May 1994

National health policy must recognize audiology and speech-language pathology services as basic, necessary, and essential to an individual's health and welfare and;

1. provide universal access to consumers
2. recognize individual needs
3. ensure quality of life
4. ensure consumer and professional representation for policy development
5. support consumer education
6. allow consumers to choose provider settings
7. cover comprehensive services
8. provide cost-effective services
9. ensure broad-based financing
10. support research
11. recognize the autonomy of the audiology and speech-language pathology professions
12. provide access to necessary assistive and augmentative technology

*Developed by the Ad Hoc Committee on National Health Policy