Section 73-38-3 - DefinitionsThe following definitions apply as used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) "Board" means the Mississippi State Board of Health.(b) "Council" means the Mississippi Council of Advisors in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology as established in Section 73-38-11.(c) "Person" means any individual, organization or corporate body, except that only an individual may be licensed under this article or hold the privilege to practice.(d) "Speech-language pathologist" means an individual who practices speech-language pathology and who presents himself or herself to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words "speech pathologist," "speech-language pathologist," "speech therapist," "speech correctionist," "speech clinician," "language pathologist," "language therapist," "logopedist," "communicologist," "voice therapist," "voice pathologist," or any similar title or description of services.(e) "Speech-language pathology" means the application of principles, methods and procedures for the measurement, testing, evaluation, prediction, counseling, instruction, habilitation or rehabilitation related to the development and disorders of speech, voice, language, swallowing or feeding, or for the purpose of evaluating, preventing, ameliorating or modifying such disorders and conditions in individuals and/or groups of individuals.(f) "Audiologist" means an individual who practices audiology and who presents himself or herself to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words "audiologist," "hearing clinician," "hearing therapist," or any similar title or description of service.(g) "Audiology" means the application of principles, methods and procedures of measurement, testing, evaluation, prediction, consultation, counseling, instruction, habilitation or rehabilitation related to disorders of hearing and balance for the purpose of evaluating, identifying, preventing, ameliorating or modifying such disorders and conditions in individuals and/or groups of individuals; and for the purpose of this subsection the words "habilitation" and "rehabilitation" include, but are not limited to, hearing aid dispensing and evaluation, and auditory training, and speech reading.(h) "Speech-language pathology aide" means an individual who meets minimum qualifications which the council may establish for speech-language pathology aides, which qualifications shall be less than those established by this article as necessary for licensure as a speech-language pathologist, and who works under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist or a speech-language pathologist who holds the privilege to practice.(i) "Audiology aide" means an individual who meets minimum qualifications which the council may establish for audiology aides, which qualifications shall be less than those established by this article as necessary for licensure as an audiologist, and who works under the supervision of a licensed audiologist or an audiologist who holds the privilege to practice.(j) "ASHA" means the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.(k) "Privilege to practice" means the authorization to practice as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist in this state or work as a speech-language pathology aide or audiology aide in this state under the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact provided for in Section 73-38-51.(l) "Licensee" means a person who has been issued a license to practice as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist in this state or work as a speech-language pathology aide or audiology aide in this state, or a person who holds the privilege to practice as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist in this state.Laws, 1975, ch. 495, § 2; Laws, 1980, ch. 546, § 2; Laws, 1988, ch. 411, § 2; Laws, 1997, ch. 518, § 1; reenacted and amended, Laws, 2002, ch. 461, § 2; brought forward without change, Laws, 2005, ch. 455, § 2, eff. 6/30/2005.Amended by Laws, 2022, ch. 368, HB 424,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2022.