OAA Backs Nationwide Mandatory Opticianry Certification

[Bev Heishman]

Harry,

We have abandoned licensure/certification attempts as we have no money to persue an effort. The legislative climate is such that it would be a futile attempt as the opposition is mainly Republican with a Dem gov at this time. It was even worse with the three R controlled legislature.

If an issue arises we are willing to consider an attempt. We still maintain a vigalance on issues that are relavant to the practice and were successful in safegaurding opticianry last year. I am legislative chair and have a very good committee with expert legal council who helps to lobby as I do when needed.

So many opticians who are not members constantly ask why there is no licensure or we can do this by making the public aware of our plight. Our answer: are you a member of an organization? The answer is no over and over agin. You need an organization of many members to have a voice... but then again money talks. It is no different than what is occuring right now with national issues.

Bev
:cheers:

[chip anderson]

Steve:

Of course I have no problem with Opticians Certification, I have no problem with it being reqired. Of course I would like to see this applied to all Opticians who dispense eyewear, including those in Optometry, and Ophthalmological offices. Of course, My preference would be to have the precriber out of the dispensing ecconomic loop entirely. Then Boards that cetiify could have members from the three O's that were fair, presumably and the public health would be the number one concern.

Unfortunately, I have grown old enough that I realizie the world will never agiain go back to my way of thinking and the golden rule #2: "He who has the gold rules!" Will forever after be the standard.

Chip

[jediron]

Homer said:
I think there is support to be had in optometry, ophthalmology and national chains for a nation-wide standard.
Not a chance that national chains want an across the board lic.
We had the same issue in N.Y. some years ago. We fought the chains because they wanted the ABO exam (which in my opinion is a mickey mouse exam compared to what we had) but in the end the chains won and we suffered.
:o

[jediron]

Jo started this thread with:

OAA Backs Nationwide Mandatory Opticianry Certification

GULFPORT, Miss.--At the recent Opticians Association of America’s state leadership conference here, the OAA board voted to back a plan for nationwide mandatory opticianry certification via apprenticeship with a formal education component.
Currently, opticianry certification is fragmented state-to-state, with some states requiring certification and some requiring certification with licensure, while other states have no certification requirements.

First off: how are you going to get all fifty states to agree on a mandatory certification?
Second: what is this apprenticeship with formal education component.
Third: The states are fragmented so how are you going to cement this fragmentation?
Fourth: Chip what is this thing with taxes?

[hcjilson]

Dear Jediron,
I ask this for a specific reason. Before this gets too far I want to be clear about where I am coming from.

I am in favor of ONE (UNIVERSAL) Practical exam as a component of the measure of minimum entry skills to become licensed as an optician. I have gone on record as stating this as one of my goals. Unfortunately I no longer sit as a member of the Mass Board so that is a small roadblock in this effort.

I ask you the question above because NY was rather clear that the only exam they would recognize in that regard, is the Capital Exam currently being used by NY.( I prefer not to get into the politics of that choice, or the merits of the exam itself, or the company that designed it....at this time.)

Many states, NY included could not defend that exam in a court of law because it is subjective in nature and requires only an opinion of an examiner to pass/fail. This is unaceptable to my state and if the AG's of some other states are to be believed, its unacceptable for other states as well.

Dave Hamilton of the NY board said in a meeting last July that their test (NY) was unlikely to be tested in court therefore that was not a major consideration, and further that the NY board would not be interested in pursuing/ developing a subjective exam that might serve as a model for a STANDARD National test. (That is, if I understood him correctly, and I may have misinterpreted his remarks so lets leave that open for the moment)

The point is that you will have a great deal of difficulty in getting the states into line. The one vehicle by which this can be done (NCSORB) has been largely ineffective to date.
While I think we're headed in the right direction, we're never going to get there as long as ONE state believes they are better practitioners than another. Some of us know the truth, unfortunately, even as chairpeople, we lack the majority to take an official stance.

We're still going to keep banging our heads into the wall because it is going to feel SO good when we stop!

hj

[jediron]

hcjilson said:
"I ask you the question above because NY was rather clear that the only exam they would recognize in that regard, is the Capital Exam currently being used by NY.( I prefer not to get into the politics of that choice, or the merits of the exam itself, or the company that designed it....at this time.)"

There are two exams given. One is given by Capitol Hill Testing Service (CHTS) for Practical. The other is given by the State and they use the ABO for the written exam. Below is taken from the state web site Optical Dispensing and it says:

Two examinations are required for licensure in Ophthalmic Dispensing - a written examination and a practical examination.

Written Examination
"The American Board of Opticianry's (ABO) National Opticianry Competency Examination, or an examination determined by the Department to be comparable in content, is required for ophthalmic dispensing licensure. If you took the ABO examination before November 1988, you must repeat the examination and receive a passing score. The examination is offered twice a year in May and November. It is your responsibility to see that the ABO forwards to the Department your passing score on the ABO examination. For details regarding the ABO examination, including costs, registration, and specific dates of administration, contact:"

And the Practical:
"Practical Examination
To be eligible to take the ophthalmic dispensing practical examination, an applicant must file an application for licensure and be approved for admission to the examination by the New York State Education Department.

The Department contracts with Capitol Hill Testing Service (CHTS), a professional test administration service, to administer the ophthalmic dispensing practical licensure examination. This examination is offered each Spring and Fall. For details regarding the New York State Basic Ophthalmic Dispensing practical examination, including costs and specific dates of administration, contact:"

these can be found at:
http://www.op.nysed.gov/od.htm

Why you zero in on only the Practical makes no sense. N.Y. has two exams. In my opinion it takes at least two exams to compentently ascertain that you have the knowledge to begin your career.