Catch 22: How New York State May Be Out of Compliance with IDEA

Update on the NYSAER Conference – One Day- 9.5 CEs – April 22, 2013 in Albany

Update on the NYSAER Conference

Dr. Karen Gourgey is the Keynote Speaker.
Approximately 70 people have signed up to attend the one-day conference.

12 vendors and a poster session, Awards ceremony at Lunch.

Door prizes and the silent auction.

Albany Ramada Plaza Reservations 518-438-8431

For Payment and Registration information contact:
Dan McLaughlin
P.O. Box 663 Auburn
New York 13021
Ph: 315-253-3322
“mailto:danmcln@hotmail.com”>danmcln@hotmail.com

Timing is Everything and 2011 Was not to be our time.

In the wake of Weinergate, Governor Cuomo brought some much needed good political news to New Yorkers when he announced his selection for Special Deputy Superintendent of the New York Liquidation Bureau of the newly created Department of Financial Services. That person is none other than our bill’s main sponsor in the Assembly, Jonathan Bing. While this is great news for New York and for Assembly Member Bing, the timing couldn’t have been worse for our final push to get licensure passed this year.

But before we get into the ramifications for our bill, we should pause a moment to thank both of our sponsors. Assembly Member Jonathan Bing has been our bill’s main sponsor in the Assembly. He has always believed that vision rehabilitation professionals should be licensed in New York. As our main sponsor, he has driven our issue to the forefront of the ongoing overall licensure debate in the Assembly and made great efforts on our behalf over a number of years. His enthusiasm and dedication to our cause will be missed. We thank him for all of his support for licensure for vision rehabilitation professionals and wish him the best in his new position.

In the Senate, Senator Joe Griffo is our newest champion and we applaud his great efforts. As our bill’s main sponsor, Senator Griffo was inspirational on our lobby day and demonstrated his commitment to licensure by navigating our bill to the floor of the Senate where it passed unanimously. We are thrilled with his efforts and look forward to working with him to enact licensure in New York.

Prior to this announcement, 2011 was a banner year for VRT/O&M licensure. Our efforts have been very productive. We want to especially thank our enthusiastic and hardworking supporters from all over the country who helped make the case for licensure. Thank you for the memos of support from AER, NYSAER, AFB and all of those who sent their own letter and/or signed on to Dona Sauerburger’s letter, Marjie Wood and the O&M Division. Thank you to NFB for participating in an ongoing dialog to iron out our differences.

All of our calls, emails and faxes made by our numerous supporters continue to garner the attention of Assembly Members, Senators and their respective staff. These efforts have seen the sponsors of the Assembly bill rise to seventy-three and counting. And, finally, as previously stated, the New York State Senate unanimously passed our bill sponsored by Senator Joe Griffo.

It is with great pride and satisfaction that I can report that there are now only two final issues that stand in our way. 1) We need the Assembly to name the licensing board we will join as a subset, and 2) we need confirmation that, once licensed, the State Education Department will implement the same or similar procedures for us that were created for licensed social workers. This allows social workers to work for a person who is not a social worker – otherwise known as the “Corporate Practice Fix.”

Next year is the second year of the 2011/12 session and Assembly Member Glick (the Higher Education Committee chair) promised during the 2009/2010 session to do something for our bill during the 2011/2012 session. We expect her to honor her promise. We are hopeful that she will move our bill out of the Higher Education Committee so that it can get to the Assembly floor for a vote. In a very positive development, we already have several offers from Assembly Members who have an interest in being the new main sponsor of our Bill. We are confident that we will have great news of our new main sponsor in the coming weeks.

While losing Assembly Member Bing right at the end of session was a setback, it is far from defeat. It is vital that we remain positive and make sure that we do not lose the momentum that we have been building. To that end, we will continue to ask all of you who have been so supportive to help in a number of different ways moving forward to make sure that our licensure bill remains a hot topic in the legislature all the way into next year until we get it passed and signed into law!

Thank you again for all of your commitment, hard work and enthusiasm! Let’s keep this going!! Let’s get licensure in New York!!!

Man of the Hour – Assembly Member Jonathan Bing

Assembly Sponsor VRT/O&M Licensure Jonathan L. Bing

I need us all to take a minute to thank Jonathan L. Bing (D, Manhattan) Assembly Sponsor for the bill to license VRTs and O&M specialists. Assembly Member Bing is our hero, he worked tirelessly this week to keep the bill from being held. His reputation is the best calling card for others in the State Assembly. When they hear Bing is the bill sponsor -they sign on in support.

Please contact Assembly Member Bing’s office and tell him thank you and to keep up the good fight.

District Office                    Albany Office

360 E. 57th Street           LOB 744

Mezzanine Level             Albany, NY 12248

New York, NY 10022    518-455-4794

212-605-0937

The Winds of Change!

A major battle was waged today and because of the efforts of all who called, wrote and called again – our bill was not one of the casualties of the seemingly endless war against any and all licensure bills. The bill to license vision rehabilitation therapists and orientation and mobility specialists (A5581-B) will live to see another day on an Assembly Higher Education Committee agenda this session.

NYVRA Gazette – Issue 1 of 1

My one and only newsletter – in memory of my mom, Moira Ambrose, who did so much for NY Vision Rehabilitation Professional licensure effort. I wish I could have done more while she was alive. She was more than just the widow of Stephen Ambrose – she was a very smart, insightful woman. I miss her so. Today is her 71st birthday.

NYVRA Gazette

What is bad about that video?

I have to start by saying what was good – the good is that this fellow loves his O&M – loves it enough to want to play apart in getting the word out about what the techniques are that provide safe travel.

But, as an O&M Specialist – I notice – the grip is wrong and the cane technique is wrong. Watch – the cane does not make him aware that the bed is about to “clip” him!

O&M must maintain high standards – this video was mostly praised by those who watched -I fear this response – because anyone who follows these directions will be at risk! 

Many of you might be under the delusion that people who become blind gain a “sixth sense” that allows them to compensate for their sensory loss.

You all had the ability to learn math – but without a math teacher would you be able to add?

We need O&M professionals in the lives of children and adults with visual impairments so they can learn to travel safely, gracefully, efficiently and as independently as possible. At issue in 2010 is that there are folks out there – namely the National Federation of the Blind- that want to reduce the academic requirements of O&M Specialists. I have a student of NFB’s program who said to his “educators”, “when will I learn to teach O&M, all I have done is 800 hours under blindfold” and they said “that’s it, you are now an NOMC!” He promptly began a master’s degree in O&M. He is now confident in his skills to provide effective O&M instruction to his adult clients.

We need your help – we are trying to achieve licensure for O&M Specialists in New York and after we achieve it- more states will follow and that will increase the number of O&Mers available to all who need them. If you can help further our cause please donate.

Licensure Now! to donate to the effort go to New York Vision Rehabilitation Association (NYVRA)

If you’d like to read what I’ve been learning from my 100 interviews with employed adults with visual impairments- start with the Introduction.