AVLNC Three Year Plan

Data & Research Committee

• Quarterly data-driven webinars
• Develop a plan to systematically identify and share pertinent research articles, in alignment with survey results
• Assist with the creation of outcomes tool for vision rehab
• Attempt to get a NASEM workshop/report and/or Surgeon General’s Call to Action. Report for vision rehab
• Conduct a survey of private agency directors regarding research needs, with the goal of publishing an article in JVIB
• Assist in the completion of round one of the “Big Data project” and the state and national reports 

Policy & Funding Committee

• Teddie-Joy’s Law (TJL) to be conjunction of the various policy issues around aging and vision loss, to include Older Americans Act, establishment of Office of Aging and Vision Loss, and other related issues.  Good solid consensus around TJL

Access to Quality Services

• Provider advocacy toolkit successfully launched; on VSA website
• Repositioned committee with several subcommittees to work on fact sheets related to 3 areas identified in AVLNC strategic plan.

Public Awareness

• Ad Council Edge collaboration formalized. Phase 1 of 5-phase Reframing Vision Loss in the US plan completed
• Big Data Project national and state level promotions and conference presentations
• Created a three-year Public Awareness Committee Plan with committee goals and strategies, plus a three-year tactical plan with roles and timelines

Leadership Academy 

• Program components and budget developed

Consumer Advocacy

• Completed curriculum, currently being reviewed by the Committee for completion by yearend

Data and Research

• The Surgeon General will issue a report on the Impact of Aging and Vision Loss based upon the recommendations that came out of the NASEM workshops.
• Vision-related research recommended by NASEM will be underway; some completed and in report status for Surgeon General consideration.
• A national interagency committee on Aging & Vision Loss will be established and meeting in a meaningful way (in accordance with the 2016 NASEM recommendations.)
• Outcome measures will be collected routinely by vision rehabilitation providers and shared with research partners for the purposes of establishing evidence-based programs.
• Effectively utilize existing sources for clinical data on eye disease and conditions.  With the assistance of the state and national Big Data reports, develop advocacy strategies based on county-level prevalence of vision loss, disparities, comorbidities, and health-related quality of life.

Policy and Funding

• The Policy and Funding Co-Chairs, in partnership with VSA leadership and national organizational partners, will work to form strategic alliances/partnerships to further aging and vision loss inclusion in federal legislation and other policy documents.
• Older adults with vision loss are included as a targeted population in aging policy, public health initiatives (i.e., Healthy People 2030) and health coverage.
• AVLNC will support the efforts of national consumer groups to increase the annual federal appropriation for OIB funds. 
• AVLNC will be a forum for discussion of support to organizational members of the Coalition pursuing funding for services for older people with vision loss at the state and local levels.
• Through Teddie-Joy’s Law, AVLNC will pursue pilot projects and other innovative initiatives for new community-based vision rehabilitation programs in severely underserved parts of the nation and be a forum for the promotion of promising practices/programs at the state level.
• AVLNC will pursue enactment of Teddie-Joy’s Law, with the goal of having it introduced during 2023.
• VSA staff and committee chairs will collaborate to pursue federal regulatory, subregulatory, and related federal agency avenues (including potentially tapping private insurers) to take on Medicare funding of services.

Access to Quality Services

• The field of Vision Rehabilitation will have adopted practice & program standards.
• University programs for eyecare, occupational therapy, geriatrics and gerontology professionals will include aging and vision loss curricula, and will facilitate practicum opportunities in community-based vision rehabilitation programs; and those for vision rehabilitation will include specific aging curricula.

Access to Quality Services (continued)

• Best practices for the combination of Aging & Vision Rehabilitation Services will have been established, rolled out, and accepted by both professional networks.
• The Transportation Working Group will take the lead in working with the newly funded National Transportation Accessibility Center (NTAC) to increase transportation accessibility and options for older people with vision loss.
• The TWG will systematically seek opportunities for additional research into transportation needs/obstacles and possible funding sources, strategically seeking out collaboration opportunities with other entities.
• The TWG will collect and share transportation solutions that meet the needs of people with vision loss, especially older people.
• The TWG will collect and share transit resources and structures for input prior to implementation of transit solutions.

Public Awareness

• A messaging framework is developed to help reframe the critical issue of older adult vision loss.
• Awareness of the crucial issue of older adult vision loss, and its profound impact and prevalence in the U.S., has been raised among key audiences.
• Vision and aging stakeholders will be educated about key issues and VSA initiatives.
• Stakeholders will be educated regarding the scope of vision rehabilitation services and the positive outcomes of receiving those services.
• Eyecare professionals recognize that vision rehabilitation is a part of the continuum of care and routinely make appropriate referrals.

Consumer Advocacy Program

• A cadre of older adults with vision loss are trained and mobilized to advocate for policy change, including adoption & implementation of approved TJL elements.
• Consumer Advocate Project curriculum is being offered throughout the country by VSA member agencies, both virtually and in person.
• Quarterly meetings are offered virtually to all Consumer Advocate Project graduates to refresh skills, share lessons learned, and share legislative priorities.

Leadership Academy

• Aging and Vision Loss Leadership Academy is operational and sustainable, with one class successfully completed, and one class in progress.