Do ASHA certification maintenance hours have to come from ASHA Approved CE Providers?
ASHA's own pages say you choose the activities for your professional development hours (PDHs) without prior approval. Here is what they say counts, how to judge a course, and what to keep.
What ASHA says
On its PDH page, ASHA says "you don't need prior approval from ASHA for the activities you choose." Its accepted examples include "Seminars or courses offered by other organizations for other types of CE credit", "Conferences and workshops offered by state audiology, speech-language pathology, or other professional associations" and "Employer-sponsored in-service activities". It adds: "All types of credits can be used for ASHA certification maintenance or for certification reinstatement applications."
How to judge a course
ASHA puts the decision with you: "You are responsible for determining if the topics of professional development activities you select are appropriate", and "The learner determines if a professional development activity falls within acceptable topic areas". ASHA also says attendance "can be verified and documented by a third party".
Is there a limit on online hours?
ASHA says there is no limit on the number of PDHs completed online. Each activity must still meet ASHA's definition of professional development, occur within your interval and have acceptable documentation. Your state license may have separate requirements. Read ASHA's FAQ on earning PDHs.
What to keep
"Hold onto the certificates of completion for each professional development activity you finish, in case of a maintenance audit". "An activity will count based on its date of completion, not the date it was started." "One PDH is equal to 60 minutes spent completing a professional development activity as a learner and participant."
Plan your hours
Our free ASHA certification maintenance hours planner shows what is left of your 30 PDHs and how many hours a month will finish them; check ASHA's pages for the content-area requirements that apply to your interval. If your interval ends December 31, see finishing your ASHA hours by December 31. Special Learning is not an ASHA Approved CE Provider, and our courses are not ASHA CEUs. For how this applies to the courses we offer, see our ASHA page.
A recorded course to consider
Compassionate Mandated Reporting Across Disciplines is a 110-minute recorded panel on reporting concerns with care, $39 paid once. The completion certificate records 1.83 hours of duration. Special Learning is not an ASHA Approved CE Provider, and the course does not provide ASHA CEUs. ASHA describes PDH reporting in 15-minute intervals: check with ASHA how to report this certificate. You decide whether the content fits ASHA's professional-development definition for your practice. We do not claim the course meets Content Area 1 or 2. It is historical educational material, not a current state-by-state legal guide or a replacement for training required by your state or employer.
Common questions
Do my ASHA PDHs have to come from ASHA Approved CE Providers?
ASHA's PDH page says you don't need prior approval from ASHA for the activities you choose, and lists seminars or courses offered by other organizations for other types of CE credit among accepted activities. You determine whether a topic is appropriate.
What does ASHA say about documenting a course from another provider?
ASHA also says attendance can be verified and documented by a third party, and advises holding onto certificates of completion in case of a maintenance audit.
Are ASHA CEUs the only credits that count?
No. ASHA says all types of credits can be used for ASHA certification maintenance or for certification reinstatement applications.