RE SNA
MEET RESNA’S PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BOARD Written by: ANDREA VAN HOOK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RESNA
RESNA’s Professional Standards Board (PSB), which handles oversight and compliance of RESNA’s certification programs, added new members over the summer. The members of the 2020-2021 PSB are: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Julie Piriano, PT, ATP/SMS – Chair Doug Rakowski, OT, ATP – Vice Chair Beth Speaker-Christensen, SLP, ATP – Vice Chair Cheryl Sheffield, OT, ATP – Secretary Jennifer Border, Consumer Eric Grieb, OT, ATP Michele Gunn, ATP, CRTS® Johnny Kelly, Consumer Jason Kelln, ATP, CRTS® David Savage, ATP/RET Rich Schein, PhD Lois Turner, SLP, ATP Antoinette Verdone, ATP Kyle Walker, ATP Alisa Brownlee, ATP – RESNA Board Liaison
PSB members are engaged in a number of important activities, including: • Setting eligibility standards for initial certification and certification renewal. • Designing, administering and maintaining certification exams. • Maintaining a registry of RESNA certified professionals. • Ensuring compliance with RESNA’s NCCA accreditation for the ATP program and following best practices for certification programs. • Serving as the final decision-making body for all complaints and disciplinary action. The certification programs under the PSB’s responsibility are the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), Seating and Mobility Specialist (SMS) and the Rehabilitation Engineering Technologist (RET) certifications. RESNA credentials are the standard of excellence for all of those in the assistive technology field. In addition to the rigorous initial application and examination requirements, applicants also agree to uphold the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice. Renewing ATPs, SMSs, and RETs recommit to these ethical standards, as well as demonstrating their continued practical
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DIRECTIONS 2020.6
experience in the assistive technology field in addition to completing education regularly to demonstrate their continued competency. This helps the public feel confident they are collaborating with a credentialed assistive technology professional committed to practicing in a way to achieve the highest quality of life for their clients. To maintain this public trust and integrity, the Complaints Review Committee of the PSB is a very important and necessary aspect of the program. This committee oversees and enforces the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice when RESNA certified professionals have fallen short of their obligations. RESNA maintains a peer-reviewed Complaints Policy and enforcement process for the handling allegations of misconduct. Any member of the public or assistive technology professional who believes a RESNA certified professional has violated the Code of Ethics or the Standards of Practice can report alleged misconduct by filing a complaint. The Complaints Review Committee is committed to maintaining an enforcement process that is credible to the public and fair to professionals who find their conduct under question. The certification section of the RESNA website has information on how to file a complaint, the complaint form, and the complaints process. Please visit www.resna. org/Certification/Ethics-and-Standards-ofPractice for more information.
