[visionrehabtherapist] Re: TVIs as VRTs
- From: "B.J. LeJeune" <BJLejeune@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <l.mowerson@xxxxxxxxxxx>, <coby.livingstone@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 09:59:44 -0500
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
662-325-2694
FAX 662-325-8989
>>> Coby Livingstone <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> 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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