KANSAS VISION COALITION
The Kansas Vision Coalition was formed in November 2017 during the first-ever Kansas Vision Summit in Wichita, Kansas, an event attended by organizations focused on increasing access to vision health care, outreach and education within the state of Kansas. The summit brought voices together to share processes and experiences and accomplish collectively what no single organization could do alone.
Kansas Vision Coalition Successfully Advocates New Law for School-Administrated Vision Screenings
WICHITA, Kan. (June 1, 2022) — Thanks to the efforts of the Kansas Vision Coalition (KVC), Kansas Senate Bill 62 was passed, signed by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and will become law on July 1, 2022. The legislation amends the standards for school-administrated vision screenings. These screenings will now have specific requirements and trainings that will help to provide exceptional and efficient service to all Kansas school-aged children and will also emphasize the importance of referrals for eye examinations of students based on the results of the screening.
A lack of understanding of the impact of vision loss by the general population is at the forefront of concern. The KVC creates clarity and focus to oversee the processes and resources to:
Create a low vision resource network for Kansans
Provide a pathway of health policy change to increase understanding and perception of vision loss in the state of Kansas and propose bills for legislative review focused on vision health, provision of resources and standards of care as it relates to visual assessment
Identify priority areas and gaps in vision assessment, education and outreach processes targeting all populations throughout Kansas
The KVC now includes 25 member organizations and will expand as more statewide organizations are identified.
In its short existence, the multidisciplinary, nonpartisan KVC has made great strides in advancing action plans created at the Kansas Vision Summit and achieving its central objective to make vision health a priority in Kansas.
Vision Statement:
We believe in early intervention, improving vision health and providing access to resources to improve quality of life for all Kansans.
Kansas Vision Coalition
Task Force
The Kansas Vision Coalition Task Force is a 13-member work group that has the responsibility of advancing initiatives identified at the Kansas Vision Summit. The KVC Task Force’s most significant and far-reaching accomplishment to date is the revision of Kansas Vision Screening Guidelines PDF (2023 Update) – something that hadn’t been attempted in 14 years.
KVC Task Force members include:
-
Michael Epp, Envision
- Stacy Clark, OD, Drs. Driver & Clark
-
Mae Claxton, RN, Kansas State School for the Blind (retired)
-
Bob Hamilton, Robert J. Dole Veterans Administration
-
Tara Keesling, Western Kansas Low Vision Foundation
-
Kendall Krug, OD, Krug and Jones Optometry
-
Anne Nielsen, Lions Sight Foundation
- Cindi Tedder, RN, Olathe Public Schools and Kansas School Nurse Organization
-
Jessi Troester, Alphapointe