Challenging ASHA with Jeanette Benigas

Guest Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP and founder of FixSLP, describes ASHA as a membership association with no legal authority, arguing it maintains power through the Certificate of Clinical Competency (CCC), accreditation control, employer requirements, and pricing that she says creates antitrust concerns. She recounts FixSLP filing an FTC complaint and submitting a bylaw petition for pricing transparency that ASHA allegedly sidestepped. Benigas emphasizes evidence-based practice includes research, clinical expertise, and patient values, and supports families pursuing methods that work. Kaufer cites recent rulings stating ASHA positions cannot override children’s legal rights and introduces his coalition, Communicators for Communication Rights (C4CR), seeking stories documenting harm tied to ASHA-based denials.   Topics 00:40 Stone Story And ASHA 02:10 Meet Dr. Benigas 06:21 FixSLP Origin Story 07:19 CCC Money And Tying 12:36 Why SLPs Fear ASHA 19:49 FTC Complaint And Petition 25:29 Budgets And Low Pay 27:34 Why Lawsuits Stall 32:20 ASHA Blocks Alternatives 34:51 Credential Funnel Control 35:47 State Level Reform Wins 37:20 Courts Reject ASHA Authority 41:03 Evidence Beyond Research 46:01 Why ASHA Dug In 53:18 Politics and NMES Example 57:29 Coalition and Next Steps