§141.8 – Issuance of Permits-info copied from DSHS fitters website under rules/regulations on 9/30/15
(a) Temporary training permit.
(1) The training period begins on the date of the issuance of the temporary permit.
(2) The committee shall issue a temporary training permit to an applicant who meets the requirements of the Act, §402.251.
(3) The temporary training must be done under the supervision of an individual who holds a valid license to fit and dispense hearing instruments under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 401 or 402, other than an individual licensed under §401.311 or §401.312. A supervisor licensed under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 401, shall comply with all provisions of Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 402, and this chapter that relate to the supervision and training of a temporary permit holder. A supervisor licensed under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 402, shall comply with all provisions of the Act and this chapter.
(4) A person shall obtain a temporary training permit prior to beginning the supervision.
(5) A temporary training permit holder shall maintain a valid temporary training permit during his or her supervised practicum experience.
(6) The supervisor must submit a written notification of termination of supervision to the committee and the temporary training permit holder within 10 days of cessation of supervision. The committee notification of termination of supervision shall include:
(A) the name and permit number of the temporary training permit holder, and the name, license number, and signature of the supervisor;
(B) a statement that supervision has terminated;
(C) the reason for termination;
(D) the date of termination of supervision; and
(E) a statement indicating whether the supervisor and the temporary training permit holder have complied with the requirements of Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 402 (Act), and this chapter.
(7) The temporary training permit holder shall give written notice to the executive director of the transfer of supervision within 10 working days of change in supervisor.
(8) A temporary training permit holder shall be required to have at least 160 hours of directly supervised practicum that shall include the following:
(A) 25 contact hours of pure tone air conduction, bone conduction, and speech audiometry with both recorded and live voice with 15 of the required hours being with actual clients;
(B) 10 contact hours of masking;
(C) 25 client hours of hearing instrument evaluation including sound field measurements with recorded and live voice;
(D) 20 contact hours of instrument fittings with actual consumers;
(E) 10 contact hours of earmold orientation types, uses, and terminology;
(F) 5 contact hours of earmold impressions and otoscopic examinations of the ear;
(G) 15 contact hours of troubleshooting of defective hearing instruments;
(H) 20 contact hours of case history with actual consumers;
(I) 10 contact hours of the laws governing the licensing of persons fitting and dispensing hearing instruments and Federal Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission regulations relating to the fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments;
(J) 20 hours of supplemental work in one or more of the areas described in subparagraphs (A) - (H) of this paragraph.
(9) On completion of the 160 hours of directly supervised practicum under paragraph (8) of this subsection, the Examination Eligibility Packet must be completed by the temporary permit holder and the supervisor(s) and contain the supervised practicum hours affidavit, and supervised practicum hours log(s), and notarized signatures of the temporary permit holder and the supervisor(s).
(b) Apprentice permit.
(1) A temporary training permit holder who has taken all parts of the examination given by the committee and has passed all parts of the examination with a score of 70% or greater shall be issued an apprentice permit to fit and dispense hearing instruments. An apprentice permit remains valid for one year unless it is extended by the committee for an additional period not to exceed six months.
(2) The committee shall issue an apprentice permit to an applicant who:
(A) has filed an application form and apprentice permit fee; and
(B) has taken and passed all parts of the examination with a score of 70% or greater.
(3) The supervisor shall periodically conduct a formal evaluation of the applicant's progress in the development of professional skills.
(4) A supervisor of an apprentice permit holder is responsible for services to the client that may be performed by the apprentice permit holder. The supervisor must ensure that all services provided are in compliance with the Act and this chapter.
(5) The apprenticeship must be done under the indirect supervision of an individual authorized to supervise permit holders who holds a valid license to fit and dispense hearing instruments in the State of Texas under the Act or Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 401, other than a person licensed under §401.311 or §401.312.
(6) Prior to the issuance of an apprentice permit, the supervisor's affidavit form must be filed with the committee office.
(7) The apprentice permit holder shall complete 20 hours of classroom continuing education in one or more of the following approved subjects:
(A) basic physics of sound;
(B) structure and function of hearing instruments;
(C) fitting of hearing instruments;
(D) pure tone audiometry, including air conduction testing and bone conduction testing;
(E) live voice and recorded voice speech audiometry;
(F) masking when indicated for air conduction, bone conduction, and speech;
(G) recording and evaluation of audiogram and speech audiometry to determine the candidacy for hearing instruments;
(H) selection and adaption of hearing instruments, testing of hearing instruments, and verification of aided hearing instrument performance;
(I) taking of earmold impressions;
(J) verification of hearing instrument fitting and functional gain measurements using a calibrated system;
(K) anatomy and physiology of the ear;
(L) counseling and aural rehabilitation of an individual with a hearing impairment for the purpose of fitting and dispensing hearing instruments;
(M) use of an otoscope for the visual observation of the entire ear canal;
(N) laws, rules, and regulations of this state and the United States; and
(O) the proper procedures for sound level measurements.
(8) The supervisor must submit written notification of cessation of supervision to the committee and the apprentice permit holder within 10 days of cessation of supervision. Notification of termination of supervision shall include:
(A) the name and permit number of the apprentice, name and license number of the supervisor, and the signature of the supervisor;
(B) a statement that supervision has been terminated;
(C) the reason for termination;
(D) the date of termination of supervision; and
(E) a statement indicating whether the supervisor and the apprentice permit holder have complied with the requirements of the Act and this chapter.
(9) The apprentice permit holder shall give written notice to the executive director of the transfer of supervision within 10 working days of change in supervisor.
(10) The Supervisor's Affidavit forms must be completed by the apprentice permit holder and the supervisor or supervisors and contain:
(A) the name of the apprentice permit holder;
(B) the name, address, and licensure status of the apprentice permit holder's supervisor and supervisors;
(C) the name and address of the business or organization where the apprentice permit holder practices;
(D) the inclusive dates of the supervised experience;
(E) the supervisor's notarized signature; and
(F) the apprentice permit holder's signature.
(c) Other conditions for supervised experience for temporary training permit or apprentice permit.
(1) A supervisor may not supervise more than two permit holders of each type at one time.
(2) A supervisor may delegate training activities of a temporary training permit holder to another licensee. The supervisor shall be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of a trainee. The supervisor shall also be ultimately responsible for services provided to a client by the temporary training permit holder. A supervisor shall not delegate the responsibility of supervision.
Source Note: The provisions of this §141.8 adopted to be effective March 19, 1996, 21 TexReg 1877; amended to be effective September 9, 2001, 26 TexReg 6671; amended to be effective March 23, 2003, 28 TexReg 2320; amended to be effective August 1, 2006, 31 TexReg 5964; amended to be effective September 28, 2010, 35 TexReg 8751