[visionrehabtherapist] Re: TVIs as VRTs
- From: "Shadrick, Ian D" <IanShadrick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "coby.livingstone@xxxxxxxxx" <coby.livingstone@xxxxxxxxx>, "B.J. LeJeune" <BJLejeune@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:18:23 -0500
Coby,
I wanted to touch base regarding this issue with particular emphasis on your
question of a seperate professional organization to point out that there is
fact is a professional organization specific to VRT (outside of AER and the VRT
division), the Mid-America Conference of Rehabilitation Teachers. The
organization has been in existance since the 1930's in various forms. With that
being said, I encourage all who may be unfamiliar with MACRT to look into our
organization.
Regarding your other questions, I feel it is vital that we as a profession do
all we can to promote our profession, which includes networking and reaching
out to the other professions to promotoe what is that we as VRTs do, and how we
differ from the other areas, but also how we complement them. Regarding AER or
ACVREP in working to develop additional programs, this often takes more than
simply these organizations, as it becomes an issue at each university
individually to either keep a program up and running, as so many universities
focus strictly on the graduation number, which as a low incidence disability
area will nearly always be below that of general disability areas (Special
Education and OT for example), but also it takes support from interested
stakeholders from all areas to support programs (especially in the case of new
development).
Thank you,
Ian Shadrick
President Mid-America Conference of Rehabilitation Teachers
Ian Shadrick M.A.,M.A., CVRT, CRC
Instructor
Blindness & Low Vision and Orientation & Mobility Programs
Department of Counseling, Leadership, and Special Education
Missouri State University
901 S. National Ave.
Springfield, MO 65897
Office: PCOB 114
Phone: 417.836.8466
Fax: 417.836.5997
ianshadrick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
________________________________________
From: visionrehabtherapist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[visionrehabtherapist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Coby Livingstone
[coby.livingstone@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 3:14 PM
To: B.J. LeJeune
Cc: l.mowerson@xxxxxxxxxxx; visionrehabtherapist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx;
guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx; lag324@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Sharon Hudson
Subject: [visionrehabtherapist] Re: TVIs as VRTs
BJ
Thank you for your insight and comments regarding OT and VRT.
I'm wondering what the next step should be for the CVRT. Should we advocate
for our own professional organization...now? Should we advocate and agitate
AERBVI and ACVREP for help:
1. In increasing the recognition of CVRT by other professionals,
2. To increase the number and quality of training programs,
3. To collaborate effectively with COMS, CLVT, TVI, OT, Vocational Counselors
in Vision Rehab, Consumer Groups (NFB certification) etc.
Coby Livingstone
On Mon, Sep 30, 2013 at 8:59 AM, B.J. LeJeune
<BJLejeune@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:BJLejeune@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hi Coby,
It is good to meet you and learn of the AERBVI Licensure Task Force. With the
shortage of VRTs I think licensure in many places will be unrealistic and
perhaps a little premature. Will a state go through the expense and processes
necessary to set up a licensure program when they only have 5-10-20 certified
professionals in the state? I agree that licensure is probably a very
positive thing in states that have a good number of professionals, but we need
to get our numbers up first. Requiring another "hoop" for people to go through
to practice doesn't make sense as we try to recruit people into the field and
encourage certification. If certification is required to be licensed, there
will be a lot of states that will be in big trouble because many of their
agency trained staff are not certified. Do we think these practitioners are a
danger to the clients they serve? It seems like that would be part of the issue
(see definition below). We also work under many different titles - braille
teacher, independent living specialist, rehabilitation teacher, assistive
technology instructor, Occupational Therapists, etc. We need to do some work
within our profession before we are ready for licensure. Just my opinion.
See this defining of licensure from Wikipedia (I know that is not the best
source but I think they state it well).
Licensure means a restricted practice requiring a
license<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/License>, which gives a "permission to
practice." Such licenses are usually issued in order to regulate some activity
that is deemed to be dangerous or a threat to the person or the public or which
involves a high level of specialized skill. The danger and skill elements
inspire governments not to allow a free-for-all, but to regulate the activity,
and licensing is a well-established and convenient method of regulation.
Licensing includes such things as pilot and driving licenses, licenses to play
professional sports, etc. In the case of certain occupations and professions,
licensing is often granted through a professional
body<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_body> or a licensing board
composed of advanced practitioners who oversee the applications for licenses.
This often involves accredited training and examinations, but varies a great
deal for different activities and in different countries. Practicing without a
license<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Practicing_without_a_license> may carry
civil or criminal penalties.
Best wishes,
BJ
B. J. LeJeune, M.Ed., CRC, CVRT
NRTC on Blindness and Low Vision
Mississippi State University
P. O. Box 6189
Mississippi State, Ms 39762
bjlejeune@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:bjlejeune@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
662-325-2694<tel:662-325-2694>
FAX 662-325-8989<tel:662-325-8989>
>>> Coby Livingstone
>>> <coby.livingstone@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:coby.livingstone@xxxxxxxxx>> 9/28/2013
>>> 7:07 AM >>>
Good Morning
AERBVI has a Licensure Task Force, convened by the Board earlier this year.
Would state licensure and certification of VRT's assist in maintaining and
developing the profession of VRT? Vision Rehabilitation Teachers (Therapists)
are the foundation of Vision Rehabilitation since the very beginning!
How successful are OT's, with no training in Vision Rehabilitation Frame of
Reference, in school systems and agencies? Are university Training programs
addressing this issue with classes, research or other mechanisms?
Coby Livingstone, OTR/L, CVRT
Low Vision Solutions for Adults
On Fri, Sep 27, 2013 at 3:57 PM,
<l.mowerson@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:l.mowerson@xxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Again Not to harp on the issue, it is not duct the fact that OT's can bill
medicaid but the fact that OTs training programs and tearily graduates out
number VRTs 100 to 1! The sheer percentage of available personnel in VRT just
does not exist.
Lisa-Anne
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