Assistants Certification Policies and Procedures

On this page:

• Appeals: Disclosure and Revocation
• Maintenance of Assistants Certification: Requirements, Intervals, MOCA, Not Current
• Resigning the C-AA or C-SLPA
• Reinstatement of the C-AA or C-SLPA

Appeals

Certification Disclosure Appeals

When the Council for Clinical Certification of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC) Disclosure Committee votes to deny eligibility based upon disclosure, the notification will include the justification for the decision and will inform the applicant of the opportunity to request a Further Consideration review of the decision by the CFCC and, subsequently, appeal the decision to an Appeal Panel.

Certification Revocation Appeals

The CFCC will review any complaint regarding the application or supporting materials of a certification applicant, reinstatement applicant, or certificate holder. These complaints may include but are not limited to the authenticity of application materials, misrepresented credentials, national examination scores, misrepresentation of required affirmative disclosures, tampering with official documents, or cases where certification may have been granted in error.

If the CFCC withdraws certification based on misrepresentation of credentials, authenticity of application materials, nondisclosure of criminal offenses, disciplinary action by regulatory bodies, or certification granted in error, the applicant may request that the CFCC reconsider its decision in accordance with the appropriate policies and procedures.

Maintenance of Assistants Certification

Requirements for Maintaining Assistants Certification

Assistants certificate holders must do the following to maintain their C-AA or C-SLPA.

• Successful completion of the certification maintenance assessment module
• Adherence to the ASHA Assistants Code of Conduct
• Payment of annual certification fees

Certification Maintenance Intervals

A certification maintenance interval is three years in duration (e.g., 2021–2023, 2022–2024) and you will be assigned to an interval based on the date you were awarded assistants certification. Your interval will begin January 1 following the year you received initial certification or reinstatement of certification.

Maintenance intervals are continuous, meaning when you complete one 3-year interval you will start the next 3-year interval, provided you have completed your certification maintenance assessment module. ASHA does not grant interval changes.

Maintenance of Certification Assessment (MOCA)

Individuals who hold audiology assistants certification (C-AA) or speech-language pathology assistants certification (C-SLPA) must complete the certification maintenance assessment module/MOCA module during the third and final year of each 3-year maintenance interval. There is no separate charge for the MOCA module; it is included in your annual certification renewal fee. During the third year of the interval, the assistants certificate holder will be able to access the modules by logging into their ASHA My Account page. Completed MOCA modules will be reviewed by ASHA Certification staff. Individuals will be notified via e-mail whether or not they have successfully completed the MOCA, and those successful will progress to a new 3-year interval.

Not Current Certification Status

Annually, on April 1, certified assistants who have (a) not paid annual fees and/or (b) not completed the MOCA during their 3-year maintenance interval will have their certification status changed to "Not Current." This designation helps the public identify ASHA-certified assistants who have not complied with these certification requirements.

While their certification is Not Current

• assistants cannot use the C-AA or C-SLPA designation, and
• assistants have their certification status listed publicly as "C-AA Not Current" or "C-SLPA Not Current" to anyone requesting ASHA certification verification.

Assistants whose status is Not Current have until August 31 annually to meet certification requirements—paying annual fees and completing the MOCA—in order to avoid the expiration of their certification. Individuals who meet certification requirements by August 31 will have no break in their certification history. However, individuals who do not meet certification requirements by August 31 will have their certification expire and must reapply to regain certification.

Resigning the C-AA or C-SLPA

Sometimes life and work circumstances change, making it necessary to resign assistants certification. If you are considering this decision, please contact assistants@asha.org first to discuss your particular circumstances.

Assistants certification holders who ultimately decide to resign their C-AA or C-SLPA should complete the Assistants Certification Resigned Affidavit [PDF]. Upon receipt of the completed form, your certification status will be changed to "Not Certified."

Reinstatement of the C-AA or C-SLPA

Reinstatement of ASHA assistants certification (C-AA and C-SLPA) may be available to formerly certified individuals after their certification has expired or has been resigned or revoked. Please contact assistants@asha.org for more information.