Credentialing - Where We Are Now!

During the summer and fall of 2025, many hearing and speech employers and providers shared concerns about significant delays in our ability to issue licenses on time, mostly affecting speech-language pathologists.

We are happy to report that as of February 2, 2026, there are 5 pending applications that have not been reviewed, with the oldest application received on January 30, 2026. There are 301 pending applications that have been reviewed and require some type of action from the applicant to complete, and many are pending federal background checks.

Jennifer Santiago, Executive Director for the Board of Hearing and Speech, Washington State Department of Health, presented to the board on November 7, 2025, regarding licensing delays. Ms. Santiago shared multiple reasons for the delays.

1. The department implemented a new licensing database, HELMS, on April 29, 2025.
2. Changes in staffing, July and September 2025
3. Graduation season, June-August

In the three months of June, July, and August, 315 applications were received. That is almost half of all applications received for the whole year - 736 total applications received from September 2024 to September 2025.

The department routinely receives an average of 66.91 applications per month. During this past graduation season, we averaged 101.25 per month, with 121 applications received in July 2025.

On November 7, 2025, when information was presented to the board, the department had 464 total pending applications, with some applications still requiring review from July 2025.

Since November, the program has implemented a plan to reduce pending applications: focused hours for staff, limited overtime hours, and assistance from staff assigned to other areas.

The Credentialing Process:

1. Intake/Application received - review and verify demographic information
2. Review - review and verify all license requirements and documents, send email requesting missing information, and process background checks.
3. Final - a lead or supervisor reviews the completed application to ensure all requirements are met and issues the credential.

General statistics (as of February 2, 2026):

Although we have cleared our backlog and are processing current applications received within the same month, we need employers and applicants to respond to emails and submit required application documents.

Here are a few suggestions for applicants:

• Submit a complete application.
  
  
• Include all required documents.
  
  
• Apply early - 6 to 8 weeks in advance.
  
  
• Ensure your email address is correct, and check your spam or junk folder routinely for emails from the department.
  
  
• Respond to emails from the department.
  
  
• Check your application status using the new HELMS portal: Healthcare Enforcement and Licensing Management System (HELMS) | Washington State Department of Health

Thank you for your patience while we worked through our credentialing backlog!