Why You Should Join Your State Speech Association as a Student

Lisa Moran, MS, CCC-SLP is an instructor and the Assistant Coordinator of External Clinical Education at MGH Institute of Health Professions in the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She co-teaches Outplacement seminar, Dysphagia in Adults and Children, and IMPACT II.

Lisa graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor’s degree in Teaching for the Speech and Hearing Handicapped in 2003 and a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2005. She worked for 10 years as a full-time SLP in skilled nursing facilities. Her area of expertise is dysphagia specifically in the geriatric population.

Lisa has been an active member of the Massachusetts Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MSHA) for over 15 years. She has served on the MSHA Executive Council as the VP of Membership, VP of Administration, President, and Past President. Lisa has also served as VP of Advocacy. She co-organizes and co-presents at the Annual MSHA Student Event: Making the Transition from Student to Clinician, and led the first MSHA Student Advocacy Day to support provisional licensure of clinical fellows—an effort that culminated in Massachusetts signing a provisional licensure law in 2022.

“Do you want to be a speech-language pathologist in ten years? You need to advocate for your profession, because no one else is going to do it for you.” It has been over two decades since I graduated, and these are the words I remember the Clinical Director from my program at Ithaca College saying to us. This statement has had a profound impact on my career. It is the reason I became a member of the Massachusetts Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MSHA) when I moved to Massachusetts and became involved in MSHA’s Executive Council. It is also the reason I am a supporter of increasing student involvement in our state associations.

As a student, you may ask: What is a state association? Is that part of the American Speech-Language Pathology Association (ASHA)? I'm already a member of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA)—so am I already a member of my state association? Why is it important to be a member? Do not feel bad if you don't know the answer to these questions. You are not alone, and hopefully faculty members will answer these questions as you start your graduate program.

What Is a State Speech Association?

State associations are organizations founded by individuals in the fields of communication sciences and disorders with goals of providing opportunities to advocate for the profession and the individuals we serve, and opportunities to collaborate with other professionals to solve problems and concerns that arise in practice. State associations also work to support members and the field through education. They are volunteer-based organizations supported by their membership.

State associations are recognized professional associations for audiologists and speech-language pathologists by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), which currently represents 247,000 members, certificate holders, and affiliates nationwide. However, state associations are a separate entity from ASHA and NSSLHA. Where ASHA advocates at the national and federal level, your state association focuses on legislation, regulation, and professional issues specific to your state.

What Do State Speech Associations Do?

A major role that state associations play is as an advocacy organization. Associations monitor proposed legislation, identify bills that may have a positive or negative impact on the field of communication sciences and disorders and the individuals we serve, and develop advocacy agendas to address those bills. A large, unified voice such as a state association can be key to successful advocacy.

Members may be enlisted to contact their Senators and Representatives, participate in organized advocacy days at the State House, attend or testify at hearings held by legislative committees to express support or concerns regarding proposed bills, and educate others on important topics regarding the state association's advocacy agenda. Recent examples of state association advocacy include efforts to support salary supplements for school-based SLPs, secure Medicaid reimbursement improvements, license speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs), and pass ASLP Interstate Compact legislation to allow SLPs to practice across state lines. According to ASHA, 22 state associations received advocacy grants in 2023 alone to fund these kinds of grassroots efforts.

Many state associations also give professionals opportunities to participate in continuing education opportunities such as conferences or conventions. If a member has a question, they can bring it to the association, which will help direct them to the appropriate answer or resources. Associations may have ad-hoc committees comprised of members who are looking to work together to resolve common concerns, problems, or projects.

State associations also connect to ASHA's State-Based Advocacy Networks, which include State Education Advocacy Leaders (SEALs), State Advocates for Reimbursement (STARs), and State Advocates for Medicare Policy (StAMPs). These volunteer leaders are appointed by state associations and work on education, reimbursement, and Medicare issues within their states, giving your state association direct pathways to influence policy at every level.

How Can Students Get Involved in Their State Speech Association?

MSHA recognizes students as the future of our profession. We want students to become members while they are in school, learn the benefits of membership, and continue their involvement with their state association after graduation. As a result, MSHA has started several student-focused initiatives over the years to grow our student membership and is always working on ways to improve or add to these opportunities.

Student members can participate in the MSHA Annual Student Event: Making the Transition from Student to Clinician at no cost to them. We have included student liaisons as appointed positions to our Executive Council and hope to have at least one student from every program in the state participate each year. The role of the student liaisons is to share information with other students in their programs on important initiatives and advocacy efforts.

MSHA students played a key role in advocating for the provisional licensure law for clinical fellows in Massachusetts, which was signed into law in November 2022 after more than a decade of sustained advocacy. Students participated in letter-writing campaigns, organized testimony at public hearings, and took part in the first MSHA Student Advocacy Day. That real-world experience in legislative advocacy is the kind of professional development you can't get in a classroom.

In the past, we have awarded student members scholarships and hosted networking events with students and professionals. Student members have also participated in ad-hoc committees on a variety of topics. If you are interested in SLP scholarships more broadly, the SpeechPathologyMastersPrograms.com scholarships page provides a comprehensive list of opportunities—including several offered by state associations across the country.

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What Opportunities Do State Speech Associations Offer Students?

Becoming a member of a state association in graduate school gives students a variety of opportunities. Most importantly, students learn what a state association does firsthand. They can participate in networking opportunities to make connections with other students and professionals in the field. Students can stay informed on current issues arising in the State House that could positively or negatively impact the profession, as well as learn how to become a successful advocate for these issues. These are great learning opportunities, especially as we see a growing passion for advocacy among incoming students. Students who volunteer and actively participate in the associations have opportunities to build leadership skills and make lasting relationships with other members.

One powerful example of how student membership can make a real difference is MSHA's advocacy effort regarding provisional licensure for clinical fellows in Massachusetts. For years, Massachusetts was the only state in the country that had no licensing provision for clinical fellows—making it difficult for CFs to get reimbursed for services, particularly under Medicare, which requires that qualified providers be licensed or certified by the state. This was especially problematic in skilled nursing facilities, where residents are almost always Medicare beneficiaries. Without provisional licensure, CFs were considered students for billing purposes, which created barriers to both employment and patient access.

MSHA set provisional licensure as a top priority and, with ASHA's support through state association advocacy grants, funded the work of a lobbyist and mobilized a sustained campaign of testimony, letter-writing, and student engagement. When the first bill was introduced in 2010, MSHA's student and faculty membership was small, making it difficult to reach the people who could help. But as MSHA focused on building student and faculty membership, education reached a larger pool of stakeholders. Students gained knowledge on how this issue directly impacted them and had an organization to turn to for accurate, up-to-date information.

In November 2022, Governor Charlie Baker signed the provisional licensure bill into law. The Massachusetts Board of Registration for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology subsequently developed implementation regulations, and by December 2025, MassHealth issued guidance aligning reimbursement with provisional licensure. This is a success story that took over a decade to achieve—and it could not have happened without student involvement.

If you are planning your own clinical fellowship, understanding how provisional licensure and state regulations work in your state is essential. The SpeechPathologyMastersPrograms.com state license guide can help you research the specific requirements where you plan to practice.

State Associations, NSSLHA, and ASHA: How They Work Together

It is worth understanding how these organizations relate to each other. NSSLHA is the national student organization for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students in communication sciences and disorders. Annual membership is $60 and provides access to ASHA journals, reduced ASHA Convention registration, scholarship eligibility, and a $250 discount on initial ASHA membership and certification fees through the NSSLHA-to-ASHA Conversion Discount. NSSLHA is a valuable resource, but it is a separate organization from your state association.

Your state association operates independently and addresses the legislative, regulatory, and practice issues specific to your state. Many of the advocacy victories that directly affect your day-to-day practice—like provisional licensure, caseload caps, Medicaid reimbursement rates, and salary supplements—are won at the state level, through your state association. Membership in one does not automatically include membership in the other, and each offers distinct benefits.

ASHA serves as the national credentialing body and provides resources to support state associations, including advocacy grants, a State-by-State directory to help you find your state association, and coordination through the SEAL, STARs, and StAMP networks. Together, ASHA, NSSLHA, and your state association form a layered system of professional support—but joining your state association is the most direct way to influence the policies and regulations that shape SLP practice where you live and work.

A New Frontier: The Interstate Compact

One of the most significant recent developments in SLP licensure is the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC). This agreement among states allows licensed audiologists and SLPs to practice in other member states through a “compact privilege,” which functions as the equivalent of a license. As of early 2026, 37 jurisdictions—36 states and one U.S. territory—have enacted ASLP-IC legislation, and the compact's data system, CompactConnect, launched in late 2025.

State associations have played a central role in advocating for ASLP-IC adoption in their legislatures—another example of why your membership and voice at the state level matters. Whether you plan to practice across state lines, explore telepractice opportunities, or simply want the flexibility to relocate during your career, the interstate compact is reshaping how licensure works. Students who are engaged with their state associations will be well positioned to understand these changes and advocate for continued progress.

Get Involved

Consider joining your state association as a student to take part in growth and leadership opportunities that will serve you throughout your career. You can find your state's association through ASHA's State-by-State page. I hope your early involvement in these organizations will lead to lifelong participation and as many positive memories as I have experienced.

If you're still exploring whether speech-language pathology is the right path for you, visit the SpeechPathologyMastersPrograms.com resources page or explore the guide to making a career change to speech pathology.

Note: You should consult with your doctor or speech pathologist for recommendations on treatment. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Lisa Moran and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeechPathologyMastersPrograms.com