12-305-102. Legislative declaration

12-305-102. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that:

(a) Speech-language pathology services are provided for the purpose of improving the abilities of those who have congenital or acquired speech, language, cognitive, feeding, and swallowing deficits;

(b) Speech-language pathologists provide specific therapy and treatments that are related to the effects of medical or dental diagnoses or congenital, genetic, or developmental conditions but do not provide medical or dental procedures, medications, or interventions that constitute the practice of medicine or dentistry;

(c) The professional roles and activities in speech-language pathology include clinical and educational services, which include evaluation, assessment, planning, and treatment; prevention and advocacy; education; administration; and research;

(d) This article 305 is necessary to safeguard public health, safety, and welfare and to protect the public from incompetent, unethical, or unauthorized persons.

(2) The general assembly further determines that it is the purpose of this article 305 to:

(a) Regulate persons who are representing or holding themselves out as speech-language pathologists or who are performing services that constitute speech-language pathology; and

(b) Exclude from regulation under this article 305 those school speech-language pathologists who are paid solely by an administrative unit or state-operated program.