This Clinical Guideline has been developed to guide and support speech pathologists in their delivery of speech pathology services to individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. The aims of this guideline are to define (a) the speech pathologists’ scope of practice in working with clients with an ASD and their families, (b) the principles of best practice based on the current research evidence, and (c) the specialist knowledge and skills that speech pathologists require in order to screen, assess, diagnose, treat, and consult to clients with ASD and their families effectively.

This Clinical Guideline aims to (a) improve the understanding of communication and swallowing in the context of mental health, (b) highlight the need for early intervention and prevention programs and (c) outline the role of speech pathologists in mental health services.

It is the position of the Association that access to appropriately structured speech pathology services in schools is integral to the achievement of educational outcomes for students with special needs in communication and/or oro-motor functioning. (Revised Dec 2011)

This Clinical Guideline aims to provide information to assist speech pathologists, and speech pathology service providers, to develop both policy and best practice guidelines which consider how the service will meet the needs of clients who come from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a dynamic area of specialisation that is changing rapidly due to advances in technology and an active international and national research endeavour. This guideline has been revised by an expert reference group who have sought feedback and input to this current version released in September 2012.

Work on the first Dysphagia Position Paper was commenced in 1991, as a result of an increasing involvement in the field of dysphagia by Australian speech pathologists. The paper was released in 1994, the same year the first Competency Based Occupational Standards (CBOS) for Speech Pathologists were released. Both these papers established baseline competency skills for newly graduated and experienced speech pathologists. Australian university speech pathology programs undergo regular accreditation to demonstrate that graduates meet the basic competencies established by Speech Pathology Australia. Since then the paper has been relabelled as a clinical guideline and has undergone a further two reviews in 2004 and 2011. This clinical guideline is the latest version and was authorised by Council in May 2012.

This is the first Speech Pathology Australia Clinical Guideline on the use of the modified barium swallow (MBS) in the assessment, diagnosis and management of dysphagia.

This guideline is a revision of the original Tracheostomy Tube Management Position Paper (1996). Since that publication, the role of the speech pathologist working with the tracheostomised population has expanded and changed. This paper will address these changes and document the available evidence. The intent of this revision is to address broader and more specialised areas than the initial paper including the increasing role of the speech pathologist in the process of decannulation, management of paediatric patients and the management of ventilator assisted patients.

This Clinical Guideline has been developed to guide and support speech pathologists in the implementation of FEES in Australian healthcare contexts. This is the first Speech Pathology Australia FEES Clinical Guideline.