Telepractice Information and Resources

last update: June 16, 2023

Telepractice State Licensure Requirement

The Public Health Emergency Order related to COVID-19 has ended in May 2023.  The Governor's Executive Orders related to COVID-19 have also ended.  Telepractice is currently permitted in Illinois; there is no expiration regarding this policy.  The provider must hold a state license and adhere to the same requirements as an in-person provider.  For more information, please reference the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act.  

• Contact for Telepractice Committee: Jennine Harvey-Northrop, Telepractice Committee Chair

Audiology

• Current Status: In the state of Illinois, telepractice is approved for licensed audiologists.
• Contact for Audiology: Angi Martin-Prudent, Vice President for the Division of Audiology

Early Intervention

• Current Status: In the state of Illinois, telepractice is approved for licensed SLPs and audiologists. It is recommended that providers check with payors prior to services as there is inconsistency in payor coverage for telehealth services.  Early Intervention providers are encouraged to continue to watch the Provider Connections website for future updates and further information.
• Contact for Early Intervention:  Karissa Louthan, Early Intervention Committee Chair

Medical

• Current Status: In the state of the Illinois, telepractice is approved for licensed SLPs and audiologists.  It is recommended that providers check with payors prior to services as there is inconsistency in payor coverage for telehealth services. 
• Contact for Medical Practice Issues: LeaRose Markham and Juliana Marks, Medical Practice Issues Committee Co-Chairs

Schools

• Current Status: In the state of Illinois, telepractice is approved for licensed SLPs and audiologists.  It is recommended that providers check with payors prior to services as there is inconsistency in payor coverage for telehealth services. 
• Telepractice Information and Resources for School-based SLPs and SLPAs
• Contact for School Affairs: Diane Barnes-Maguire and Linnea Anderson Guither, School Affairs Committee Co-Chairs

Supervision

• Current Status:  In the state of Illinois, telepractice supervision, where the student works with the client and the supervisor watches virtually, is NOT permitted.  However, students and supervisors working in the same location can provide services virtually.

 ASHA Resources

• Practice Portal – Provides an overview of telepractice from the perspective of speech-language pathology and audiology.  Definitions along with links to the Code of Ethics and supervision.  A discussion of key issues, resources and references. 
• Specific Topics – Provides references for issues related to regulation, practice guidelines, reimbursement and evidence-based research. 
• ASHA Evidence Maps – Provides journal articles related to telepractice
• Payment and Coverage of Telepractice Service – Provides information on policies related to reibursement for telepractice services
• Special Interest Group 18 (SIG 18) – Telepractice: the mission of SIG 18 is to provide education, leadership, and advocacy for issues in telepractice, telespeech, and teleaudiology.  The SIG 18 publication since 2011 covers a wide variety of topics pertinent to telepractice for both audiology and speech-language pathology including: regulation, rules, ethical considerations, reimbursement, models for use of telepractice, evidence-based practice and supervision. 
• Code of Ethics – American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2016). Code of Ethics [Ethics]. 
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
  • Reimbursement - https://www.asha.org/practice/reimbursement/hipaa/
  • Security Rule - https://www.asha.org/practice/reimbursement/hipaa/securityrule/
  • Medicaid Toolkit - https://www.asha.org/Practice/reimbursement/medicaid/Medicaid-Toolkit-Telepractice/
  • HITECH Act – Implications for electronic health records, and broadens the scope of HIPAA to include business associates.  https://www.asha.org/Practice/reimbursement/hipaa/HITECH-Act/
  • Scope of Practice in Audiology - https://www.asha.org/policy/SP2004-00192.htm
  • Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology - https://www.asha.org/policy/SP2007-00283.htm 

ISHA 

• Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act 

Other Government Agencies 

US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 

• HIPAA - https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/index.html
• HIPAA Privacy Rule - https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/laws-regulations/index.html
• HIPAA Security Rule - https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/laws-regulations/index.html
• HITECH Act - https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/hitech-act-enforcement-interim-final-rule/index.html

You can view a historial record of telepractice during the COVID-19 pandemic here.