2006:
Dec. 29, 2006
Dec. 12, 2006
Oct. 19, 2006
Aug. 25, 2006
Aug. 3, 2006
Jun. 29, 2006
Jun. 12, 2006
May 16, 2006
Apr. 20, 2006
Mar. 29, 2006
Feb. 28, 2006
Jan. 30, 2006
Jan. 20, 2006

(Click here for WORD version)

Our Mission

Advancing professional competency in vision rehabilitation and education to promote service quality.

Certification and Recertification September 2010 Quarterly Review Reminder

Certification Applications must be received by ACVREP no later than September 1, 2010 in order to be reviewed and considered for approval in the September 2010 certification quarter. Applications received after this date will be reviewed in the December 2010 certification quarter. If you have any questions regarding certification please contact Jessica Trevino at 520.887.6816 (ext. 222) or jessica.trevino@acvrep.org.

Recertification Applications for the September 2010 recertification quarter must be received by ACVREP by September 1, 2010 for review and approval. Applications submitted after this date will be reviewed in the December 2010 recertification quarter. If you have any questions regarding recertification please contact Garett Holm at 520.887.6816 (ext. 223) or gholm@acvrep.org.

Nominations for ACVREP Board of Directors

In accordance to corporate bylaws and policies, the Nominations Committee of the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) Board of Directors is preparing to review applications for the following open Board of Directors positions:

1. One (1) Director: Non-Certified Professional; Individual who is blind or visually impaired and not a vision rehabilitation and education services professional.

2. One (1) Director: ACVREP Certified Professional.

If you wish to be considered for an open position on the ACVREP Board of Directors, please submit an application by August 15, 2010.

Click here to access the Board of Directors Recruitment Packet.

Click here to access the Board of Directors Membership Nomination Application.

If you have any questions regarding the recruitment, application, or selection process, please contact Garett A. Holm, President of ACVREP, at 520.887.6816 (ext. 223) or gholm@acvrep.org.

President's Message

It has been a busy year thus far for ACVREP as we continue to celebrate our 10th anniversary. In celebration of this momentous occasion it is important to recognize the contributions of our founders, those who have served ACVREP, and all of ACVREP’s certified professionals. As President of ACVREP, I am proud to be a part of an organization that was founded by the achievements of professionals who care for the field and individuals, families, and communities they serve. In recognizing theses efforts and achievements, I am reminded of the importance of ACVREP’s mission, purposes, and responsibility within the field and to the public. In implementing quality certification programs for the vision rehabilitation and education professionals, we must continue to promote and support professional competency, service quality, and the confidence of individuals seeking and receiving services.

It has been said that the best way to honor the past is to secure the future. I am mindful of this sentiment in my role as President of ACVREP and understand its importance relative to ACVREP’s mission and purposes. In the past, I used this format to discuss plans for improving ACVREP’s communications, services, and overall programs. I am happy to report at this time that ACVREP has implemented several actions that serve to enhance our certification programs and ability to communicate and serve ACVREP certified professionals. Thus far, we have implemented the following key actions:

1. The establishment of standing Subject Matter Expert (SME) Committees for each of ACVREP’s professional certification programs (CLVT®, COMS®, and CVRT®). I cannot stress the importance of the SME committees in terms of guiding the future of ACVREP’s certification programs. The SME Committees are responsible for the ongoing development of ACVREP professional standards, certification exams, certification and recertification eligibility criteria, and Codes of Ethics. The effort of the SME committees will greatly promote ACVREP’s ability to maintain certification programs that are consistently relevant and represent the highest standards of quality vision rehabilitation and education services.

At this time, the membership roster for the COMS SME Committee has been approved, with the membership rosters for CLVT and CVRT SME Committees scheduled for approval later this month. The membership roster for the COMS SME Committee is as follows:

Faith Dunham-Simms, COMS
Daniel Kish, COMS
Lesley MacDonald, COMS
William Penrod, COMS
Rebecca Renshaw, COMS
Dona Sauerburger, COMS
Eileen Siffermann, COMS
Rob Sunberg, COMS
Elizabeth Underwood, COMS
Jay Whipple, COMS
Isaac York, COMS

As per organizational policy, recommendations relevant to the development of ACVREP’s professional standards, certification and recertification eligibility criteria, and Codes of Ethics facilitated by the SME committee must be submitted to the public for review and comment prior to consideration by the ACVREP Board of Directors. In sum, these mechanisms result in greater organizational transparency and accountability.

2. ACVREP has implemented a postcard notification system to inform applicants that application materials have been received by the ACVREP offices during key phases of the certification and recertification process. In addition, ACVREP has recently initiated a new candidate tracking system to monitor the progress of candidates during the certification and recertification processes. This system also allows for the recording of documents and telephone and email contact received by the ACVREP office.

Given the responsibilities of the SME committees relative to the ongoing development of ACVREP certification programs, ACVREP has restructured the Certification Committees for each certified discipline to take the responsibility of reviewing candidate status reports and internal process monitoring. This action offers an additional level of quality control to improve processing efficiency.

3. As of June 1, 2010, ACVREP has implemented a secure on-line testing platform. There are multiple benefits associated with this action. First, it provides those individuals sitting for the applicable certification exam greater autonomy in scheduling the examination date, time, and location. Second, it will expedite the certification process for both the applicant and the ACVREP office by limiting the time required to coordinate exam dates with the designated testing center. Distribution of exam-related materials and exam results will also be greatly enhanced for all parties. Third, the candidate will receive results immediately, reducing additional stress to the candidate.

This action also enhances organizational effectiveness and efficiency by providing ACVREP staff more time to respond to stakeholder inquires and requests. In addition, the on-line platform increases the security of exam forms and items. Finally, the platform provides SME Committee members the opportunity to continually develop new exam items in order to consistently maintain exam item relevance and alignment to ACVREP’s professional standards.

These are just some of the actions ACVREP has taken to secure the future and to be the organization our stakeholders have worked for and deserve. ACVREP knows there is still more to accomplish. ACVREP believes it is important that the field as a whole focuses attention and effort to ensure that qualified vision rehabilitation and education professionals are recognized and valued as members of the allied health and education services network. Such efforts include the Medicare Demonstration Project and other means that fully recognize the critical services provided by vision rehabilitation and education professionals as well as the valuable benefits gained by individuals, families, and communities.

In closing, if I may ever be of assistance to you please do not hesitate to contact me at 520.887.6816 (ext. 223) or at gholm@acvrep.org.

Thank you for all that you do and my best wishes for all your future endeavors.

Garett A. Holm, President

ACVREP Announces Continuing Education Opportunities through JVIB

July 2, 2010

The Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) and AFB Press have joined together in an important new partnership that will benefit professionals in the visual impairment field. Beginning July 1, selected articles in each issue of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB) will be available online as sources of the continuing education hours necessary for professional recertification by ACVREP. JVIB, the international journal of record in the visual impairment field for over 100 years, is published by AFB Press. For more information please visit http://jvib.org/ceus.

The new arrangement with JVIB will provide ACVREP certified professionals and journal subscribers and readers with an expanded opportunity to accrue continuing education credits in an easily accessible and affordable way. Simply go to the Table of Contents of any JVIB issue published after this date to see the latest CEU opportunities. In addition, ACVREP certified professionals will be offered discounted subscriptions to JVIB.

As JVIB subscribers, ACVREP certified professional will also receive a discount on associated CEU fees. To receive the discount, certified must use the ACVREP discount code when making their purchase. You can obtain the ACVREP discount code by submitting a request to Garett Holm at gholm@acvrep.org.

JVIB subscribers with a valid user ID and password can utilize the CEU system automatically. Nonsubscribers may purchase articles with CEUs for an additional fee and will be assigned a user ID and password to make use of the system.

Each designated article will be accompanied by 5 multiple-choice questions. After achieving a passing score, a certificate of completion will delivered to you by e-mail. This certificate can then be presented to ACVREP to fulfill recertification requirements.

What Does it Cost?

If you are BOTH a JVIB subscriber and an ACVREP certified professional*:
$9 per CE

If you are a JVIB subscriber only:
$10 per CEU

All others:
$25 per article plus CEU

Save by subscribing to JVIB!

1-year online subscription—$35.00

1-year print and online subscription—$75.00

*ACVREP certified professionals receive a 10% discount on their JVIB subscription by using the ACVREP code. Go to the JVIB Table of Contents to get started!

How Can I Use My JVIB CEUs for ACVREP Recertification?

ACVREP-certified professionals may apply a maximum total of 12 CEUs obtained from the successful completion of JVIB online assessments to fulfill the minimum 25 point Category 1 (Continuing Education) requirement established by the ACVREP recertification policy. When you have successfully completed 4 out of 5 questions associated with a designated JVIB article, you earn a certificate of completion that is delivered to you by e-mail, for presentation to ACVREP.

If you have additional questions, please write afbpress@afb.net or call (304) 710-3027.

ACVREP Board of Directors
Judy van Naerssen, M.S., OTRL, CLVT (Chairperson)
John Ford, M.A., COMS, CLVT (Vice-Chairperson)
Jim Kracht, J.D. (Treasurer)
Barbara Hunt, M.A., CVRT (Secretary)
Maureen Duffy, CVRT
Kathleen M. Huebner, Ph.D., COMS
Joseph H. Maino, OD, FAAO
June Mansfield
Linda K. Merrill
Dawn Pickering, OC(C), COMT, CLVT
Jay Stiteley, CVRT

ACVREP Staff

Garett A. Holm, President
520.887.6816 (ext. 223)
gholm@acvrep.org

Jessica Trevino, Certificant Services Unit
520.887.6816 (ext. 222)
jessica.trevino@acvrep.org

Bill Kuczek, Accounting Unit
520.887.6816 (221)
wkuczek@acvrep.org