What is a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (CVRT)
A Vision Rehabilitation Therapist works primarily with blind and visually impaired adults. This highly specialized career requires university preparation and adherence to a Code of Ethics and certification standards. Certification is administered through The Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP).
"Vision Rehabilitation Therapists constitute a cadre of university-trained professionals who address the broad array of skills needed by individuals who are blind and visually impaired to live independently at home, to obtain employment, and to participate in community life. As a discipline, Vision Rehabilitation Therapy combines and applies the best principles of adaptive rehabilitation, adult education, and social work to the following broad areas: home management, personal management, communication and education, activities of daily living, leisure activities, and indoor orientation skills." (Crews & Luxton, 1992)
What would some job responsibilities be for a CVRT?
- Assessing and evaluating the independent living needs and abilities of individuals with impaired vision for meeting immediate and lifelong goals
- Developing individualized Vision Rehabilitation Therapy plans in conjunction with the learner
- Teaching adaptive skills needed for independent living in areas of personal management, household management, communication, education, leisure activities, orientation and movement in the indoor environment, and use of low vision devices and training techniques
- Coordinating the implementation of the Vision Rehabilitation Therapy service plan;
- Teaching problem solving and resource utilization, including the acquisition of adaptive equipment
- Facilitating the individual's and family's psychosocial adjustment to impaired vision;
- Case management and case recording
- Providing consultation, public education, and in-service training.
- Case management and record keeping
- Identification and utilization of community and national resources
- Utilization of community support service
- Facilitation of psychosocial adjustment to vision loss
What does a CVRT hope to achieve?
- Restore the adult who is newly visually impaired to his/her accustomed lifestyle
- Assist the person who is developmentally disabled or multiply impaired and visually impaired in reaching his/her highest potential for independent living
- Demonstrate to other professionals the knowledge, skills and attitudes which make services for persons who are blind and visually impaired more effective
- Provide instruction to persons who are blind and visually impaired in such areas as home and personal management; adaptive communications skills including braille, typing and computer access; orientation in the home; home mechanics; diabetic and health management; and community resources.
Where might a CVRT work?
- Agencies serving people who are blind and visually impaired
- Residential schools for children who are blind and visually impaired
- Local school districts providing services to children who are blind and visually impaired
- Centers for people with developmental disabilities
- Centers for Independent Living (CILs)
- State Vocational Rehabilitation Services
- Hospital and clinic rehabilitation teams
- Community-based vision rehabilitation therapy services
Where can you study to become a CVRT?
Are you interested in becoming a vision rehabilitation therapist? Below is a list of university programs that are approved by the AER University Review Committee. Many graduate programs have grant funding to address a national and regional shortage of service professionals with specialized knowledge in visual impairments. Students meeting admission and grant scholarship requirements may be eligible for tuition support!
Northern Illinois
https://www.cedu.niu.edu/seed/graduate-programs/masters-visual-disabilities.shtml
UMass Boston
https://globalinclusion.umb.edu/academics/graduate-programs/vision-studies-med
Western Michigan
https://wmich.edu/visionstudies
Salus University
https://www.salus.edu/Colleges/Education-Rehabilitation/Low-Vision-Rehabilitation-Programs.aspx
University of Montreal
https://admission.umontreal.ca/en/programs/masters-in-vision-science-option-visual-impairment-and-rehabilitation-english/
Hunter College
https://education.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/graduate-programs/special-education/blind-and-visually-impaired/
Click here to download the CVRT Flyer
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