Certified Children's Vision Screening Program Change Announcement

Prevent Blindness America is the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to preventing blindness and saving sight. Prevent Blindness America-Arizona Division’s signature program is our children’s vision screening program. Our vision is that every child receives a vision screening from a certified vision screener before entering school, then every year thereafter. Follow-up support to help children get professional eye care is an essential part of our continuum of vision care. To that end the “Sight for Students” program offered by Vision Services Plan (VSP) will provide an eye exam and glasses to children whose families lack the insurance or financial means.
             
Children need to see to learn. 80% of what a child learns is sight related. 1 out of 4 children screened is referred to an eye care professional. Once a child has been screened, examined, diagnosed, treated and vision corrected that child will do better in school, in turn the job of the teacher becomes easier and we know that children who do well in school stay in school. This is a great indirect benefit of vision screening.

At present there are over 800 certified children’s vision screeners in AZ, most of them school nurses. Our goal is to continue to work with these dedicated individuals. Our hope is that the relationship with these fine people and the schools/districts they represent will continue to blossom.

As a part of any business, including non-profit, times change and we must keep up with rising costs of doing business. For ten years we have offered certified vision screening classes state wide and have charged $35. In all that time our costs have continued to rise while our rates for certified vision screening classes have not. We have reached a point where we must increase the rates substantially. Effective August 1st 2008, the rates will be $125 for initial CVS certification and $75 for renewal. Certification will still last 3 years. For those districts or schools not currently screening we will offer training for $100 per person with a minimum of ten paid participants.

Certified screeners are responsible for sending their screening statistics to Prevent Blindness Arizona yearly so that we may keep our records up to date and accurate.  

For districts/schools located outside of the Phoenix Metro area, the training will be offered to you at a price based on your specific needs and location. Please call (602)252-5241 for more information.

In addition to the CVS training class, Prevent Blindness Arizona also offers screening services to schools in Arizona that have a need for additional help. We would first like to see someone from your organization become certified, but if that is not a possibility at this time we can come out and do the screening for you. The charges for such services are as follows:

If you would like more information in regards to vision screening or certification, feel free to call our office at (602)252-5241. Thanks you for your time and we look forward to working closely with all of you over the next school year.