Ethical Decision-Making

Ethical Decision-Making: A Public Health Emergency and Unprecedented Challenges
Theresa H. Rodgers, MA, CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow

Response to the COVID-19 pandemic evolved rapidly with the public health emergency forcing speech-language pathologists to change the very manner in which services are delivered. Regulatory agencies and professional organizations provided needed guidance including information on changes to long-standing professional practice standards precipitated by the pandemic. Personal protective equipment (PPE), billing and reimbursement, informed consent, supervision, telepractice, confidentiality, and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) compliance are some of the topics which presented dilemmas and potentially ethical challenges for speech-language pathology professionals. This session will highlight information on these topics including scenarios which will be analyzed and deliberated by participants.

ASHA: 0.1 ASHA CEU

CA SLPAHB: 1.0 

CMH: 1.0 

Theresa H. Rodgers is ASHA’s 2020 President and a former government CAO. An SLP and special education consultant with more than thirty years’ experience in public schools, she has served as president of the Council of State Association Presidents and the National Council of State Boards of Examiners (NCSB), ASHA Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy, and chaired the CFCC, ASHA Board of Ethics, and Louisiana licensure board. Theresa has provided NCSB’s training on ethical resolution for more than a decade, co-presented ASHA’s ethics webinar in 2016, the ethics Master Class at the 2019 ASHA Convention, and has presented on the topic at numerous national and state conventions.

  1. Delineate areas of SLP practice affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Discuss variations in standards precipitated by the COVID-19 public health emergency.
  3. Analyze scenarios that depict potential ethical violations and dilemmas.

This course must be watched in its entirety. In order to receive the CMH or the CEU certificate, a quiz is required to be completed with 80% success.

Financial— Theresa H. Rodgers receives a speaking honorarium from the Lavi Institute/Power Up Conference. 

Nonfinancial— Theresa H. Rodgers is ASHA’s 2020 President and a former government CAO. She has served as president of the Council of State Association Presidents and the National Council of State Boards of Examiners (NCSB), ASHA Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy, and chaired the CFCC, ASHA Board of Ethics, and Louisiana licensure board. 

Introduction and Discussion of Practice Considerations Created by the COVID-19 Pandemic -20 minutes

Changes in Standards Precipitated by the Public Health Emergency-20 minutes

Ethical Decision-Making Model – 10 minutes

Ethical Scenarios and Analysis by Participants -10 minutes

Course Completion Quiz

Use this quiz if you are reporting your hours to ASHA

Use this quiz if you are NOT reporting your hours to ASHA and would like a certificate of completion

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