The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R 2663/S. 1176) would require the U.S. Department of Labor to issue workplace violence prevention standards to protect health care and social service workers, including audiologists and SLPs. The bill would help ensure that the health care settings where audiologists and SLPs work have effective policies, training, and recordkeeping access in place to prevent violence and protect their health and safety.

According to a 2016 Government Accountability Office study, rates of violence against health care workers are up to 12 times higher than rates for the overall workforce, and 70% of nonfatal workplace assaults in 2016 occurred in the health care and social assistance sectors. Over 40% of all ASHA members work in health care settings that include hospitals, residential facilities (e.g., skilled nursing facilities), and nonresidential settings, including home health care. The House of Representatives passed this bipartisan bill in 2021, but the Senate did not consider it. 

Download the Issue Brief [PDF] to learn more. 

Please complete the form to email your Representative and Senators and ask them to cosponsor H.R 2663/S. 1176.

Questions? Please contact Eric Masten, ASHA's director of federal affairs, education, at emasten@asha.org.  

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