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Resolutions adopted by the 58th Blinded Veterans Association
National Convention on August 30, 2003 in Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina,
And the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Responses Thereto
RESOLUTION 10-03
RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association,
in convention assembled in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on this
30th day of August, 2003, urges the U.S. Congress to amend Title
38 USC section on Beneficiary Travel requiring VA to pay travel
for all veterans accepted for care in one of the VA Special-Disabilities
Programs.
VA Response: This resolution requires
legislative action. Therefore, VHA cannot respond.
RESOLUTION: 11-03
RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association
strongly urge the Veterans Health Administration and Congress
to do the following:
Instruct BRS to formulate and implement an organized
method of researching and testing new technological innovations
in the field of Blindness Rehabilitation using actual blinded
veterans as part of the test for the viability of training and
issuance of the new devices to blinded veterans. The testing procedure
should include review of usage of new technology by agencies and
organizations dealing with sight loss outside the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
VA Response: Evaluation of new technology
requires a consistent approach that includes efficacy trials with
intended users, in this case, blinded veterans. In FY03, Veterans
Health Administration (VHA) Technology Assessment Program completed
an assessment of the efficacy of optical devices from published
literature. Technology assessments by major organizations and
agencies involved with sight loss are valuable to this process
and Blind Rehabilitation Service (BRS) will establish a mechanism
for on-going reviews of technology reports and dissemination to
blind rehabilitation professionals. The BRS worked to improve
the method of researching and testing new technology innovations
in evaluation of new products by blind rehabilitation specialists
and our veterans. A product evaluation checklist was developed
which identifies the name of the product, intended purpose and
type of product, name of evaluator along with a rating scale,
and recommendation for use. The results of these evaluations are
posted on the Blind Rehabilitation Website for review by all staff.
In addition, vendors are invited to the annual VIST/BROS conference
to introduce new products. However, the proliferation of new technology
throughout the country makes it difficult to evaluate all technology.
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