Washington Speech-Language-Hearing Association 

Washington Speech-Language-Hearing Association (WSLHA) is an organization that promotes professional excellence in speech-language pathology and audiology.

  • Mission: Empowering our members through collaboration, professional and leadership development, advocacy, and support to provide equitable and inclusive care to our diverse populations.

  • Vision: A world where communication and an enriched quality of life is achievable for all.

WSLHA is an American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) recognized state association.


Pacific Northwest Therapy Summit Registration Now Open!


Free Registration Drawing for the
2024 ASHA Convention Winner Announced

Congratulations to Sammantha Nixon!

“I grew up in Spokane and have always lived in Washington state. I completed my undergraduate and graduate program in Communication Disorders at Eastern Washington University and began working as a school SLP in the fall of 2001. I spent eight years with Bethel Public Schools on the West side of the state, then moved back home to Eastern Washington, where I am in my 15th year at Spokane Public Schools. 

I live with my husband and 2 children just North of Spokane, where we have 17 acres just perfect for our miniature horses, dogs, chickens and ducks. I am an avid supporter and volunteer for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and wish granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, both of which are near and dear to my heart as both of my children have CF. I am extremely excited to be able to attend my first ASHA convention in person this December 2024 and appreciate the opportunity extended to me from WSHLA. Thank you!”

Congratulations Samantha, we look forward to meeting you in person at the Convention at our booth in the Exhibit Hall!


Call for Volunteers

WSLHA’s Fuel is Its Members!

As we gear up for the next legislative session, the 2024 ASHA Convention in Seattle, the slate for the 2025 election of board members, CE workshop offerings and the myriad of other projects and tasks on its plate, we want to let you know about the opportunities available for volunteering. All committees are open and seeking new members.  In addition, Membership and Nominations committees are looking for chairs.  Nominations and the Board work together to develop a slate of nominees for those Board positions that are open for the next year’s election.  The membership committee’s role is to serve as a vehicle of support for WSLHA members bringing to the association member concerns as well as providing information and resources for members.

What’s in It for You? Good Question…

  • A chance to build a network of colleagues to exchange ideas with.

  • A means of obtaining resources and support to realize your professional goals.

  • A chance to find a mentor who can help you problem solve issues.

  • An opportunity to learn about the background work that makes a state professional.

  • Organizational work

  • A way to develop your own leadership skills moving into positions of increasing responsibility.

  • A challenge or many challenges to increase your knowledge, connections, skills, etc. that are limitless!

How Much Time is Involved?

Most committees meet for an hour per month via zoom and average 1-3 hours of time a month depending on the project, or projects involved.  A Chair position involves about 3-5 hours a month and a Board position more.

Why Should I Volunteer?

To provide the SLPs in Washington with support for resources, CEU’s, regulatory (DOH) and legislative protection and support, we need the expertise of a business management firm and lobbyist services.  And the reality is that membership dues, alone, do not cover the costs of these without Volunteers’ time, energy, ideas, planning and problem-solving skills. That means WSLHA Needs YOU!!!!!

How Do You Get Involved?

Go to the WSLHA website, click on Membership on the navigation bar, click on volunteer opportunities and complete the form.  The office manager will forward your inquiry to the Volunteer Coordinator who will contact you to answer your questions, and provide information about the openings that match your interests or skills.  The volunteer coordinator will facilitate contact with the committee of your choice.

Bottom line – let’s hear from you!


2024 Washington State
Legislative Session Update

March 8, 2024

Priorities:

HB 1508 is legislation addressing the cause of increased health care costs.  This bill directs the state’s Health Care Cost Transparency Board to survey underinsurance among Washington residents, survey insurance trends among employers and employees, and identify payers or health care providers whose health care cost growth exceeded the health care cost growth benchmark. HB 1508 passed the Legislature and now goes to Governor Inslee for his approval. 

HB 2180, the bill that increases the K-12 special education enrollment funding cap to 16%, has passed the Legislature.  This results in about $20 million in addition to special education funding.  It now goes to Governor Inslee for his approval.

HB 2494 is another school funding bill that increases funding to materials, supplies, and operating costs (MSOC) for school districts.  This includes technology, curriculum, textbooks, library materials, facilities maintenance, and central office administration.  It has passed the Legislature and now goes to Governor Inslee for his approval.

General News:

The Legislature finished the business of the 2024 session on time with the Sine Die gavel dropping at 5:50pm on Thursday.  This week, lawmakers passed the supplemental operating, transportation, and capital budgets, in addition to finalizing bills that had passed both chambers but in different forms.  Legislators also passed three of the six initiatives to the Legislature: Initiative 2081 (parental rights in public schools); Initiative 2111 (income tax prohibition); and Initiative 2113 (police pursuit).  In total, almost 1200 bills were introduced this session, with about 340 of them passing the Legislature. 

Bills that have passed are now in the queue to be signed by Governor Inslee if they have not been signed already. Prior to the Sine Die adjournment, both the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor (President of the Senate) sign bills that have passed each chamber, and then they are delivered to the governor. Bills that are delivered to the governor more than five days before the Legislature adjourns have five days to be acted on. Bills that are delivered fewer than five days before the Legislature adjourns have 20 days to be acted on by the governor. Both are counted as calendar days, not business days. Sundays are not counted, but Saturdays and state holidays are counted. 

Since this is the second year of the biennium, any bills that did not pass are truly dead and those concepts will require that brand new bills be dropped next year should lawmakers want to try again.

All early indications point to a hectic election year as a significant number of legislators are either retiring or running for other positions.  As of today, the following members have made public declarations that they will not run for their seats again in 2024: 

  • Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-3) retiring (the SDC will also need to elect a new Majority Leader after the 2024 general election) 

  • Senator Sam Hunt (D-22) retiring. 

  • Senator Karen Keiser (D-33) retiring. 

  • Senator Mark Mullet (D-5) running for Governor. 

  • Senator Kevin Van De Wege (D-24) running for Commissioner of Public Lands 

  • Senator Lynda Wilson (R-17) retiring. 

  • Rep. Jessica Bateman (D-22) running for open Senate seat. 

  • Rep. Kelly Chambers (R-25) running for Pierce Co. Executive 

  • Rep. Mike Chapman (D-24) running for open Senate seat. 

  • Rep. Jacqueline Maycumber (R-7) running for 5th Congressional. 

  • Rep. Bill Ramos (D-5) running for open Senate seat. 

  • Rep. Marcus Riccelli (D-3) running for open Senate seat. 

  • Rep. JT Wilcox (R-2) retiring. 

  • Rep. Paul Harris (R-17) running for open Senate Seat 

  • Rep. Joel Kretz (R-7) retiring. 

  • Rep. Spencer Hutchins (R-26) retiring. 

Additionally, several members are seeking other offices, but will return to the Legislature should they lose in November. These members include: 

  • Senator Manka Dhingra (D-45) running for Attorney General 

  • Senator Patty Kuderer (D-48) running for Insurance Commissioner 

  • Senator Drew MacEwan (R-35) running for 6th Congressional. 

  • Senator Emily Randall (D-26) running for 6th Congressional. 

  • Senator Rebecca Saldaña (D-37) running for Commissioner of Public Lands 


"More Than Words”
The Hanen Centre Workshop

A WSLHA Membership Benefit

Unfortunately, due to limited registration for the Hanen Centre Workshop scheduled in March, it is rescheduled for the end of June 2024 with WSLHA members able to secure a seat if you register by March 31, 2024. 

Partner with Parents to Boost Child Outcomes

Are you an SLP working in early intervention? Do you have autistic children or children who may benefit from social communication support on your caseload?

If you do, you may be interested in joining The Hanen Centre’s Online More Than Words® Workshop on June 24-26, 2024, valued at 2.20 ASHA CEUs!

The More Than Words workshop can maximize the support you offer to autistic children by enhancing a key ingredient for success – parent involvement. You’ll learn how to effectively engage and coach parents so that they can promote their child’s social communication development during everyday activities and interactions. The flexible strategies can be used in 1-to-1 settings, or in a group program setting to meet the needs of your individual caseload.

As part of the Partnership between WSLHA and The Hanen Centre, members of WSLHA have guaranteed access to Hanen’s lowest rate of pricing, $795 per person. Every time a WSLHA member signs up for the workshop, a financial benefit will be provided to WSLHA to support the association’s goals, advocacy, and member activities.

Sign up before March 31, 2024, to secure your space!

To sign up, email office@wslha.org letting us know you would like to join the workshop, and we’ll send you a link where you can register.


Welcome to the WSLHA Partnership with
The Hanen Centre!

We’ve Partnered with The Hanen Centre!

If you work with families of young children with language delays and disorders, knowing how to skillfully engage and coach parents and educators is the key to effective intervention. WSLHA has partnered with the Hanen Centre to support this critical facet of your work by providing you with opportunities to receive outstanding professional development and resources.

As part of this partnership, Washington Speech-Language-Hearing Association (WSLHA) members have access to:

  • Presentations (Available for ASHA CEUs) — Organized by WSLHA, these expert-led live, complimentary group presentations on the Hanen approach show how SLPs can empower parents and educators to play a primary role in facilitating children’s early language development.

  • Discounted Online Hanen Workshops (Up to 2.2 ASHA CEUs) — WLSHA members have access to certification workshops that provide:

    • An evidence-based framework for coaching and collaborating with parents of children with language delays and disorders.

    • A flexible intervention that can be offered to parent groups or individual parents, both in-person or online.

  • Discounted Online Learning Sessions (Up to 0.2 ASHA CEUs) — Enjoy savings on Hanen e-Seminars – short, online sessions providing practical, clinically relevant content. Available for individual learning or as an interactive group.

  • Discounted Resources — Access to discounts on user-friendly Hanen resources, including guidebooks and posters.

  • Shareable Content — Access to complimentary, research-based handouts for parents/caregivers on building children’s communication during enjoyable everyday interactions.

  • Student Support — Free student-focused Hanen articles, as well as discounted Hanen resources. Hanen also offers complimentary student-only presentations and student-only It Takes Two to Talk® Certification workshops.

Why Hanen?

  • Founded in 1975, The Hanen Centre is a not-for-profit charitable organization committed to supporting all the important adults in a young child’s life to build children’s best possible language, social, and literacy skills.

  • The Hanen Centre specializes in providing outstanding professional development to SLPs on how to effectively engage parents in their child’s early language intervention.

  • Hanen has trained over 150,000 speech-language professionals in over 100 countries, which includes the United States with Hanen members in all 50 states.

  • Hanen workshops address best practice principles of adult education, thereby meeting the needs of parents as adult learners so they become effective language facilitators for their child

  • Hanen Programs for parents are widely considered the gold standard for evidence-based, family-

    centered early language intervention.

  • Hanen Programs help SLPs fulfill legislative requirements for family-centered interventions – including Part C of IDEA – with its focus on building parents’ capacity to support their child’s development.


Check Out WSLHA’s Research Corner!

WA Universities and students should contact WSLHA to collaborate on any future research opportunities.

*Can be accessed by WSLHA Membership through the Member Portal.