Betsy B. Armstrong, TVI
New York, New York
This profession should gain the same status as Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Social Workers and Manicurists. Please pass this!
Malka Bronner, COMS, TVI
Cedarhurst, New York
Licensure for vision rehabilitation professionals would be the highlight of my career. This is something that is long overdue for both the consumers of our services and the professionals who provide them. Blind and visually impaired individuals deserve quality care and licensure helps to insure this. What an exciting time!
Colleen Rae Calhoon, COMS
Baltimore, Maryland
I give my full support to this bill!
Pam Cox
Amarillo, Texas
I think this is a great piece of legislation! I am a teacher of children who are visually impaired, and my son is an O&M specialist.
Karen Esquival-Mayes
Arcadia, California
As a future O&Mer, I hope this works!
Carol Evans, Ph.D., School Psychologist
Former Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments
Taylorsville, Utah
Years ago as a teacher of children who are visually impaired I had a student in a class for severe multiple disabilities. The teacher asked me where she could get one of those "sticks" (the cane)
... I told her she couldn't, and that I would arrange for the O and M specialist to come out and do an evaluation, and provide him with a cane IF it was appropriate, and with instruction in its use.
I impressed upon her that it was a masters degree separate from the one I had as a TVI, and that only the O and M could teach those skills.
So I support your cause!
Jean Goneau
Bellingham, Massachusetts
I have two granddaughters who have albinism and consequently have vision difficulties.
If it were not for your professions, we would not have the older of the two attending the University of Vermont right now.
Thank you for what you do and God bless.
John Higgins, COMS, Director of Services, Invision Services, Inc.
Hillsborough, North Carolina
This effort in NY is something I've dreamed of happening since 1992 when I entered private practice. If NY can do it we can use their template and fine model of effort to bring licensure to NC too.
Bernadette Jackel (parent of a consumer)
Fairfield, Connecticut
We had the experience of my district expecting the PT to give O&M instruction...ended up with my son having 18 stitches in his chin because obviously there was not good instruction from a highly trained O&M instructor! I was actually shocked when I first heard that O&M wasn't a licensed profession...shame on those who make these decisions!
P. Maurie Kerrigan, COMS, CLVT
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Thank you for the opportunity to add my support to the Letter of support for NYS licensure bill S. 3880/A. 06179.
I hope this happens in my life time, I'd also like to see licensure for low vision therapists.
Steve Sanford
Daytona Beach, Florida
I have been convinced for quite a while that this is the path we should have taken with O&M years ago;
and having taught 7 years now in a Florida school district, I am now willing to help any way I can to get it done.
Dona Sauerburger, COMS
Gambrills, Maryland
I've seen too many examples where O&M training is provided by people who are not qualified to do so;
- Last year I started working with a woman who had been unable to move her wrist without pain for a year because a professional who was not an O&M specialist had taught her how to use the cane incorrectly.
While using the cane in this manner, the woman tripped and, because she was holding the cane in the awkward way that she was taught, her wrist was severely injured.
- Today (May 31, 2011) one of the workers I passed in the hallway at my client's work center for people with multiple disabilities asked where I had gotten the cane, as one of her clients there at the center had just lost all his vision at age 62, so they wanted to get a cane so they could teach him how to use it.
Even though I live and work in Maryland, I intend to be one of the first to obtain licensure from New York State and will do what I can to bring licensure for our professions to the state of Maryland.
Karen Spruill, Chief,
Gulf Coast Blind Rehabilitation Center
400 Veterans Drive,
Biloxi, Mississippi
This legislature is very important for our Veterans who are returning from overseas with vision problems to ensure the very best care possible.
Richard Teetsel
Tonawanda, New York
I am a member of the Amherst Lions and, of course, our main cause is assisting people who are blind, vision-impaired and hearing-impaired.
The licensure issue concerns us greatly because the Lions want people with vision impairments to receive only the best of service.
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