SLPA FAQs
Welcome speech language pathology students, experts, and community! Here you can find speech language assistant (SLA) resources to support you in advocacy, understanding, and empowerment. SLA’s are valued professionals and skilled leaders. Together, we strengthen our profession and create a brighter future for those we serve.
What is an SLA: Speech Language Assistants deliver therapy services to children and adults under the supervision of an SLP. SLAs play a vital role in supporting SLPs by increasing availability for direct services, as they do not attend IEP meetings. In this partnership, SLAs assist with responsibilities such as scheduling, documentation, lesson planning and implementation, following treatment plans, developing materials, and ensuring smooth delivery of services.Through their specialized training and ongoing mentorship from SLPs, SLAs make a significant difference in the lives of the students and clients they support. They are key to improving the availability, frequency, and efficiency of services throughout the state.
Additional Resources:
How to become a NH SLA: New Hampshire licenses Speech Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) under a Speech Language Assistant (SLA) title. To qualify in NH, you need to hold an accredited Associates degree or higher in a Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) field. The University of New Hampshire offers an SLPA Program with an Associates in Science degree for CSD and offers Bachelor's and Master’s degrees as well. ASHA offers an additional list of training program options as well.
New Hampshire's Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (NH-OPLC), or our governing board of Speech-Language Pathology and Hearing Care Providers, outlines these eligibility requirements and application procedures as follows in the Rules section (600s).
Apply/Renew here at NHOPLC *Please check the NHOPLC website for the most up to date information
Additional Resources:
New SLPA Checklist (or relocation)
Career Expectations of an SLA: As an SLA you are expected to work under the supervision of a SLP, in collaboration with other diverse professionals and families, and with children having complex needs. Some skills required for the field are as follows:
Flexible, teachable, collaborative, organized, creative, proactive, dependable, compassionate,digitally competent, strong writing skills, takes initiative, and capable of leadership and critical thinking.
NH SLAs have very clear expectations of what is in and out of our Scope of Practice. These are identified in the NH-OPLC, which we must follow. The national association ASHA (American Speech Language Hearing Association) has a new Scope of practice to be used as a guideline for state rules/regulations but have not been adopted by NHOPLC laws/rules yet.
Additional Resource:
Why hire an SLA: SLAs are trained and qualified to carry out many of the treatment tasks, procedures, and activities that support individuals with communication and related disorders. When SLAs are properly trained, supervised, and mentored by an SLP, they become a dream team that makes a difference in the lives of the families they serve.They also make an impact on their career setting with their productivity and efficiency too. The Speech Language Pathology field is a critical shortage area with a growing population of people with needs. Let's inspire and promote SLAs in order to better serve the people we wish to advocate for!
Additional resources:
Supervising SLA Requirements: The SLA and SLP partnership includes supervision requirements. The role of supervision is to “ensure client safety and quality of care” by providing “oversight and feedback” for SLAs(Ostergen). Active licensed NH SLPs can supervise up to two full time SLAs. Best practices include (but are not limited to) discussing each person's supervision expectations, how they may want feedback, how documentation will work, and scheduling a daily supervision meeting.
-
Complete the Supervision form
-
For the first 90 work days, 20% Direct & 10% Indirect supervision of the clinical time for the work week is expected.
-
After the first 90 work days (with less than 5 years), 10% Direct and 10% Indirect supervision of the clinical time for the work week is expected.
-
5 years of experience or more, the amount of supervision is at the discretion of the supervising speech-language pathologist, with no less than 1 hour of direct supervision and 1 hour of indirect supervision per week.
Supervision discussions help both the SLP & SLA with client perspectives, field growth, fluid communication amongst different buildings, and above all the quality of our services.
*Please check the NHOPLC website for the most up to date information
Additional resources:
ASHA SLPA Skills Inventory Tool / ASHA Article on SLPA Skills Inventory Use
Why Supervise an SLA/Student: Supervising an SLPA/student in New Hampshire may require additional planning and oversight, but it is also an investment that benefits both clinicians and clients. By coaching an SLPA, SLPs can benefit by strengthening their leadership skills, and delegate routine tasks to focus more on evaluation, treatment planning, and time on complex cases.
To make supervision more manageable, supervisors can use structured observation checklists, scheduled feedback sessions, and shared documentation systems to streamline communication and reduce extra workload. It’s also important to advocate with employers for supervision pay or protected time, since supervision is a professional responsibility that ensures compliance with ASHA and/or state guidelines while enhancing the overall quality and reach of speech services. By investing in supervision, SLPs help shape the next generation of skilled professionals who uphold the same high standards of care.
Additional Resource:
ASHA Article on Benefits of Supervising an SLPA
ASHA Article on SLPAs as the “Extra pair of hands you needed”
Maintain/Renew SLA Credentials: SLAs are to complete 12 hours of CEUs every 2 years at certification renewal. We are expected to manually input these into the CE Broker website.
CEUs can be in the form of …
-
academic instruction, seminars, conferences, workshops, facility-based in-service training, conventions, and qualifying webinars and/or video courses.
Our association offers CEU opportunities and discounts to members! Join today! Check out our events tab too!
*C-SLPAs (ASHA Certified) do not currently qualify for ASHAs CEU Registry which allows most Professional Development courses to automatically be reported to CE Broker. Please reach out to our SLA Advisor if you would like to advocate for this or contact ASHA!
Additional Resource:
Why Become a C-SLPA/ASHA cert: ASHA is helping to set the standard among states by offering a national certification. ASHA certification is not required for NH state licensure. Currently, many states differ on whether they even recognize SLPA’s. Obtaining ASHAs national credential shows employers you are practicing at the top of your professional license by gaining this additional recognition. It helps to further develop our position as a consistent and valid career throughout our nation, so consider being part of this movement! Obtaining recognition nationwide will help in making waves for compensation, type of recognition (para/ssp), reimbursement, and scope capabilities for our state as well. Get involved, Join today!
Additional Resources:
ASHA UPDATES for SLPAs: ASHA recently sent out an updated version of ASHA SLPAs Scope of Practice which includes many changes. Your STATES SLA Scope of Practice is what you are legally expected to carry out. Typically state licensing boards such as ours, NH-OPLC, base their scope off of the national standards. The NH-OPLC SLP/HCP Board will have to meet to approve any rule changes and then it would go to legislative committee hearings. We would love to hear what you think. Please reach out to our association and the NH-OPLC with any questions or concerns.
Why Become an SLA in NH: Opportunity! Not only does NH recognize SLAs as a licensed professional but they are also utilized in a variety of settings. With a rising need for communication support across schools and clinics, SLAs are in demand — giving you meaningful work, strong mentorship, and real opportunities to make an impact. In NH, you could enjoy a new community, competitive employment options, and a beautiful quality of life surrounded by mountains, lakes, and tight-knit towns. Our association is an advocate for SLAs and has a SLA Advisor on the executive board. We would love to hear from you! New Hampshire is an incredible place to begin or grow your career as a Speech-Language Assistant.
More SLA Questions: Reach out to NHSLHA’s SLA Advisor! Our position as SLPA/SLAs is evolving. If you have any questions, insights, ideas, concerns, advocacy strategies, project initiatives, shout outs, or more that you want to share please feel free to contact us at [email protected]
Written by: Amanda Perry, SLA, C-SLPA
Updated: 2026
