Certification Vs. Licensure Holm Weighs In
Statement Regarding Certification and Licensure of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals Garett A. Holm
First, it is important to note that I write this statement not as the President of the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (herein ACVREP), or on behalf of said organization. Second, my comments are meant to be used in their entirety.
As someone who understands the concepts and purposes of both certification and licensure, I would like to express my support of the efforts to include Orientation and Mobility Specialists and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists as licensed practitioners. In expressing my support for such measure, it is first important to recognize the difference between the concepts and purposes of both certification and licensure. Unfortunately, the two terms are often used synonymously by policy-makers and the general public. Certification and licensure, however, are designed to fulfill different purposes and, thus, should not be perceived to be one and the same.
The purpose of certification is to attest to professional competency with a particular field or discipline of practice. In order to achieve this purpose, candidates for certification must met two (2) types of requirements: 1) qualifying requirements (usually based upon educational attainment or other training mechanisms); and 2) performance-based requirements. Performance-based requirements serve as a mechanism to assess individual competency relative to a set of establish practice standards. Examples of performance-based requirements include, but are not limited to, clinical practice through work-related or internship experiences and examination.
It is important to note that certification is often a voluntary process, designed to allow professionals the opportunity to demonstrate professional competency in a manner that is fair, reasonable and rigorous. Again, certification attests to the fact that the individual has demonstrated a minimum level of competency accepted by the field as appropriate and necessary to provide services to individuals and families.
Licensure, on the other hand, serves to define a jurisdictional parameter of practice within a particular field or discipline. In other words, only those individuals who met specific criteria are allowed to practice or provide services within a specific jurisdiction (i.e. state). Thus, licensure is designed to prevent unqualified professions from practicing or providing services.
From an allied health and education systems perspective, certification and licensure work together organically in order to promote and support three (3) key objectives: 1) the protection of consumers; 2) informed consumer choice; and 3) the provision of quality services to individuals and families.