[visionrehabtherapist] Re: TVIs as VRTs
- From: Coby Livingstone <coby.livingstone@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Shadrick, Ian D" <IanShadrick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 19:25:04 -0600
Ian
I am an active member of MACRT and feel it is a most valuable
organization. MACRT was never mentioned during my graduate school classes.
I am eager to promote Vision Rehabilitation Therapy as the best therapy a
consumer could choose, other than a program with the VA.
Coby
On Mon, Sep 30, 2013 at 3:18 PM, Shadrick, Ian D <
IanShadrick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 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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