ACVREP's
Recertification Policy and Procedures
CERTIFIED LOW VISION THERAPISTS (CLVT®)
CERTIFIED ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SPECIALISTS
(COMS®)
CERTIFIED VISION REHABILITATION THERAPISTS
(CVRT®)
CERTIFIED ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST
(CATIS®)
CERTIFIED DEAFBLIND INTERVENOR SPECIALIST
(CDBIS®)
ACVREP certificants have the option of retaking
the ACVREP certification exam(s) to recertify in lieu of recertifying
by points.
ACVREP adheres to the belief that certified individuals
should continue to
expand their knowledge and skills in order to enhance the quality of
the services they provide.
The ACVREP recertification program encourages certificants to pursue
professional activities in order to achieve the following goals:
- Obtain information on current trends.
- Explore new technologies.
- Develop balanced professional judgment and enhance
critical skills.
- Acquire knowledge in specific focus areas.
Recertification Requirements
The recertification program promotes professional competence. If the certificant
chooses to submit documentation of professional activity points for
recertification (versus retaking the certification exam), all
recertification points must be earned during the
recertification cycle. No credit is given for points earned prior to or
following the end of the recertification cycle.
It is each certificant's responsibility to collect and
maintain all documentation relating to recertification activities over
his/her cycle of certification. The recertification points
and documentation may now be tracked through the online My
Recertification Tracker. As each activity is completed you should log
into your online account, click on your Tracker link, list the activity
just completed and upload the supporting documentation into your
Tracker.
It is also the certificant's responsibility to submit online
the recertification application before the end of the
recertification cycle that is 5 years for CLVT, COMS and CVRT; 4 years for CDBIS and 2 years for CATIS.
The recertification application and the
recertification fee can be completed by logging into your My ACVREP
account.
See the Recertification Point Calculator that
applies to your certification for your required points and how to earn them
- Early applications for recertification may be accepted and
reviewed only within six months prior to the recertification expiration
date. However, early applications for recertification will be issued
the expiration date of the quarter in which the application was
initially approved.
- The online submission of the application for
Recertification is due by 11:59 PM Eastern time on the first day of the
month in which your certification expires, for example, March 1 for a
March 31 expiry. Any application received later than this time will be
assessed a Late Fee in the amount identified on the fee schedule.
Reinstatement of Certification Policy
Candidates initially granted certification, but who have not
made application for recertification and have allowed their recertification to Expire, may
recertify by points within one calendar year, ("Grace Period"), following the
certification expiration date if they meet the recertification
requirements and pay the Recertification Fee and the Late Fee that are
applicable at the time they apply for recertification. If they do not
recertify the Grace Period, their certification will Lapse and be
considered inactive.
If a candidate has allowed his/her certification to lapse or
has been determined to be ineligible for recertification for longer
than one year, s/he may only recertify by taking the certification
exam. If a certification has been lapsed for 10 years or longer, a
candidate must reapply for certification completely including all
certification steps.
It is solely the responsibility of the certificant to know
his/her certification expiration date and to recertify on time. ACVREP
will, as a courtesy to certificants, send 3 and 6 month email reminders
of certification expiry dates.It is the responsibility of the
certificant to keep his/her email address up to date in his/her online
account.
Refer to the ACVREP website for a current Directory of Certificants.
Approved Continuing Education Content
Areas
Continuing education activities for recertification credit
must focus on increasing the knowledge and/or skills of the individual,
in the practice of vision rehabilitation and education, in one or more
of the following areas:
- The Visual System and Vision Loss:
visual system and visual functioning, the etiology of visual
impairments and the effects of these impairments on visual functioning,
the pathology and effect of systemic health conditions on vision, basic
optics of the eyes, basic optics of refractive lenses, and basic optics
of low vision devices.
- The Auditory System and Hearing Loss:
auditory system and functioning; effects of hearing loss and
impairment; communication systems used by persons with auditory
impairments; loss of hearing so severe that it is nonfunctional for the
ordinary activities of daily living; and concomitant hearing and visual
impairments, the combination of which may present unique communication,
learning, developmental, orientation and mobility, and social needs.
- Psychosocial Aspects of Visual Impairment:
cultural and psychosocial factors affecting adjustment to visual loss;
the resources for addressing student, family, and community responses
to visual impairment; and systems and professionals in counseling.
- Professionalism: professional roles and functions,
professional goals and objectives, professional organizations and
associations, professional history and trends, ethical and legal
standards, professional preparation standards, and professional
credentialing.
- Professional Information:
sources of professional literature and new information related to
practice in your area of certification, evolving
practice developments, legislation, public policy, research findings,
current issues, and trends and public policy that affect the quality of
life for consumers.
- Individuals Who are Visually Impaired With
Additional Disabilities: including sensory,
sensorimotor, and physical impairments; mobility impairments not
related to visual impairment; developmental disabilities; learning
disabilities; diabetes; organic brain damage; and challenging behaviors.
- Aging and Vision and Hearing Loss: normal
age-related changes in vision and hearing and visual and hearing functioning, other prevalent
age-related health changes, prevalent visual impairments associated
with aging and their functional consequences, service delivery systems
in aging, geriatric and gerontological health practices and
professionals, and service delivery relevant
to older persons.
- Sensory and Motor Functioning:
sensory and motor systems, the manner in which these systems affect
orientation and locomotion and other daily activities and functions,
and the effects of visual impairment on sensory and motor functioning.
- Human Growth and Development over the Lifespan:
the effects of visual impairments and multiple impairments on
affective, psychomotor, and cognitive development and processes; and
characteristic and atypical developmental patterns of persons with
visual and/or multiple impairments.
- Assessment of Persons with Visual Impairment
and their Environments: strategies and methods used to
conduct assessments of persons who have a visual impairment and their
environment, and the development of individualized education and
rehabilitation plans.
- Instructional Methods:
teaching and therapeutic strategies and interventions to promote
independence and coping skills, including instruction in the use of
visual and non-visual techniques, Braille and other tactual systems,
auditory systems, environmental modifications, computer technology,
adaptive mobility devices, low vision devices and innovative technology
for use by individuals who are visually impaired.
- Development, Administration, and Supervision
of Programs Serving Persons with Visual Impairment:
service delivery systems; strategies for organizing and administering
programs; quality indicators of services; the role of the vision
rehabilitation and education profession and other personnel in the
provision of quality educational, rehabilitation, public and private
services to persons who are visually impaired; major legislation and
policies affecting services for persons who are visually impaired; and
local, state and national resources for the provision of services.
- Communication, Team-Building, Consumerism,
Cultural Diversity, And Working With Families:
developing strategies for effective communications (spoken and
written); fostering and supporting consumers in self-advocacy; and
principles and strategies for effective teamwork among professionals,
consumers, and significant others in vision rehabilitation and
education, including issues related to cultural diversity and working
with families.
- Assitive Technology for Individuals who are Blind or Low Vision:
- For CDBIS recertification in addition to the categories above, education in all Body of Knowledge and Applied Competency areas of the CDBIS certification.
