[visionrehabtherapist] Re: What do you think about the new ACVREP Certification requiremetns?
- From: "Shelley L. Rhodes" <guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Shelley L. Rhodes" <guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx>, <Maduffy@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:17:15 -0500
Shelley L. Rhodes, M.A., VRT
And Guinevere: Golden Lady Guide Dog
guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx
Guide Dogs for the Blind
Alumni Association
www.guidedogs.com
The people who burned witches at the stake never for one moment thought of
their act as violence;
rather they thought of it as an act of divinely mandated righteousness.
The same can be said of most of the violence we humans have ever committed.
-Gil Bailie, author and lecturer (b. 1944)
----- Original Message -----
From: Shelley L. Rhodes
To: Maduffy@xxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:28 PM
Subject: Re: [visionrehabtherapist] What do you think about the new ACVREP
Certification requiremetns?
Hi Maureen,
As I belong to a state that doesn't require certification, though in my
office at least the two out of three of us are certified and I am certifiable
via Track 1, but was lacking in the funds, which is being fixed, smile so I
will be sitting for the exam, the three RTs we replaced who retired or took a
different position were not University trained.
one received her training from the NFB training centers, one was a art and
home economics teacher and then did the certification for ACVREP, and one I am
not quite sure what her training was.
They did a good job from what I have heard from customers and from my
coworkers.
I agree that 2000 hours should be required. Though I don't like that the
Bachelors is allowed to be in any field, I would home some type of education,
social service, human service field would be preferred, but I don't know your
justification on that requirement.
60 hours of instruction in five years is not allot. I know I have done much
more than that.
These are my initial thoughts on the matter. I went to the University,
Western Michigan in my case because I knew I didn't know what I needed to know
to be an effective Rt. And I am glad that I went that route instead of
applying for and accepting a RT position without the training.
Shelley L. Rhodes, M.A., VRT
And Guinevere: Golden Lady Guide Dog
guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx
Guide Dogs for the Blind
Alumni Association
www.guidedogs.com
The people who burned witches at the stake never for one moment thought of
their act as violence;
rather they thought of it as an act of divinely mandated righteousness.
The same can be said of most of the violence we humans have ever committed.
-Gil Bailie, author and lecturer (b. 1944)
----- Original Message -----
From: Maduffy@xxxxxxx
To: visionrehabtherapist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 5:37 PM
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
Are you aware of our web site?
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.
a.. 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
a.. (Non-U.S. Trained Candidates Only) Proof of a post-secondary diploma
or degree from an accredited college or university.
a.. 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.
a.. Note: One (1) instructional contact hour is awarded for each hour of
learner participation in an organized educational/training activity.
a.. 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.
a.. 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.
a.. 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.
a.. 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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