", "voice pathologist", "voice pathology", "logopedist", "logopedics", "communicologist", "communicology", "aphasiologist", "aphasiology", "phoniatrist", "language therapist", "language clinician", or any similar title or description of services or functions.
     (10) "Speech-language pathology aide" means a person meeting the minimum requirements established by the board who works directly under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist.

     History: En. 66-3902 by Sec. 2, Ch. 543, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 66-3902; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 22, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 274, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 413, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 93, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 56, Ch. 429, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 124, Ch. 483, L. 2001.