Arizona State License – SLPA

Arizona SLPAs, regardless of their setting, are licensed under the Arizona Department of Health Services. As of Jan 2024 SLPAs had three pathways to available to meet the licensing requirements https://www.azdhs.gov/documents/licensing/special/speech-hearing/forms/speech-language-pathology-assistant-initial.pdf?v=20220912

1, A valid SLP Assistant Certification from the American Speech-LanguageHearing Association (ASHA)
2. If you do not have an ASHA SLP Assistant Certification, but have a bachelor’s degree or higher: Provide transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable) or equivalent documentation issued to the applicant from an accredited college or university after the applicant’s completion of: A bachelor’s degree or higher, and No less than 20 semester credit hours of speech-language pathology technical course work A completed and signed supervised clinical interaction experience form were in the total number of hours must equal 100.
3. If you do not have an ASHA SLP Assistant Certification or a bachelor’s degree or higher: o Provide transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable) or equivalent documentation issued to the applicant from an accredited college or university after the applicant’s completion of a at least 60 semester credit hours of general education and speech-language pathology technical course work as specified in A.R.S. 36-1940.04(A) that requires: No less than 20 semester credit hours of general education No less than 20 semester credit hours of speech-language pathology technical course work o A completed and signed supervised clinical interaction experience form (see page 6). The total number of hours must equal 100.

Documentation of the required 100 hours of signed and supervised clinical interaction experience as well as documenting your supervising SLPA can be found on page 6 your initial license application.

Fingerprint Clearance Card

All individuals that work in the classroom are required to have an Identity Verified Prints (IVP) fingerprint clearance card per Arizona Revised Statute 15-106. Many non school placements for SLPAs may also require a IVP fingerprint clearance card.

IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card

  1. Visit the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) website.
  2. Select “Apply for a Card” for information on how to apply for your IVP fingerprint clearance card.
  3. Important! Be sure to request the Identity Verified Prints (IVP) application for Teacher Certification when contacting DPS.

For specific questions about obtaining, processing time, or renewing your IVP fingerprint clearance card please call the Arizona Department of Public Safety at 602-223-2279. The DPS establishes the procedures for applying for an IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card.

National Certification – SLPA

SLPAs are now eligible for a National Certification through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). This is one pathway to licensing in Arizona and as more states adopt the national certification it is one way to easily move from state to state and also show potential employers you wish to practice at the top of your license. You are still governed by the scope of practice and license renewal requirements of Arizona if you hold a C-SLPA certification.