Speech Language Pathology

Within the Speech Language Pathology field, there is one common concern between most certified pathologists and the organizations that back them. In recent years, speech language pathologists, commonly known as SLP’s, have been facing replacement within school systems by lesser qualified speech language pathology assistants, or SLPA’s. Understandably from the outside looking in, this could pose to be a prudent issue, however, with clear guidelines and monitoring, this introduction of assistants into schools could prove to be extremely helpful. SLP’s face caseloads that at times, are overwhelming, and with the help of an assistant, the work could be cut in half, allowing more patients to be seen, and have more thorough documentation of their
care. Many of the arguments against replacement of some SLP’s with assistants are based upon quality of care to be given, and the job loss of currently employed therapists.
Alternatively, I believe that as long as there are boundaries and standards to be kept in place between the two job positions, the introduction of assistants will greatly benefit everyone within the field. The two jobs hold different levels of responsibility and freedom within the workplace, and as long as these differences are kept in check, no problems should arise from this new system of care. Once the job market of an SLP is actually established, it is easy to see how relocation shouldn’t be an issue. Speech language pathology has a 21% rate of growth, compared to the average 7% of most American jobs (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor "Speech Language Pathologists: Occupational Outlook”). There are more than enough positions available, and the SLP field includes so many more aspects than just within school systems. This is to say that the fear of job loss is in a way obsolete, because of the sheer number of positions
available.
SLP’s, or speech language pathologists, serve many roles and positions within their varied field.
An SLP is a therapist who works to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, and social communication disorders (ASHA “ “Speech-Language Pathology Medical Review Guidelines”), and has a minimum education requirement of a master’s degree to be a certified field therapist. To compare, an SLPA, or a speech-language pathology assistant, at the minimum level of education needs an associate’s degree, and can only perform specific tasks and duties as instructed by their leading SLP. SLPA’s must go through rigorous training to be licensed to work in the field to ensure they can provide quality care. These therapist’s assistants need only to be used when appropriate, as they are within school systems, to provide the therapists relief from excessive caseloads and the responsibilities that come with them. This does mean that some therapists will have to be displaced for incoming SLPA’s, because in reality, there is no financial logic for the schools to employ more therapists than what it will take to efficiently take care of their patients when an assistant can accomplish many of these tasks. Simply looking at the types of positions available shows that there are several different branches of speech language pathology including, but not limited to careers in: education, hospitals, residential and nonresidential health care facilities, government facilities, public health
departments, and private practices (ASHA "Employment Settings for SLPs"). In addition to these fields, each provides their own realm of specialization, allowing for many job opportunities for both SLP’s and SLPA’s, allowing for a surplus of jobs, and plenty of positions for replaced therapists.
Conflict could arise within replacement of therapists with assistants if careful steps aren’t taken to maintain certain balances. For instance, a considerable concern is that there won’t be a balance between SLP’s and SLPA’s, causing a decline in quality of care. However, ensuring that there is a sustainable ratio of therapists to assistants, the care provided won’t be adversely affected. Jenifer Rust, and SLP at Methodist North Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, thoroughly explained this topic to me within an interview about the Speech-Language Pathology field. She has worked as an SLP for over 20 years, and has personally experienced this replacement of therapists within schools. She worked in a school system as an SLP, and was replaced by an assistant. Mrs. Rust informed me that at the time, it did make her bitter, but it opened her career up to so many possibilities and how the school she worked for runs so much more efficiently by having assistants to help the therapists with cases that otherwise would have overloaded them. To further this, Mrs. Rust spoke on how as long as there are enough therapists; the introduction of assistants is more beneficial than just hiring therapists alone. Assistants more often than not are more eager to do the menial parts of the job, not because they are expected to, but because in their training, those tasks and skills are more focused on in their training. Compared to an SLP who’s education is mostly based on the medical half of the job, they are not as adept as some of the assistants at these smaller tasks that still hold great importance. Assistants allow for more diligent documentation and communication between the SLP, SLPA, the patient, and the patient’s family.