Anyone a Prevent Blindness America Vision Screener or Trainer?

[GOS_Queen]

I'm on the committee to help get a program started in our state (training school nurses, working with Lions clubs and the local optometry school).

I'm wondering if anyone on optiboard has been involved with this type of program (on a large scale)?

thanks in advance ~

[Johns]

This fellow optiboarder should be able to help:


Mark Brezvai


Good Luck!

[Jana Lewis]

Vision screener checking in!! :cheers:

[GOS_Queen]

cool -

how often are you holding training classes? every school year? every few months?

Any tips on how to publicize?

[Jana Lewis]

cool -

how often are you holding training classes? every school year? every few months?

Any tips on how to publicize?

It's usually annual.

We generally send out a flier to different praactices and labs.

[OPTIDONN]

This is the first time I have heard of this program. I think its great and just signed up for it! What is the training like and how is it conducted?

[Jana Lewis]

This is the first time I have heard of this program. I think its great and just signed up for it! What is the training like and how is it conducted?

You should have a prevent blindness chapter in your area.

Or go here:

www.PreventBlindness.org

[OPTIDONN]

They have thier national headquarters about a half hour or so from me. Who knew they were so close:hammer: . I think that this would be great and would love to work with my daughters school on this. I called and emailed them. Thanks GOS Queen for bringing this program to my attention.

[Jubilee]

Vision Screener 2 checking in in.

Our local office holds training every quarter. More optically inclined professionals are sometimes invited to come to a screening event to complete training in that manner on a case by case basis.

If you need any assistance.. let me know =)

Cassandra

[GOS_Queen]

They have thier national headquarters about a half hour or so from me. Who knew they were so close:hammer: . I think that this would be great and would love to work with my daughters school on this. I called and emailed them. Thanks GOS Queen for bringing this program to my attention.

Our new state association president (Dave) wants to raise the bar, so to speak, in our unlicensed state. :cheers:

One of the projects he is instituting is this vision screening program (focusing on preschool and school age kids - the information from Prevent Blindness America can be used for any age). He arranged for someone to come to our state association meeting to explain the project, the organization and we had a class that trained as as "vision screeners" and then, "vision screener trainers".

So, Dave, has about 15 or so Vision Screener Trainers to work with and he wants to start working with Lions clubs, the local optometry school, and the school nurses to help conduct vision screenings and also to better train (or simply "train") school nurses and PTA volunteers how to do a proper vision screening.

It's very cool and I'm glad to hear there's more out there!

[rdcoach5]

In Ohio there was a problem with vision screening trainers being paid very high fees to train opticians to vision train for free. When I finished my training and asked our state director whether I should contact our local schools or would he? Mark told me that was his job and would call me . He evidently was too busy setting up ,for him, lucrative training seminars.I found this out later . Imagine my disillusion for a charity I had volunteered for,only to find that it's state leaders were only out for the money

[GOS_Queen]

In Ohio there was a problem with vision screening trainers being paid very high fees to train opticians to vision train for free. When I finished my training and asked our state director whether I should contact our local schools or would he? Mark told me that was his job and would call me . He evidently was too busy setting up ,for him, lucrative training seminars.I found this out later . Imagine my disillusion for a charity I had volunteered for,only to find that it's state leaders were only out for the money

My understanding of the program in which I am participating, this is all done by volunteers.

[rdcoach5]

My understanding of the program in which I am participating, this is all done by volunteers.

To be a vision screener you had to attend a 4 hour training session. The trainers were paid $150 per hour. That,s why they set up vision screener training sessions all over the state.

[David Brezvai]

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. I have not been an active member of Optiboard for a few years. A friend informed me that my name appeared in this thread.

I am the Program Director for the Opticians Association of Ohio Save Our Sight program. We recieve funding from the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Child and Family Haealth Services, Save Our Sight Fund which was enacted by the Ohio legislature in 1999.

The OAO has received funding since Save Our Sight's inception. During the first years of the fund the OAO provided voluntary vision screener training services. We trained Ohio opticians as certified Prevent Blindness America vision screeners. In addition to the certified training, the individual optician also recieved four free hours of continuing education. Under approved budget the OAO trainers were paid like any other continuing education instructor. When I became the Program Director I no longer recieved instructor payment.

Under guidelines established by the Ohio Department of Health (SOS oversight agency) the OAO could not use SOS funding to set up vision screenings. It was determined that this was a voluntary program and therefor was the responsibility of trainee to set up vision screenings. Due to lack of vision screenings on the part of the trainees, the OAO SOS vision screening program was discontinued. We currently recieve funding for other children vision service programs.

As to individuals enriching themselves that is a bunch of baloney. All OAO SOS expenditures are monitored by the Ohio Department of Health and must meet accepted guidelines.

I hope this clears up some misconceptions

[Jubilee]

In Ohio there was a problem with vision screening trainers being paid very high fees to train opticians to vision train for free. When I finished my training and asked our state director whether I should contact our local schools or would he? Mark told me that was his job and would call me . He evidently was too busy setting up ,for him, lucrative training seminars.I found this out later . Imagine my disillusion for a charity I had volunteered for,only to find that it's state leaders were only out for the money

Now, does the money go to the individual trainer or is it used for supporting the costs of training. Gas, milage, time, equipment, etc all cost money and no charity can continue to exist without contributions be it in training fees or donations.

I have no trouble calling up my local chapter and asking them what is going on. Actually the Indiana Chapter of Prevent Blindness keeps a schedule on their website of a schedule for screenings and other events. I am not discouraged from doing things on my own either. I just have to make sure it is an event PBI would support, if I am going as a representitive for them.

Cassandra

[rdcoach5]

Mark, there was no attempt to conduct vision screenings in N. W. Ohio. All of you trainers collected $600 for each of your vision trainer screenings in how many training sessions? How many screenings did you set up? That's why the state dropped your funding. You had trained tons of vision screeners but had not set up any vision screenings. Your previous post acknowledged that the state dropped funding from lack of screenings. This was not from lack of volunteers.

[David Brezvai]

Robert,

I have known you for a long time. I have always found it sad that you have done nothing but sit on the sidelines all your life and never given back to your life's profession.

As to your latest comments, if you feel that OAO SOS grant funds were misspent then as a member of the OAO, oh I forgot you are not a member of the OAO and as far as I know never were, then file a freedom of information request with the Ohio Department of Health and formulate an opinion based on facts.

In addition, if you do not believe me about the history of the OAO SOS voluntary vision screening program then I suggest that you contact the OAO and request to talk to the individuals involved in setting up the program and program oversight. All it takes is a little action on your part and you will get the true story.

[rdcoach5]

Done- just about the time your state funds were pulled

[Gary Falk]

Done- just about the time your state funds were pulled

I do not know where you are getting the idea that the State of Ohio or anyone ever "pulled" or "dropped" the OAO's funding for it's SOS programs. As Mark, stated, the OAO has recieved funding since SOS's inception in 1999. We have never been denied funding when we applied for it nor has any funds ever been taken back. Again, as Mark stated, the Vision Screening training program was dropped because those who were trained were not going out and doing the screenings. Most of those trained were just taking advantage of the free CE's they received. We were fortunate enough to have a few individuals who cared enough to set up and do screenings and we will continue to support them in their efforts. We have continued to educate teachers, parents and children on eye health and safety through the "One Pair of Eyes" program and contiue to work closely with PBO on other projects.
I advise you to get your facts straight before you start pointing fingers and making accusations.

[Johns]

I went through the vision screening program along with other Ohio opticians. If I remember correctly, it was 2002, and I received CEU hours for it.

I found the program to be more than adequate, and was conducted in a professional manner. The trainers actually stayed past the allotted time to answer questions and do some role playing. I thought it was great. The only drawback was that it was for pre-school only.

After the session, we conducted a series (5 screenings) at one of our newer offices, and everything went fine.

$150 an hour? If that 's what the screeners were paid, it sounds fair to me. I wouldn't give up a Sunday away from my family to give a seminar for any less.

[Fezz]

$150 an hour? If that 's what the screeners were paid, it sounds fair to me. I wouldn't give up a Sunday away from my family to give a seminar for any less.

Oh boy. I guess if your coming to Pittsburgh, Harry and I better start saving up!

There goes the petty cash fund. :D

[rdcoach5]

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. I have not been an active member of Optiboard for a few years. A friend informed me that my name appeared in this thread.

I am the Program Director for the Opticians Association of Ohio Save Our Sight program. We recieve funding from the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Child and Family Haealth Services, Save Our Sight Fund which was enacted by the Ohio legislature in 1999.

The OAO has received funding since Save Our Sight's inception. During the first years of the fund the OAO provided voluntary vision screener training services. We trained Ohio opticians as certified Prevent Blindness America vision screeners. In addition to the certified training, the individual optician also recieved four free hours of continuing education. Under approved budget the OAO trainers were paid like any other continuing education instructor. When I became the Program Director I no longer recieved instructor payment.

Under guidelines established by the Ohio Department of Health (SOS oversight agency) the OAO could not use SOS funding to set up vision screenings. It was determined that this was a voluntary program and therefor was the responsibility of trainee to set up vision screenings. Due to lack of vision screenings on the part of the trainees, the OAO SOS vision screening program was discontinued. We currently recieve funding for other children vision service programs.

As to individuals enriching themselves that is a bunch of baloney. All OAO SOS expenditures are monitored by the Ohio Department of Health and must meet accepted guidelines.

I hope this clears up some misconceptions

Mark ,I asked you when I was certified how to set up screenings-do I call from a list or what? You told me that it was your job and you would call to set up a screening . After a half dozen requests to you I forgot about it as the season passed . when I heard about the trainers Fees I knew what the priority was. DUH. There was no money in setting up screening because it had to be voluntary. We selfish opticians, who became screeners just because we got free cont ed credits, were not the problem in the lack of vision screenings. Other states take note of this. No matter what Mark and his fellow "trainers" say, there were plenty of Ohio Opticians willing to do vision screenings for free -no reimbursement for gas ,expenses or anything. Just in my office, I had three people committed to doing screenings. All it would have taken was a phone call from the director of Ohio Save Our sight to any of the pre-schools around. Again, there was no money in this..Now, maybe that is part of the problem. Our Save Our Sight Program, last time I viewed our states budget, was a million dollars.I gather that ,like most tax money , it does not necessarily go to where it's supposed to. There is accountabilitry as to the particulr grant's effectiveness. This is what the save our sight screenings failed.There were virtually no increased screnings done despite the heavy increase in training screeners.An equal amount of effort in the setting up of vision screenings would have helped. Again it is not just my perception but the concensis of oppinion of my fellow opticians is - that you guys were in this just for the money.I appologize to any of you screeners who donated their speaking fees.

[Johns]

. Other states take note of this. No matter what Mark and his fellow "trainers" say, there were plenty of Ohio Opticians willing to do vision screenings for free -no reimbursement for gas ,expenses or anything. Just in my office, I had three people committed to doing screenings. All it would have taken was a phone call from the director of Ohio Save Our sight to any of the pre-schools around.

I figured that if we were capable of doing a screening, we were capable of calling the local school systerm. After all, it is much easier to coordinate a screener's schedule when you are the screener.

Don't tell anyone, but we got a ton of positive press (yeah, we had to call them also), as well as quite a few new customers. It turns out that many of the preschoolers had no way to get to the screenings without the help of an adult, and it was a great way to introduce them to our office. And no, we didn't do any on-site (at the school) screenings.

Just because it was volunteer, doesn't mean we couldn't benefit from it in a round about way...

[HarryChiling]

I don't want to throw fuel on a flame, but when i submitted a request for becomeing a screener about 9 months ago in MD I received a packet that was asking for a fee and it seemed more geared towards getting me to donate than it was set up to training a sreener. I am glad to hear that their are a few states taking advantage of doing it right and actually providing screenings for children. The photo screening was brought to my attenton by a Roy Ferguson and he had a very interesting model for it that would provide a service for the community as well as a place for opticians and their societies. I believe he is from TN look him up and give him a call if you want some real deal information straight from the horses mouth.

[Fezz]

Harry,

I assume that you are a member of you state society. I am not sure what they are calling themselves this evening, but I am pretty sure that there is one in your state. I would assume that they may have a program to support such a program? If not, maybe they should consider it and add it as a benefit to the idiots, er...ahh, I mean Opticians, in the state that blindly support the "state society". I may be ignorant on the workings of big business and non-profit organizations in the state, but it may be something that the state society leaders may want to address. Do you have a contact number that others in PA may use to address this issue with the state society, whatever the name is?