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Thread: re: State Licensing

  1. #1
    Paper Shuffler GOS_Queen's Avatar
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    re: State Licensing

    Does anyone know when the last state licensed WAS licensed?

    Does anyone know what the OAA has planned ... ?

    Just curious

    Karen

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    Oaa?

    The OAA has no plan for individual states; that should come from within the state. OAA is the national organization that represents us in Congress and will assist to the best of their ability the individual states efforts for licensure, but not do the work for them. The last state licensed was Ohio over 20 years ago. Until Opticians can prove that they can cause harm or injury, they will never gain another license, and in fact have just begun to lose states. Alaska just went down in flames despite the work of Larry Harper and the Opticians there. The chains fought them and won. We must prove our worth through education and an expansion of professional duties prior to gaining any more licenses, and if some of the states are not careful, the licensing issue will soon be a moot point.

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    Paper Shuffler GOS_Queen's Avatar
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    That is very disturbing to me. I've always been told that Alaska is one of the toughest states to be licensed in.

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    Your information was incorrect. Alaska was not a difficult state in which to be licensed.

  5. #5
    35yroldguy
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    That is a general statement about what the OAA does.
    A state they can be members of the OAA and so can individuals is that correct. I have forgotten. I wonder how many members or opticians does the OAA represent nationally? I understand that Tennessee is also under the gun to lose licensing? Looks to me we need to make this a national issue. Stop acting on your own. Unite like a large union!

    What is the latest news from the OAA. I am a non member. At one time I was but.... Maybe the OAA could be stronger if they found a better system to get opticians to unite!?!!!


    Quote Originally Posted by wmcdonald
    The OAA has no plan for individual states; that should come from within the state. OAA is the national organization that represents us in Congress and will assist to the best of their ability the individual states efforts for licensure, but not do the work for them. The last state licensed was Ohio over 20 years ago. Until Opticians can prove that they can cause harm or injury, they will never gain another license, and in fact have just begun to lose states. Alaska just went down in flames despite the work of Larry Harper and the Opticians there. The chains fought them and won. We must prove our worth through education and an expansion of professional duties prior to gaining any more licenses, and if some of the states are not careful, the licensing issue will soon be a moot point.

  6. #6
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    www.oaa.org

    The web page has recently been re-done and will provide a great deal of information.

    As to the generality of the statement; I have been an OAA member for 30+ years. I am very acive in the organization and it is headed in the right direction. I encourage you to join, but OAA will not be the place to begin such efforts. They do not have suffienct funding nor staff to accomplish those goals. It has to come from within the state. General or not, those are the facts, Jack! The OAA is our national voice, and we must suppot them to make them strong once again, but only then will they be able to undertake a national anything.

    You must understand; licensure is a STATE issue, not a national. Education and certification can be done nationally, but think about where you get your drivers license or you business license(s). They are issued by states (and some local jurisdictions), and that is where the licensure issue must be re-developed. Please join your state organization and make something good happen in you state. We will all feel the ripples across the country. Soon if we don't the opposite may occur. Tenn. was successful for another 4 years, I believe, but there will be a next time. If we do not get our act together, not only will we lose our license, we deserve it!

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    Cape Codger OptiBoard Gold Supporter hcjilson's Avatar
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    The fight in Alaska....

    Optiboarders stepped up to the plate during the controversy.You can see some of it in this thread.
    http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...+licensing+law

    In my first post, I provide a link to the post that got this started, so you can get the chapter and verse.I don't believe licensing was abolished, I think it got watered down. I never really heard how this came out.Everyone else got thank you notes from the governor except me!
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    35yroldguy
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    Nothing personal. I served many years as well on a state level but only 25 years. Since I have been out of the USA for many years I only wanted an update.

    I am strictly interested in finding a way for opticians to be accredited nationally and accepted as a viable force as they deserve to be if and only if they get off their status quo and get something done!


    Quote Originally Posted by wmcdonald
    The web page has recently been re-done and will provide a great deal of information.

    As to the generality of the statement; I have been an OAA member for 30+ years. I am very acive in the organization and it is headed in the right direction. I encourage you to join, but OAA will not be the place to begin such efforts. They do not have suffienct funding nor staff to accomplish those goals. It has to come from within the state. General or not, those are the facts, Jack! The OAA is our national voice, and we must suppot them to make them strong once again, but only then will they be able to undertake a national anything.

    You must understand; licensure is a STATE issue, not a national. Education and certification can be done nationally, but think about where you get your drivers license or you business license(s). They are issued by states (and some local jurisdictions), and that is where the licensure issue must be re-developed. Please join your state organization and make something good happen in you state. We will all feel the ripples across the country. Soon if we don't the opposite may occur. Tenn. was successful for another 4 years, I believe, but there will be a next time. If we do not get our act together, not only will we lose our license, we deserve it!

  9. #9
    Old Optician to New OD Aarlan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wmcdonald

    You must understand; licensure is a STATE issue, not a national. Education and certification can be done nationally, but think about where you get your drivers license or you business license(s).
    It is in fact a state issue, however, I would venture a guess that in the field of optometry the individual states did not randomly and individually get to where they are today, but also needed a strong, unified (sort of), and organized national voice to help them get where they are today.

    But you are absolutely correct, it has to begin at a state level, and even here in a licensed state, it is difficult to attract and maintain a strong membership, even when they have EVERYTHING to lose. I can't imagine how hard it is to attract and maintain membership in a nonlicensed state.

    AA

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    Different Animal

    AOA and OAA and very different organizations. OAA of late has just been trying to survive. Thanks to Curt Duff and others, it is now on the road to recovery. I think that most recognize that we need a strong OAA....I have spent 30+ years working with them......and hopefully they will be able to offer support down the road at a higher level than they currently can provide. I brought up OAA because the initial question was "what has the OAA planned". I answered the question as asked, and they have nothing planned regarding states and licensure. OAA members (to include me) offered support via testimony and phone calls to assist Alaska in their quest to retain licensure, but we were less than effective. Larry Harper coordinated Alaska's effort, and did a great job finding folks across the country to help, and may did. We do those kind of things, but have little to offer beyond that yet. Are you an OAA member? Most often complain of the need for a "strong national organization", but don't belong. They don't like the folks running it, or someone hurt their feeling in one way or another and they quit. Yes we need a strong organization. Please come help us if not a member.

  11. #11
    Old Optician to New OD Aarlan's Avatar
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    I wasn't blaming the OAA I'm blaming the opticians. The ODs all banded together and had a generally united voice, vision and drive. We don't seem to have that in opticianry.

    AA

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    ATO Member HarryChiling's Avatar
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    To make any changes you have to unite evryone. That includes the young opticians and the walmart opticians. I hear too much thrashing of opticians going on like there is some sort of separation of opticians. I think this is where the problem lies. As long as there is nothing to attract the young blood then the old timers will keep taking the I remember those days crap that does not help anyone.

    Just my opinion, apparently I missed the deadline to become an old timer. :)
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    Harry,

    On behalf of Kevin Treat and myself we would like you to join the Opticians Association of PA. We provide a wonderful educational opportunity. We also don't know if you are out there unless your certified. This is the only mailing list that we have access to. We hope one day to see a voluntary registration status with certification being the criteria with some type of educational standard. The old days are mostly gone. To bad you have meet some of the old gaurd. I don't know of many anymore and I have been active for 28 years in our association. There has been a tremendous shift in our state as to who and where.

    Bev Heishman, ABOM, NCLCAC, AASc.
    Education/Legislative Chair
    Opticians Association of PA

    www.paoptician.org

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    I beleive the last state licensed was in 1979.

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    Question hey now

    So what you are all saying is we should all join the OAA?? What you should be asking is for everyone to be active! We have a small practice, and the LDO is a member, but too busy to keep up with everything. Myself and our other associate are both YOUNG, and havent tested for licensing. What can us young bucks really help to accomplish?



    - Eye X Care

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    35yroldguy
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    Hey now that is exactly right. So get off your duff and get the ball rolling!!!

    QUOTE=eyesite of springf]So what you are all saying is we should all join the OAA?? What you should be asking is for everyone to be active! We have a small practice, and the LDO is a member, but too busy to keep up with everything. Myself and our other associate are both YOUNG, and havent tested for licensing. What can us young bucks really help to accomplish?



    - Eye X Care[/QUOTE]

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    Master OptiBoarder ziggy's Avatar
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    Wave welcome eyesite!!

    You intrest is what is most in need. As long as you have made the comitment to become LDO you must want the best for your patients and the industry. If that is the case you should join the OAA or the OAO(the state organization). Your money that you spend in dues help matain these org., but it's your intrest and drive thats moves them foward.
    Paul:cheers:

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    Optiboard Professional Bill West's Avatar
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    Definitions

    Optician: [1] A maker of or dealer in optical items and instruments.
    [2] A person who reads prescriptions for visual correction, orders lenses, and dispenses eyeglasses and contact lenses.

    Optometrist: A specialist licensed to practice optometry.

    Ophthalmologist: A physician that specializes in ophthalmology.

    It would seem that our problem with regard to our status quo starts in the dictionary. We don't see the words specialist or licensed even in laymans terms.
    Maybe it was never intended for opticians in the purest form to be anything but that.

    Bill West - TBDOA - IWFMO - NPOBSH - LDO VA - LDO NC
    Past President NC Opticians Assoc. 83/84
    FORMER - ABO - NCLE -

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    OptiBoardaholic OptiBoard Silver Supporter Alvaro Cordova's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wmcdonald
    AOA and OAA and very different organizations. OAA of late has just been trying to survive. Thanks to Curt Duff and others, it is now on the road to recovery. I think that most recognize that we need a strong OAA....I have spent 30+ years working with them......and hopefully they will be able to offer support down the road at a higher level than they currently can provide. I brought up OAA because the initial question was "what has the OAA planned". I answered the question as asked, and they have nothing planned regarding states and licensure. OAA members (to include me) offered support via testimony and phone calls to assist Alaska in their quest to retain licensure, but we were less than effective. Larry Harper coordinated Alaska's effort, and did a great job finding folks across the country to help, and may did. We do those kind of things, but have little to offer beyond that yet. Are you an OAA member? Most often complain of the need for a "strong national organization", but don't belong. They don't like the folks running it, or someone hurt their feeling in one way or another and they quit. Yes we need a strong organization. Please come help us if not a member.

    When you say road to recovery, what do you mean? What happened? I like your posts so far. I believe in joing those prganizations, and you can count on me to join as soon as I'm licensed in NJ. I should be able to find out by November.

  20. #20
    OptiBoardaholic OptiBoard Silver Supporter Alvaro Cordova's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill West
    Optician: [1] A maker of or dealer in optical items and instruments.
    [2] A person who reads prescriptions for visual correction, orders lenses, and dispenses eyeglasses and contact lenses.

    Optometrist: A specialist licensed to practice optometry.

    Ophthalmologist: A physician that specializes in ophthalmology.

    It would seem that our problem with regard to our status quo starts in the dictionary. We don't see the words specialist or licensed even in laymans terms.
    Maybe it was never intended for opticians in the purest form to be anything but that.

    Bill West - TBDOA - IWFMO - NPOBSH - LDO VA - LDO NC
    Past President NC Opticians Assoc. 83/84
    FORMER - ABO - NCLE -
    Definition of Optician

    Optician: A specialist in fitting eyeglasses and making lenses to correct vision problems. An optometrist performs eye examinations and writes prescriptions for corrective lenses; an optician fills that prescription.

    from http://www.medterms.com/script/main/...ticlekey=11774

    Common dictionaries usually stink at medical terms anyway.

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    Road to Recovery

    Improved finances, open leadership, and new folks who want your ideas and to hear your concerns. We welcome your membership. To learn more about OAA and recent troubles, you can use the serach function of this board and read many comments.

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