Section 326-F:1 - Definitions In this chapter and RSA 328-F:
I. "Audiologist" means any person who renders or offers to render to the public any service involving the application of principles, methods, and procedures for the measurement of testing, identification, appraisal, consultation, counseling, instruction, and research related to the development and disorders of hearing and vestibular function for the purpose of diagnosing, designing, and implementing programs for the amelioration of such disorders and conditions.II. "Audiology" means the application of principles, methods, and procedures related to the development and disorders of human communication, which disorders shall include any and all conditions whether of organic or nonorganic origin, that impede the normal processes of human communication and balance including, but not limited to, disorders of hearing, vestibular function, and central auditory processing.III. "Board" means the governing board of speech-language pathologists and hearing care providers established in RSA 328-F.IV. "Hearing aid" means any wearable instrument or device designed for or offered for the purpose of or represented as aiding or compensating for impaired human hearing and any parts or attachments, including ear molds, but excluding batteries and cords or accessories thereto, or equipment, devices, and attachments used in conjunction with services provided by a public utility company.V. "Hearing aid dealer" means any person engaged in the testing of human hearing for the purpose of selecting, fitting, or otherwise dealing in hearing aids.VI. "Otolaryngologist" means a physician licensed in the state of New Hampshire who specializes in medical problems of the ear, nose, and throat, and is eligible for qualification by the American Board of Otolaryngology as an otolaryngologist.VII. "Practice of audiology" means, but shall not be limited to:(a) Screening, identifying, assessing, interpreting, diagnosing, rehabilitating, and preventing hearing disorders.(b) Rendering to individuals or groups of individuals, who are suspected of having hearing disorders, basic and comprehensive audiological and vestibular site-of-lesion tests, including otoscopic examinations, electrophysiologic test procedures, and auditory evoked assessment.(c) Rendering basic and comprehensive auditory and vestibular habilitative and rehabilitative services, including aural rehabilitative assessment and therapy, vestibular rehabilitative assessment and therapy, and speech and language screening.(d) Providing basic and comprehensive audiological and psychoacoustic evaluations for the purpose of determining candidacy for amplification or assistive alerting/listening devices; providing tinnitus evaluations and therapy; providing hearing aid fitting and orientation; taking ear impressions; and providing hearing aid product dispensing, repair, and modification.(e) Providing preoperative evaluation and selection of cochlear implant candidacy and post-implant rehabilitation.(f) Providing occupational hearing conservation.VIII. "Practice of speech-language pathology" means, but shall not be limited to:(a) Screening, identifying, assessing, interpreting, diagnosing, rehabilitating, and preventing disorders of speech and language.(b) Screening, identifying, assessing, interpreting, diagnosing, and rehabilitating disorders of oral-pharyngeal function and related disorders.(c) Screening, identifying, assessing, interpreting, diagnosing, and rehabilitating cognitive communication disorders.(d) Assessing, selecting, and developing augmentative and alternative communication systems and providing training in their use.(e) Providing aural rehabilitation and related counseling services to deaf or hard of hearing individuals and their families.(f) Enhancing speech-language proficiency and communication effectiveness.(g) Screening of hearing and other factors for the purpose of speech-language evaluation or the initial identification of individuals with other communication disorders.IX. "Rental or selling of hearing aids" means the selection, adaptation, and sale or rental of hearing aids. Also included is the making of impressions for ear molds and instruction pertaining to the use of hearing aids.X. "Sell" or "sale" means any transfer of title or of the right of use by sale, conditional sales contract, lease bailments, hire-purchase or any other means, excluding wholesale transactions of dealers and distributors.XI. "Speech-language assistant" means any person certified by the office of professional licensure and certification who meets minimum qualifications established by the board which are less than those established by this chapter as necessary for licensing as a speech-language pathologist, and who does not act independently but works under the direction and supervision of a speech-language pathologist licensed under this chapter.XII. "Speech-language pathologist" means any person who renders or offers to render to the public any service involving the application of principles, methods, and procedures for the measurement of testing, identification, appraisal, consultation, counseling, instruction and research related to the development and disorders of speech, voice, or language for the purpose of diagnosing, designing, and implementing programs for the amelioration of such disorders and conditions.XIII. "Speech-language pathology" means the application of principles, methods, and procedures related to the development and disorders of human communication, which disorders shall include any and all conditions whether of organic or nonorganic origin, that impede the normal process of human communication including, but not limited to, disorders and related disorders of speech, articulation, fluency, voice, verbal and written language, auditory comprehension, cognition, communication, swallowing, and oral, pharyngeal or laryngeal sensorimotor competencies.Amended by 2024, 327:146, eff. 7/1/2024.Amended by 2021 , 91: §§177, 178eff. 7/1/2021.Amended by 2018 , 275: 4, eff. 8/17/2018. 2003, 310 : 3 . 2006, 268 : 1 , eff. Jan. 1, 2007. 2018, 275 : 4 , eff. Aug. 17, 2018. 2021, 91 : 178 , eff. July 1, 2021.