Speech therapist could lose his license if he doesn’t complete implicit bias prevention training – Michigan Capitol Confidential

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FOIA records show the employee failed to complete 20 credit hours, including implicit bias training

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The state of Michigan has sanctioned a speech therapist for failing to complete training on how to deal with implicit bias, as required by a 2020 directive from Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Michigan residents who hold state licenses in 26 professions must complete implicit bias training to renew their professional licenses.

New applicants must complete two hours of implicit bias training within the past five years. Renewed license holders or registrants must complete one hour of implicit bias training for each year of their license cycle.

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs has fined a speech therapist $1,500 for failing to complete continuing education or implicit bias training, according to an internal document sent to CapCon by Do No Harm, an organization that advocates against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Do No Harm obtained the affidavit from a state compliance officer dated Oct. 19, 2023, and other documents through a Freedom of Information Act request. The therapist was placed on probation with the requirement to complete the required hours and implicit bias training. If the fine is not paid and the training requirement is not met, the state will revoke the person’s license to practice.

The order was issued by the Michigan Board of Speech-Language Pathology’s disciplinary committee, which stated the individual had failed to provide evidence of meeting the bias requirement and was missing 20 credit hours of continuing education, including one hour of pain and pain symptom management training.

“The defendant is missing 20 hours of continuing professional development, including 1 hour in pain and symptom management. In addition, the defendant must complete implicit bias training,” a disciplinary order states.

Do No Harm requested the regulatory board’s emails about implicit bias training, said Laura Morgan, the organization’s senior program director. The organization, according to its website, represents “physicians, nurses, medical students, patients and policymakers committed to keeping identity politics out of medical education, research and clinical practice.”

“We have heard from physicians, nurses and other practitioners without exception that this requirement is ‘offensive’ as a prerequisite for licensure and has even led some of them to forego renewing their licenses altogether,” Morgan said in a statement. At a time when the entire healthcare industry continues to struggle with a shortage of providers across all disciplines, Michigan’s insistence on enforcing an ideologically motivated concept with the weak evidence that implicit bias exists is simply not consistent with the needs and best practices of patient care.”

The licensing agency did not respond to emails seeking comment.

Richardson said the FOIA response shows that some department employees have not completed training on how to deal with implicit bias.

When reminded to complete the training, one employee responded that it “had nothing to do with the performance of my duties and that I am perfectly capable of and do treat all people with the respect and warmth that all living beings deserve.”

The employee said he tried to complete the training but encountered an error in the online system and did not have time to finish it.

The documents the state provided to Do No Harm contain a note that reads:

“The State of Michigan is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive workplace by mitigating implicit bias. In 2019, the Governor issued Executive Directive 2020-9, which requires state employees to attend implicit bias training every two years.”

The agency also invited state employees to a pronoun training class and the MI Family Pride event on Thursday, June 22, in Lansing.