Making vision screenings accessible to more children…

1. Making vision screenings accessible to more children… Presented by Ronda Gusinsky, Executive Director

2. Need For The Project • According to Prevent Blindness America, vision problems affect one in 20 preschoolers and one in four school children • South Dakota is one of only 10 states that do not require children to receive any preventive vision care before starting school • Through NPEF’s annual Healthy Vision Week (HVW), which has provided almost 1,500 free vision screenings to children since 2008, NPEF noted an on-going and more broad-based need for vision screenings in children – vs. once a year

3. Need For The Project, cont. • HVW Statistics show 40 percent of children ages 3 – 11 screened during HVW had a vision problem • Of those, 11.5 percent required glasses • Statistics further illustrate a clear need for additional outreach to socioeconomically underserved student populations • While through HVW, the student receives a screening, it is apparent there remains a need for greater emphasis on follow-up compliance – i.e. “closing the loop” between identifying concerns and appropriate intervention

4. Need For The Project, cont. • Failure to treat vision disorders in children affects, among other things, such issues as: • childhood development • learning performance • social-emotional behavior • academic achievement and drop-out rates • and juvenile delinquency • From a societal standpoint, the failure to detect and treat children’s vision disorders affects the rates of adult criminality, literacy, and labor productivity

5. While only an eye care professional can diagnose and treat a vision problem, vision screenings find children who need a full eye exam.

6. The Project • Established to detect vision problems in children through uniform screening and referral processes that will lead to timely diagnosis and intervention • In partnership with HVW collaborative partners including: • Area Eye Care Professionals • Area School Nurses • Black Hills Area Lions Clubs • Community Health Center of the Black Hills

7. The Project, cont. • Based on a well-established, very successful • screening model, the Wyoming Lions Early • Childhood Vision Project, developed in 1999 by • University of Wyoming Institute for Disabilities • Wyoming Project is sole compliance and data • collection center for state of Wyoming for early • childhood vision screening • Screened almost 55,000 • Children across Wyoming • to date

8. The Project, cont. • Local Lions Clubs volunteers and professionals from 14 Developmental Pre-School Regional Centers in communities throughout the state of Wyoming conduct vision screening activities • For the first 10 years, screening activities included external observation, binocular depth perception, visual acuity charts and a specialized camera called the PhotoScreenerTM

9. The Project, cont. Since 2009, this project has included use of the PediaVision Assessment Solution System, a video photo screening device that utilizes a non-invasive approach to obtain comprehensive, accurate screening results indicating why a child should be “referred” to an eye care specialist.

10. The Project, cont. Parents are provided a copy of screening results and children who fail screening are referred to eye care professionals. On-going follow-up services for all referred children are offered through the project.

11. The Project, cont. Based on Wyoming model, CVSI will include: • Use of PediaVision Assessment Solution System • Dedicated Project Coordinator • Lions Club volunteers trained to administer screenings and assist with fundraising efforts • General Beadle Community School and Clinic pilot, with ongoing outreach to one of Rapid City’s most underserved student populations • School nurses to assist with follow up and help ensure treatment is received

12. The Project, cont. Through the project outreach of vision screenings will be accessible to more children throughout the region, leading to early detection, timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention through a partner-supported strategy.

13. Support • Significant commitment by NPEF Board – many of whom are members of the eye care community including 3 ophthalmologists, 2 optometrists and 4 other healthcare professionals – to develop and launch the initiative • Integral community support also comes from area Lions Club partners, including Rapid City Downtown, Metro and Rushmore Lions Clubs, and Piedmont Valley and Hill City Lions Clubs, who with NPEF will provide manpower to administer the screenings

14. Support, cont. • John T. Vucurevich Foundation $30,000 • South Dakota Optometric Society $ 1,000 • Zone 5 Lions Clubs $ 1,150 • Board/Individual/Business Donations $ 1,415 • Sanford Health Donation $ 500 • Rotary Club Benefit at Murphy’s $ 2,295 • Piedmont Valley Lions Benefit $ 440 • $ 36,800 Community Health Center of the Black Hills and General Beadle Community School Area school nurses providing insights and facilitation Financial support, critical to the success of CVSI:

15. Goals • Pilot at General Beadle prior to May 2012 • Upon completion of pilot, assess, discuss areas of success or concern • First year, screen a minimum of 1,000 children • Controlled expansion in BH over next 2 years • Expand state-wide in 3 – 5 years by creating long-term and mutually beneficial partnerships with organizations with vested interest • Create long-term, sustainable funding sources

16. Investment Administrative: TOTAL Part-time Project Coordinator (20hrs. week @ $15/hr.) $15,600 Payroll Taxes for Project Coordinator Position $ 1,200 Accounting/Administrative Project Support $ 4,450 Operational: 2 PediaVision Devices/Printers/Cases $27,500 Insurance Rider for Devices/Equipment $ 650 Software Program for Data Collection $ 5,000 Printing/Copying/Mailing $ 3,000 Paper/Office Supplies/Equipment $ 2,000 Mileage (2/mo. x 12 x 150mi x $.51) $ 2,000 Promotional: Approximately $150/Location $ 3,600 $65,000* *Fiscal Period: December 2011 to November 2012 Based on #24 FY Screening Events

17. Invitation Is possible only through the joint collaborative efforts of Northern Plains Eye Foundation (NPEF) and area Lions Clubs. We invite you to join us in our effort to make vision screenings accessible to more children in our region. Thank you.