Truman’s Communication Disorders Department has been reapproved for an additional five years as an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) approved continuing education provider.

ASHA approved providers extend Continuing Education Units for the courses they offer to audiologists and speech-language pathologists. The recognition includes all courses that meet the ASHA Continuing Education Board standards.

Truman offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in CMDS. Most notably, the program allows for extensive hands-on experience through the Speech and Hearing Clinic. Student clinicians and faculty provide speech, language and hearing screening, assessment and treatment services through the clinic. The student clinicians work under the direct supervision of faculty who are fully licensed and certified.

“By achieving reapproval through ASHA, we will continue to offer low- and no-cost offerings for local clinicians in the coming years,” said Amy Teten, assistant professor and chair of communication disorders. “We have enjoyed being able to repay our community partners who participate in the clinical education of our students by providing such offerings.”

In order to achieve ASHA approved status, the CMDS Department completed a rigorous application process and successfully demonstrated adherence to the ASHA Continuing Education Board standards that focus on the design, development, administration and evaluation of its continuing education courses offered for audiologists and speech-language pathologists. The reapproval process involved the review of all courses offered by Truman in the past five-year period.

ASHA is the national professional, scientific and credentialing association for more than 198,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists and speech, language and hearing scientists.