Fix SLP: Advocacy & Accountability in Speech-Language Pathology

Telehealth for speech therapy is under threat, and if Medicare pulls access, the consequences could ripple far beyond one program. Adults, families, and care partners lose critical care options, but that’s just the start. A Medicare rollback could trigger private insurance and Medicaid to follow suit, resulting in reduced access across the board. In this episode, we explore why telehealth is crucial for patients who can’t ...

SLP malpractice insurance without ASHA Membership (or the CCC), fact or fiction? In this Fix SLP Summer School episode, Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP, and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP, discuss affordable liability coverage options for licensed SLPs who choose not to maintain ASHA membership or the CCC. They explain the ProLiability/AMBA partnership, why it’s not your only option, what policies and riders are important (malpractice, g...

Burnout is hitting SLPs earlier and harder, especially as caseloads and productivity rise. Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP, is joined by Fix SLP’s Mikayla Treynor, MA/SLP, to chat about what burnout really is (per WHO), how high caseloads and rising productivity targets fuel it, and how to tell burnout from simple under‑stimulation. They share practical strategies you can use now: set enforceable boundaries, stop unpaid paperwor...

Virginia is shaking up SLP licensure. Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP, talks with Ed Bice, M.Ed./SLP, acting president of the Speech-Hearing Association of Virginia, about their petition to eliminate provisional licenses and grant full licensure to new grads immediately upon graduation. They unpack the petition’s purpose, address mentorship versus supervision, explore impacts on The Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Inte...

ASHA doesn’t own the SLP Interstate Compact, but in Virginia, they used it as leverage to oppose a petition aimed at removing the supervised experience requirement for full licensure. In this bonus episode, Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP, and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP, unpack the petition, ASHA’s public letter of dissent, and why using the SLP Interstate Compact as a scare tactic matters for SLPs nationwide. We break down the Medic...

This week on Fix SLP, Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP, and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP, call out the emotional and professional fallout from the Praxis exam scandal, the profession’s empathy deficit, and what the response reveals about the culture of speech-language pathology. They discuss how shame and judgment are being used to gatekeep the field, what really happened with the 180 impacted students, and what Fix SLP is doing to inve...

This week, we break down the shocking Praxis exam scandal that has rocked the SLP world. ETS canceled scores for over 180 future clinicians, citing cheating and policy violations tied to a shared Google Doc. We explain what happened, who’s being penalized, and why the response from ASHA is raising eyebrows. Dr. Jeanette Benigas and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP, bring clarity, evidence, and a call to stop fear-based culture in the...

In this summer school episode, Dr. Jeanette Benigas and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP, unpack everything SLPs need to know about CCC reinstatement, from costs and Praxis requirements to outdated myths. Whether you’re a new grad, stay-at-home mom, or seasoned clinician ready to let the CCC go, this episode breaks down the three requirements for reinstatement and what’s actually worth worrying about. Plus, updates on the Fix SLP on ...

Are ASHA elections really democratic? In this episode of the Fix SLP Podcast, Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP, and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP, dig into ASHA’s so-called “elections,” exposing how the committee system hand-picks a slate, leaving SLPs with no real choice. They discuss the heavy tilt toward academia, why it keeps the same priorities in power, and how voting NO is a small but powerful protest. Learn why thousands of SLPs ...

Welcome to episode 3 of the Fix SLP Summer School Series! Dr. Jeanette Benigas and Elizabeth Nielsen, MA/SLP, break down why the CCC is NOT a license, how to correctly sign your name as an SLP, and how putting CCC everywhere just turns you into a free ASHA billboard. We’re tackling the sneaky ways this misinformation keeps spreading so you can protect your title—and your wallet. Whether you’re a new grad or a seasoned pro,...

Join Dr. Jeanette Benigas, Preston Lewis, MA/SLP, and Alexa Chapman, MA/SLP, as they break down Michigan’s House Bill 4484, a major step in ensuring state licensure remains the sole credential for SLPs—no CCC required. Hear how grassroots advocacy drove this bill forward, what it means for SLPs across Michigan, and why it’s a model for other states. Plus, get a behind-the-scenes look at testifying in Lansing and what’s nex...

This Fix SLP Podcast Summer School episode breaks down why CCC requirements still show up in SLP job postings—and how you can push back. Dr. Jeanette Benigas and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP, tackle lazy copy-paste listings, leadership mindsets stuck in the past, and how real SLPs have gotten major employers to drop the CCC. Hear wins from Michigan, plus learn how to start the conversation with HR. Ready to bust myths and change ...

Welcome to Episode 1 of the Fix SLP Summer School series—where we’re schooling the system all summer long. Preston Lewis, MS/SLP, and private practice owner Elizabeth Nielsen, MA/SLP, tackle a key question: Do you really need the CCC in private practice? Elizabeth shares how dropping the CCC had zero impact on billing, referrals, or her waitlist—even with major payers like Blue Cross Blue Shield.

They also break down AS...

CMS didn’t create a new rule—they just enforced an old one in a new way. And it’s exposing the weakness in our entire clinical fellowship (CF) model. In this episode, Dr. Jeanette Benigas and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP, explain how ASHA’s CF requirement has now become a national liability, why CMS won’t listen to petitions, and what Fix SLP is doing instead. From the collapse of provisional licensure to a bold plan to rewrite s...

Fix SLP was never just about making noise—it was built to challenge systems that gatekeep, exploit, and mislead. In this foundational episode, Dr. Jeanette Benigas and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP, explain why the CCC isn’t just unnecessary—it might be illegal.

We walk through the Sherman Antitrust Act, our official complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and how we allege ASHA's CCC requirement may violate federal law by...

Mentorship is supposed to shape confident, competent SLPs, but too often, it leaves them overwhelmed, underprepared, and unsupported. In this episode, Dr. Jeanette Benigas talks with Lynsie Erickson-Facca, MS/SLP, of The Speech Pack, to unpack the mentorship crisis in our field, from outdated supervisors to broken systems, and what ethical, empowered mentorship should look like.

Find Fix SLPs resources for students and ...

New SLPs are burning out—and it’s not their fault.
In this episode, Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP talks with Nikki Rosner, MA/SLP and Hylan Noble, MS/SLP from The Mentorship Collective about the growing mentorship crisis in speech-language pathology. Together, they unpack why so many new grads feel overwhelmed, unsupported, and unprepared in their first year—and what can be done to fix it.

We talk about the problems with tr...

Are staffing agencies and investor-backed companies pocketing the profits while you do the work? In this episode, Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP, and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP sit down with Elise Mitchell, MS/SLP, founder of The Therapist Support Network, to expose how contracting puts the power—and the paycheck—back in your hands. Whether you're in schools, hospitals, or private practice, learn how SLPs are building income, autono...

Ready to finally understand what you’re really getting paid—and what’s being kept from you in SLP job listings? In this jaw-dropping episode, Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP and Preston Lewis, MS/SLP sit down with Dr. Meredith Harold, SLP, founder of The Informed SLP and Informed Jobs, to expose the hidden red flags in speech-language pathology job postings, the illusion of hourly pay, and the myth of wage transparency in our fi...