The practice of speech-language pathology as defined in the Public Health Code means the application of principles, methods and procedures related to the development of disorders of human communication including:

• Identifying by history or nonmedical physical examination, assessing, treating with therapy, rehabilitating, and preventing disorders of speech, voice and language.
• Identifying by history or nonmedical physical examination, assessing, treating with therapy, rehabilitating, and preventing disorders of oral-pharyngeal function and disorders related to swallowing dysfunction.
• Identifying by history or nonmedical physical examination, assessing, treating with therapy, rehabilitating, and preventing cognitive-communicative disorders.
• Assessing, selecting and developing argumentative and alternative communication systems and providing training in their use.
• Providing speech-language treatment or therapy and related counseling services to hearing impaired individuals and their families.
• Enhancing speech-language proficiency and communication effectiveness.
• Screening of hearing for the purpose of speech-language assessment provided that judgments and descriptive statements about results of that screening are limited to pass-fail determinations.

The Public Health Code mandates certain responsibilities and duties for a health professional licensing board. Underlying all duties is the responsibility of the board to promote and protect the public's health, safety, and welfare and to take disciplinary action against licensees who have adversely affected it.

The Board of Speech-Language Pathology consists of 11 voting members:  6 speech-language pathologists, 2 physicians and 3 public members.