Notice of Regulatory Change Regarding Continuing Professional Development Requirements

Protection of the public is the highest priority for the Board when exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) are intended to protect consumers by ensuring licensees continue to improve their professional learning to maintain ethical and competent practice. Pursuant to Business and Profession Code section 2532.6, the Board establishes requirements regarding the number of hours licensees are required to complete and the Board's approving and certifying CPD providers and courses.

This regulatory Change will:

  • Define self-study as a course where the course instruction and licensee participation do not occur simultaneously, and requires the completion of an evaluation on what was learned during the course or at the conclusion of the course;
  • Require licensees who let their license expire to complete CPD for the most recent renewal period;
  • Require CPD exemption to be valid for the current renewal period;
  • Increase the number of hours that may be obtained from self-study to half of the total required hours;
  • Remove limitations to the number of hours that can be obtained from courses that are related to the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology;
  • Increase the number of hours that can be obtained from indirect patient/client care courses to twenty-five (25) percent of the total required hours;
  • Permit courses related to hearing aid dispensing to be on equipment, devices, or other products that is not on the marketing, launching, or demonstrating the marketability of equipment, devices, or other products regardless of whether it focuses on a particular manufacturer's or company's equipment, devices, or products;
  • Permit two (2) hours for completing a Board sponsored Occupational Analysis;
  • Define direct patient/client care as courses that covers the current practice of speech-language pathology or audiology and may include content on instruments and technology used for assessment/diagnosis or intervention;
  • Prohibit courses related to instruments and technology that is on the marketing, launching, or demonstrating the marketability of instruments and technology regardless of whether it focuses on a particular manufacturer's or company's instruments and technology; and
  • Clarify current regulations by making CPD requirements consistent with the Board's CPD audit process and the professional learning requirements for similar license types and course content.

For additional information, the regulatory documents can be found below.

CPD Requirements

Effective Date of Regulation: January 1, 2025

The proposed changes amend sections 1399.160, 1399.160.1, 1399.160.2, 1399.160.3, and 1399.160.4 of Division 13.4, of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.