Presented by: Kelly Ingram, MS, CCC-SLP

Effective supervision extends beyond ensuring clinical competence—it is about cultivating a strong supervisory working alliance that promotes learning, professional growth and successful transitions into clinical practice. Whether supervising a clinical fellow (CF), speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA), graduate student or newly hired clinician, supervisors have a profound influence on the development of future professionals. This presentation explores practical strategies for building meaningful supervisory relationships grounded in the philosophy, “Do unto others as you would have done to you—not as was done to you.” Participants will examine how intentional mentorship, adult learning principles and collaborative supervision models can foster trust, accountability and professional confidence. The session will review the regulatory responsibilities that guide supervision across clinical settings, introduce key resources that support evidence-based supervisory practice and discuss ways to align supervisory expectations with the cultural and generational values of today’s learners while maintaining high standards of professionalism. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing the lasting impact supervisors have on the professional identity, competence and retention of emerging clinicians. Participants will leave with practical tools to strengthen the supervisory working alliance and create supportive learning environments that benefit supervisees, supervisors and ultimately the clients they serve.

Learner Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the roles and responsibilities of supervisors and mentors across supervision models, including clinical fellowship (CF) mentors, speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) supervisors and graduate internship supervisors.
2. Explain collaborative models of supervision, including the principles of the supervisory working alliance and apply them to support effective mentoring relationships.
3. Identify and access at least three professional resources that guide supervisory practice and help establish clear expectations for supervisors and supervisees.
4. Describe priority values and expectations of current speech-language pathology students and early-career clinicians and integrate these considerations into a supervisory working alliance that balances professionalism, accountability and learner engagement.

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Presented by:  Jessica Lasky, MS, CCC-SLP

This presentation will focus on various barriers to providing high quality, patient-centered care, in various medical settings including acute care, IRF, skilled nursing, home health, and out-patient.

Learner Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will:

1. The learner will be able to identify 2 barriers to patient centered care.
2. The learner will have 3 resources to access information for improved patient care and clinical outcomes.
3. The learner will be able to demonstrate improved problem solving when faced with barriers in a variety of clinical settings.

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Presented by: Laura Weinrich, MS, CCC-SLP

Research consistently demonstrates that client outcomes are influenced not only by clinical techniques and treatment approaches, but also by the characteristics and behaviors of the clinician. This presentation explores the “human factors” that contribute to effective therapy, including therapeutic alliance, authenticity, communication style, self-awareness and professional identity. Participants will examine evidence related to therapist effects across helping professions and consider how cultivating these qualities can enhance clinical effectiveness, strengthen therapeutic relationships and improve client outcomes.

Learner Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Define the common factors model and explain how it differs from a treatment-specific view of why therapy works.
2. Summarize what research across helping professions shows about clinician effects on client outcomes and describe what speech-language pathology research has established.
3. Identify at least four clinician attributes and behaviors shown to strengthen the therapeutic alliance and describe how to apply two of them in their own clinical setting.

 Level of Learning: Intermediate

Presented by: Davis E. Henderson, PhD, CCC-SLP; Olivia Lindly, PhD; Keona Hosteen, MS

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication and the presence of restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior. ASD affects approximately 1 in 36 children in the United States, and many autistic individuals require ongoing services and supports across the lifespan. Access to these resources, however, remains limited in many rural and Indigenous communities. The Diné Parents Taking Action project sought to address these disparities by engaging Diné (Navajo) parents of children with ASD, culturally adapting Parents Taking Action (PTA), an evidence-based parent education and training program, for Diné families and conducting a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the culturally adapted program. Parent interviews identified a need for greater autism-specific awareness, family support groups and accessible services within and surrounding the Navajo Nation. Findings from the pilot study and participant feedback informed the development of the extension project, Autism Support, Community and Education in the Navajo Nation through the Diné Parents Taking Action Program (ASCEND). ASCEND builds upon the Diné PTA initiative by promoting the sustainability and broader dissemination of culturally responsive autism education, support and resources for Diné families, with the overarching goal of addressing inequities in access to autism-related services and supports within the Navajo Nation.

Learner Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Expand culturally responsive autism education and support for Diné families.
2. Strengthen community connections and autism-related resources across the Navajo Nation.
3. Sustain and expand the Diné Parents Taking Action program to improve access to autism services and supports for Diné children and families.

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Presented by Ivonne  Maldonado-De la Rosa, PhD, MLS, CCC-SLP

Social determinants of health (SDOH) can influence an individual’s access to, participation in and outcomes of speech-language pathology services. Factors such as economic stability, healthcare access, transportation, language, education, geographic location and social support may affect whether recommendations can be realistically implemented. This presentation will explore how SDOH may influence SLP services and clinical decision-making across the lifespan. Through case examples, participants will examine the gap that can occur between making an appropriate recommendation and implementing that recommendation within the realities of an individual’s or family’s life. Practical strategies will be discussed to help SLPs recognize barriers, ask about individual and family needs, adapt recommendations when appropriate, connect individuals with available resources and advocate for improved access to services.

Learning Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify social determinants of health that may impact access to and participation in SLP services.
2. Explain how SDOH may influence clinical recommendations and outcomes across SLP practice.
3. Discuss strategies to address barriers and advocate for equitable access to SLP services.

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Presented by: Amanda Beneke, MS, CCC-SLP, LSL Cert. AVT

Children who are deaf and hard of hearing have greater access to spoken language than ever before through advances in hearing technology, including hearing aids and cochlear implants. However, access to sound alone does not ensure the development of listening and spoken language. Professionals must understand how to intentionally target audition, facilitate auditory skill development and coach families to create meaningful listening opportunities throughout daily routines. This presentation will provide an overview of the foundational principles of Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) intervention, emphasizing how auditory access, brain development and purposeful listening experiences work together to support spoken language outcomes. Participants will explore the hierarchy of listening skills and learn practical strategies for developing audition in children who use hearing devices. A central focus of Listening and Spoken Language intervention is coaching parents and caregivers. Coaching empowers parents and caregivers to become their child’s primary language facilitators by embedding listening and language strategies into everyday interactions. Participants will learn how family-centered coaching promotes parent confidence, increases child engagement and improves long-term communication outcomes. Finally, the presentation will introduce the Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS®) certification pathway, including certification requirements, mentorship expectations and professional competencies. Attendees will gain insight into the benefits of becoming certified and how the credential supports evidence-based practice and improved outcomes for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Learner Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the essential components of Listening and Spoken Language and explain the importance of targeting audition to build listening skills in children who use hearing aids and cochlear implants.
2. Understand coaching strategies that empower parents and caregivers to become the primary facilitators of their child’s listening and spoken language development through everyday interactions.
3. Identify the requirements, competencies and professional benefits of pursuing Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS®) certification.

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Presented by: Summer Stout-Bloyer, MS, CCC-SLP

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the way health care and educational professionals access information, develop materials, complete documentation and manage daily clinical responsibilities. For speech-language pathologists, AI offers opportunities to reduce administrative burden, support clinical preparation, individualize therapy materials, enhance patient and caregiver education and improve efficiency across school, medical, private practice and community-based settings. However, the use of AI also introduces important ethical considerations related to confidentiality, protected health information (PHI), informed consent, accuracy, bias, transparency, clinical competence and overreliance on AI-generated information. This one-hour presentation will provide speech-language pathologists with a practical introduction to generative AI and its potential applications within speech-language pathology. Participants will explore examples of currently available AI platforms and learn how AI may be used to assist with tasks such as brainstorming treatment activities, creating individualized therapy materials, developing caregiver education, adapting reading levels, organizing clinical information, drafting documentation, generating home programs and supporting professional writing and administrative tasks. Emphasis will be placed on the speech-language pathologist’s responsibility to maintain clinical judgment and independently verify AI-generated information. Participants will examine the distinction between using AI as an assistive tool and allowing AI to perform functions requiring professional clinical judgment. Ethical considerations will include HIPAA and FERPA considerations, organizational policies, informed consent, potential AI hallucinations, bias, confidentiality, appropriate use of client information and the importance of human review. Through demonstrations and clinical examples, participants will leave with practical strategies for incorporating AI into professional workflows while maintaining ethical, evidence-based, person-centered practice.

Learner Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify at least four applications of artificial intelligence that may support speech-language pathology practice, including clinical preparation, documentation, therapy-material development, patient/caregiver education and administrative tasks.
2. Differentiate between appropriate AI-assisted tasks and clinical decisions that require the professional judgment of the speech-language pathologist.
3. Identify at least three ethical or professional risks associated with AI use, including confidentiality and PHI exposure, inaccurate or fabricated information, bias, informed-consent concerns and overreliance on AI-generated recommendations.
4. Apply a structured prompting strategy to generate clinically useful materials while maintaining appropriate privacy protections and clinician oversight.

 Level of Learning: Intermediate

Presented by: Fe Murray

Speech-language pathologists are increasingly asked to evaluate children who are multilingual or who speak a dialect of English that differs from Mainstream American English, yet many clinicians report feeling unprepared to make accurate diagnostic decisions. During this practical one-hour session, participants will learn evidence-based indicators for distinguishing developmental language disorder (DLD) from language and dialect variations. The presentation will highlight assessment approaches that help clinicians gather meaningful information about a child’s language abilities and experiences beyond standardized test scores. This session is designed for both monolingual and bilingual SLPs who seek greater confidence in making equitable diagnostic decisions and will provide practical resources and tools that can be applied in clinical practice.

 Learner Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify key indicators that help distinguish developmental language disorder (DLD) from language and dialect variations
2. Describe evidence-based assessment practices for gathering meaningful information
3. Apply practical resources and clinical decision-making strategies to improve the evaluation of multilingual and dialect-speaking children.

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Presented by: Laura Weinrich, MS, CCC-SLP

If clinicians themselves are an essential component of effective therapy, how do we sustain the people providing care? This presentation examines burnout prevention through the lens of professional identity, values-based practice and clinician wellbeing. Participants will explore practical approaches to maintaining resilience, fostering career satisfaction and creating a sustainable practice that benefits both clinicians and the individuals they serve.

Learner Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the three dimensions of burnout and distinguish burnout from ordinary job stress.
2. Identify the organizational conditions and individual factors that together produce burnout risk and assess their own practice setting against them.
3. Apply an energy audit to their current obligations and select one demand-reduction action and one resource-building action.

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Presented by: Anna Sosa, PhD, CCC-SLP

A 2025 publication by Aravind Namasivayam and colleagues (Namasivayam, et al., 2025) has sparked conversation about potential underlying causes of certain types of speech sound errors.  The authors claim that results of their study, which investigates the relationship between phonological processes and observed difficulties with certain aspects of speech motor control, suggest that motor control, or specifically deficits in motor control, may contribute more to speech errors that are often categorized as phonological than has generally been discussed in the existing literature. Did you see the article?  Have you seen the online discussion about the findings?  What do you think?  What do you know about the theories of Natural Phonology or Articulatory Phonology?  What do your colleagues have to say about all of it?  Is it going to, or should it, change how we think about assessment, diagnosis and treatment for children with speech sound disorder?  Let’s talk about it!

Learner Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe overall findings of the Namasivayam et al. (2025) study and discuss potential clinical implications of the findings.
2. Differentiate between claims that are or are not substantiated by the results of the Namasivayam et al. (2025) study.
3. Explain, at an introductory level, how various phonological theories discuss the relationship between articulatory and phonological development.

Level of Learning: Intermediate