[visionrehabtherapist] Re: What do you think about the new ACVREP Certification requirements?
- From: "Sarah Heinrich" <sheinrich@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <jennifer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <Maduffy@xxxxxxx>, <visionrehabtherapist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:04:02 -0500
I totally agree that Track II certification is not appropriate for any
discipline! It was oversight on my behalf to not speak up in this forum, as
I have been actively following the O&M discussion about Track II
certification.
I also do not feel that the Track 2 changes proposed by ACVREP will do
anything more than harm our field that has historically struggled for the
respect and recognition that we deserve.
I would rather pay more to maintain a certification that continues to value
the extensive education that I received to obtain it. If, as a field, we
want to recruit more professionals to serve the ever growing population of
people with vision impairment, we need to continue to demonstrate that this
is a professional field.
At this point, I think we need to keep a close tab on what ACVREP decides to
do and make sure that the voices of the CVRTs are heard as well.
Sarah Heinrich
704-644-4505
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From: visionrehabtherapist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:visionrehabtherapist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jennifer
Throop
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 12:40 PM
To: Maduffy@xxxxxxx; visionrehabtherapist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [visionrehabtherapist] Re: What do you think about the new ACVREP
Certification requirements?
Hi Maureen,
Thank you for bringing this topic to the forefront with VRTs. I have also
been following the certification related discussions on the list serves and
wondered why no VRTs were commenting. (I guess I'm a culprit as well since
I did not respond.) Then yesterday the AER newsletter list serve sent out a
message and it only addressed the problem as it pertains to O&M. However,
these proposed changes in certification would apply to VRT and LVT as well.
I don't know if VRTs and LVTs do not realize this or they have just reserved
their comments or passed them on to "the powers that be" via private
e-mails. But like the O&Mers have done, I feel we need to make our opinions
heard. I for one am ABSOLUTELY AGAINST certification without field specific
university training. I had worked in the field providing direct "VRT-like"
services to clients for over 10 years before I went to PCO for VRT. If
these standards were in place then I could have become certified without
ever going to PCO, which WOULD HAVE BEEN A BIG MISTAKE! I learned so many
things while completing the VRT program that I never learned in 10 years of
agency training. I was shocked at how much I didn't know, and I have
several colleagues who were in the same position as I was with many years
experience before entering a university program who felt the same way. I
feel it would be a total injustice to the field, to currently certified
professionals, and most important of all to blind and visually impaired
individuals if these proposed standards are approved.
Jennifer Throop, M.S. CVRT
Director of Services
Vision Rehabilitation Therapist
Greater Wilkes-Barre Association for the Blind
1825 Wyoming Avenue
Exeter, PA 18643
Phone: 570.693.3555
Fax: 570.693.1307
Toll Free: 1.877.693.3555
www.wilkesbarreblind.com
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long
at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."
~ Helen Keller
_____
From: visionrehabtherapist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:visionrehabtherapist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Maduffy@xxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 5:38 PM
To: visionrehabtherapist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [visionrehabtherapist] What do you think about the new ACVREP
Certification requiremetns?
Dear VRT Colleagues:
This is Maureen Duffy, writing to you to express my desire for feedback from
my VRT colleagues about the new certification criteria that have been
proposed by ACVREP.
Let me tell you a little bit about myself and why I am writing. I have been
a direct VRT practitioner in New York City, a university graduate program
director for 18 years (the VRT Masters and Certificate Programs at PCO, now
Salus University), the editorial director of VisionAWARE.org (which has been
my vocation for the past two years), and I'm also an Associate Editor of the
Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness (JVIB). Writing is -- and always
has been -- my first love, and writing about VRT makes it extra-enjoyable.
I've been the Chair of the VRT Division of AER (2000-2002) and I've also
just been elected to the Board of Directors of ACVREP, which will be
announced very soon. I'm telling you all of this so that you'll understand
my commitment to the field, as well as my understanding of all facets of
service delivery.
Recently, ACVREP released a proposed new set of certification guidelines for
VRT, Orientation and Mobility, and Low Vision Therapy. If you go to the
ACVREP web site, you can download these new proposed standards in several
formats. In essence, ACVREP has proposed two tracks: Full Certification and
Provisional Certification.
There has been a great uproar from O&M professionals about these proposed
guidelines. I have been following these responses on the AER Listserv and
most are vehemently NOT in favor of the Provisional Track as it now stands.
Yet I have seen very few responses from VRTs -- and this troubles me. What
are your thoughts about these new proposed certification standards? Are you
in favor? Are you not in favor? Are there provisions you'd like to see
changed? I don't want this discussion to be co-opted by O&M professionals. I
want our fine profession to state our opinions, too. As a new ACVREP Board
member, I want (and need) to hear from you.
Again, if you go to the ACVREP web site, you can read the new proposed
guidelines. I've also combined several emails that spell out, in great
detail, the steps involved in the new proposed Provisional Certification
guidelines, and you can read those steps at the end of this email, after my
signature line.
Please give me your feedback. Please give me your opinions, both good and
bad, positive and negative. I want our profession to grow and become
stronger. I want us to do this together.
Thanks for listening and I look forward to hearing from you.
Maureen A. Duffy, CVRT
Editorial Director
AWARE (Associates for World Action in Rehabilitation & Education)
Phone: 914-528-5120
E-mail: maureen.duffy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:maureen.duffy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Are you aware of our web site?
www.visionaware.org <http://www.visionaware.org/>
"Self-Help for Vision Loss"
__________________________________________________________________
Full Certification
The requirements for Track I (Full Certification) are based on the
traditional criteria established by ACVREP. To establish eligibility to sit
for the applicable certification examination under Full Certification, the
candidate must have a Bachelors degree (or higher) in the applicable field
of study and successfully completed their supervised internship experience.
In recognizing this education and the internship experience, the length of
term for Full Certification is five (5) years. In addition, there is no
limit for the number of times a Full Certification candidate can sit for the
applicable certification exam. Also, those who obtain Full Certification do
not have to undergo a review process.
Provisional Certification
1. Earn a Bachelor's degree (in any field of study)
2. Obtain a minimum of 60 hours of discipline-specific training / 2000 hours
of discipline-specific experience (within five years of submitting the
Eligibility Application) and currently provide discipline-specific services.
3. Letter of sponsorship from current employer (to be submitted with the
Eligibility Application).
** CLVT Provisional Certification candidates must also submit a letter of
sponsorship from a physician and must submit and receive a passing rating on
five sample case reports. Rating the of sample case reports is the
responsibility of the CLVT Certification Committee (using a rubric).
Multiple raters are utilized for inter-rater reliability.
4. Submit Eligibility Application to be reviewed. Any questions or concerns
regarding the activities utilized by a Provisional Certification candidate
to demonstrate the minimum 60-hour education requirement and/or the 2000
hours of experience are referred to the applicable Certification Committee.
The Certification Committee reserves the right to request further
information regarding activities utilized to demonstrate these requirements.
The committee makes the determination if said activities fulfill the
requirements.
5. If the Provisional Certification candidate is found to have met
eligibility requirements, they may then sit for the applicable certification
examination. If they do not pass the examination within two attempts, they
must acquire 10 additional hours of discipline-specific education/training
before they may sit for the examination again.
6. If the Provisional Certification candidate passes the applicable exam,
he/she will be afforded Provisional Certification (18 month term) based on
approval of the full Board.
7. Prior to the conclusion of the Provisional Certification term, the
Provisional Certificant must undergo a review process. This review includes
the endorsement of the sponsor employer, a performance review (specific form
- aligned with the professional competencies) completed by the immediate
supervisor, acquire an additional minimum of 10 instructional hours of
discipline-specific education/training, and have no reported infractions of
the Code of Ethics.
** CLVT Provisional Certificants must also submit a letter of endorsement
from the sponsor physician.
8. If the Provisional Certificant is found to have met all review process
requirements, he or she will be afforded Full Certification based on
approval of the full Board. If a Provisional Certificant is found to have
not met the review process requirements, Full Certification is not granted
and the individual may only reapply for ACVREP certification under Track I
(Full Certification) requiring the individual to obtain a Bachelors degree
(or higher) in the applicable field and successfully complete a supervised
internship.
Provisional Certification Requirements
Track II (Provisional Certification Candidates) must meet the following
requirements to establish eligibility to sit for the applicable ACVREP
certification examination.
* Proof of a Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or
university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent
credential evaluation company) in any field of study; or
* (Non-U.S. Trained Candidates Only) Proof of a post-secondary diploma
or degree from an accredited college or university.
* Proof of a minimum of 60 instructional hours of discipline-specific
education/training within five (5) years prior to submitting the ACVREP
Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Eligibility Application.
* Note: One (1) instructional contact hour is awarded for each hour
of learner participation in an organized educational/training activity.
* Proof of providing vision rehabilitation therapy services in a
professional work setting with a minimum of 2000 hours of vision
rehabilitation therapy experience within (5) years prior to submitting the
ACVREP Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Eligibility Application.
* Sponsorship from current employer to endorse Provisional
Certification candidacy and attest good professional standing within the
organization.
** CLVT candidates for Provisional Certification are also required have a
sponsor physician and must submit five (5) sample case reports and receive a
passing score on said case reports prior to sitting for the LVT
certification examination.
* Provisional Certification candidates must pass the applicable
certification examination prior to being afforded Provisional Certification.
Furthermore, Provisional Certification candidates are allowed two (2)
attempts to pass the applicable certification examination. If a Provisional
Certification candidate does not pass the applicable certification
examination within two (2) attempts, they are then required to obtain an
additional minimum of 10 instructional hours of discipline-specific
education/training before they can sit for the certification exam again.
* The length of term for Provisional Certification is 18 months.
Prior to the completion of the term, the Provisional Certificant must
undergo a review process. If the Provisional Certificant is found to have
met the requirements set forth in the review process, then he/she will be
afforded Full Certification. If the Provisional Certificant is found to
have not met the requirements of the review process, then he/she may only
reapply for ACVREP certification under Track I (Full Certification).
_____
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