Northwest Chapter Meeting 9/18/2025
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM PST | Live, Virtual | Business Meeting

Registration closes 9/15/2025 at 11:59 PM ET

Meeting Agenda (Subject to Change)
5:00 PM - Welcome and introduction
5:10 PM - Round table

• What’s happening at your facility or practice?
• State licensure – changes or issues to share
• State Voc Rehab – changes or issues to share?

5:40 PM - Discussion of topics for future educational meeting. Solicit volunteers to present
5:50 PM - Discussion of preferred dates/times for the educational meeting.
5:55 PM - Preference of on-line versus in person for next meeting
6:00 PM - Adjourn

Kentucky/Tennessee/West Virginia Chapter Meeting May 28, 2025
12:45 PM - 5:00 PM ET | Live, Virtual
3.5 ADED Contact Hours | Members $17.50/Non-Members $35
Registration Closes 5/26/2025 at 5 PM ET

Meeting Agenda (Subject to Change)
12:45pm - Opening 
1:00pm - 2:00pm: Initial Training in Learning to Spot with A Bioptic. Presenter(s): Brenda Eadens, CRC, CDRS and Jennifer Dumas, COMS
2:00pm - 3:30pm: Partnering with Law Enforcement: Educating and Building Community Relationships. Presenter: Raechaell Corbett, MS OTRL, CDRS, CDI, Easter Seals Mobility Center
3:30pm - 3:40pm: Break
3:40pm - 4:40pm: Checklist for low tech fittings. Presenter: Matt Abisamra, OTR/L, CDRS, Shepherd Center
4:40pm - 5:00pm: Wrap up.  

Initial Training in Learning to Spot with A Bioptic  

Have you ever wondered what is the O&M’s role in the bioptic driving process? How do you teach someone to spot with a bioptic? How can I teach other O&M’s to teach spotting.  

Learning Objectives
•  How to tell if the bioptic is aligned correctly. 
•  What are the biggest mistakes that learners make when using the bioptic? 
•  What are the 4 exercises when teaching to spot? 
•  How can students practice while waiting to begin driver training? 
•  What if the student is not progressing during training? 

Presenter Bios: Jennifer Dumas has over 15 years’ experience as a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist.  She joined the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (then OFB) in 2007 and obtained her M.Ed. from the University of Louisville in 2009. Jennifer is stationed in Lexington, but her travels take her all over the Eastern half of the state teaching adults the skills they need to maintain their independence. She is a strong advocate for her consumers and often works with employers, state, and local officials to improve the lives of individuals living with visual impairments.

Brenda Eadens has over 38 years’ experience in the field of Rehabilitation and has worked as a Rehabilitation Counselor, Job Placement Specialist, Assistive Technology Specialist and Bioptic Driving Instructor.  She is employed by the Kentucky Office for Vocational Rehabilitation as a Bioptic Driving Instructor a position she has held since August of 2005.  She earned her Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Kentucky in 1997.  Brenda is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS). Brenda is an active member of the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (ADED), and the National Rehabilitation Association (NRA) including its state affiliate Kentucky Rehabilitation Association (KRA). 

Partnering with Law Enforcement: Educating and Building Community Relationships 

The purpose of this in-service is to educate Driver Rehab professionals on how to partner with local Law Enforcement and collaborate to plan community events.   

Learning Objectives:
• Participants will be provided with a framework on the steps to “get a foot in the door” to be able to collaborate with local Law Enforcement Officers.
• Participants will learn the perspective of the Law Enforcement Officer when encountering individuals within the Neurodivergent community as well as elderly drivers, and drivers utilizing adaptive equipment. 
• Participants will gain a basic understanding of Law Enforcement best practice with traffic stops and at accident scenes. 
• Participants will learn how to plan and facilitate workshops with Law Enforcement to address the Neurodivergent community, elderly drivers and drivers utilizing modified vehicles with adaptive equipment. 
• Participants will feel empowered and confident to approach their local Law Enforcement agencies and other stakeholders in their communities including Fire Fighters and EMS. 

Presenter Bio: Raechaell Corbett has been an Occupational Therapist for 18 years and joined the world of driver rehab in 2018. She received her CDRS in 2020 and is currently the Supervisor of the Driver Assessment Program in Meriden, CT. Raechaell has experience working in a multitude of settings including in-patient rehab, acute care, sub-acute rehab, and outpatient orthopedics/neuro. She also assisted Lions Low Vision of Fairfield and New Haven counties to create Lions Low Vision Centers at Saint Mary’s Hospital and Easterseals. Raechaell is currently using all of her experience to provide comprehensive driver assessments and driver training to individuals of all ages. She is currently a member of ADED’s education committee and ADED’s Speakers Bureau. Raechaell has also been accredited to educate EMS in CT to assist with improving interactions with the Neurodiverse community and drivers of modified vehicles. She works with Easterseals to partner with various organizations throughout CT including police departments, local rehab hospitals, vocational rehab, mobility equipment dealers, local universities, etc to be able to provide a team approach to driver rehab.

Checklist For Low Tech Fittings

This course is designed to go over a basic checklist for a CDRS for low tech vehicle fittings where hand controls, automatic lockdowns or left foot accelerators are installed in clients’ vehicles. 

Learning Objectives
• Participants will be able to identify 3 typical installation considerations for hand control placement/installation at vehicle fittings
• Participants will be able to list 3 things to look for with a left foot accelerator placement at a vehicle fitting.
• Participants will identify two important considerations for setting the automatic lockdown placement.
• Participants will identify two types of non-OEM mirrors and verbalize how to set them for client’s best visibility.
• Participants will list five tasks for the on-road drive for the typical adult/licensed driver fitting

Presenter Bio: Matt Abisamra, OTR/L, CDRS, has practiced in the field of Driver Rehabilitation at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta since 2006 where he currently is the driving program supervisor. He is skilled in training, evaluation, and vehicle fittings for all types of disabilities. He served as the Secretary for the SC/GA ADED Chapter in 2006 and as the chapter’s president from 2010-2012. He has been the AOTA network chairperson for driving for the physical disabilities special interest section. Matt has presented multiples times on disabled driving at the national level for AOTA, NMEDA and ADED conferences.

Attendance at the entire event is required to earn contact hours, no partial hours are awarded. Registration confirmation and payment receipts are e-mailed to the attendee. All cancellations must be made in writing to the ADED Executive Office by May 21, 2025 11:59 PM ET; a 20% handling fee will be charged. Refunds will not be issued after this date or for “no-shows.” Partial refunds will not be granted. ADED reserves the right to modify content, timetable, change speakers, or cancel events due to unforeseen/unavoidable circumstances at any time. If ADED cancels an event, a full refund will be provided to registrants. All complaints relative to the content, instructor, and registration procedures are to be directed to the ADED executive office: 200 1st Ave NW #505 Hickory NC 28601 or via email eLearning@aded.net

ADED's Education Code of Conduct applies to this and all ADED education. 

We expect the same level of attention for live-virtual education as at in person events. Please be prepared to have your camera on and respond to attendance verification prompts to earn your contact hours. 

Planning to sit for the 2025 CDRS Exam?
Join our support sessions for discussion and answers to your questions.

All sessions will be held live virtual via eLearning and occur at 12 - 1 PM ET

Prescription Drugs, Driving and Older Adults: The Intersection of Happy and Healthy?

1 ADED Contact Hour | $40 ADED Members | $80 Non-Members
After purchase, you have 6 months from the date of purchase to watch the recording, complete the survey, and claim your contact hours.

An overview of polypharmacy and it's affect on older drivers.

Presented by: Dr. David B Carr, M.D.

Presentation Objectives

1. Identify prescription medications taken by older drivers (aged 65+) that may put them at risk for unsafe driving
2. Understand the myriad of mechanisms on how medications may impact driving
3. Review a recent publication on medications and driving from the DRIVES study
4. Develop an approach to reviewing and managing potential driver-impairing medications taken by older adults.

Registration confirmation and payment receipts are e-mailed to the attendee. Refunds will not be issued after purchase or if the purchaser does not complete the content and claim contact hours in the 6-month time frame. ADED does not offer refunds because of technological issues, please consult our FAQs page for any issues you may experience. All complaints relative to the content, instructor, and registration procedures are to be directed to the ADED executive office: 200 1st Ave NW #505 Hickory NC 28601 or via email eLearning@aded.net

Current CDRS' & DRPs please refer to policy 403 for educational activity and maximum contact hours.

This toolkit is designed to assist and guide driving educators through a framework to provide driver education to new/novice teen drivers. ADED encourages you to use this resource to help advance education and on-road training. Provided are driver readiness checklists, glossary of terms, CDRS referral form, and resources for common conditions. UPDATED September 2024

Vision Badge Level 1 

$195 Members | $390 Non-Members | 5 ADED Contact Hours
Online, on-demand all education and quizzes are included in this purchase. 
To earn the badge, the participant must successfully complete all coursework and knowledge checks and score 75% or better for quiz components.
You have 6 months from the date of purchase to complete all items and earn your badge. For proper function and the best experience, please review the FAQs and technology requirements https://elearning.aded.net/faq... 

The vision badge is a succession of badges focused on complex factors related to anatomy of the eye, functional vision and the impact of vision and common impairments on driving fitness. The badges are structured to provide an overview with increased complexity and application for the driver instructor/educator and/or health care professional. The succession of badges need to be taken in order and all individuals wishing to take subsequent levels must take Level 1.

The Level 1 (Beginners) Badge is designed for the driving instructor and health care professional needing to review basic vision concepts or other individuals wanting to learn about basic concepts of vision. A basic overview of anatomy of the eye, vision skills, and common vision and visual perceptual impairments that can impact driving fitness or fitness to drive. Discussion on how these conditions can impact driving and community mobility. Click here for the matrix. 

Prerequisites - This badge requires participants to possess a current: 

• registration or license as a driver instructor/educator who has met or exceeded local government requirements and passed approved courses necessary to work as a behind-the-wheel driving instructor in their state or province, verification required via upload of current state registration/license

OR

• current state registration as an allied health professional. Health related degrees include Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Kinesiotherapy, Speech Language Pathology, Therapeutic Recreational Therapy, Nursing, and Exercise Physiology verification required via upload of current state registration/license

Upon completion of the Level 1 (Beginners) Vision Badge, the attendee will consume education on the following competencies and have an understanding of:

• Client Intake: Medical History and Pharmacology; Visual History; Driving History; Age and activities
• Vision Terminology: Medical terminology; Abbreviations; Ophthalmologic specialists; Glossary
• Visual Impairments: Age related vision changes, comorbidities, and medications on vision; Common Eye diseases: Cataracts; Macular degeneration; Glaucoma; Diabetic retinopathy; Astigmatism; Albinism; Nystagmus; Hereditary eye diseases; Reduced acuity and visual fields. Conditions associated with vision impairments: Stroke; Brain injury; Multiple Sclerosis; Muscular Dystrophies; Brain Tumors; Cancer (of eye or neurological structures)
• Basic Vision Screening: Visual acuity; Peripheral vision; Visual Fields; Stereopsis
• Visual Perceptual Overview: Impairments; Assessment; Impact of visual perceptual impairments on driving safety
• Driving Errors Associated with Visual Impairments
• Documentation - State/Province vision guidelines
  • Remains current with relevant research and evidence related to vision and driver training needs
  • Understands and complies with ADED Code of Ethics
  • Understands and complies with ADED Best Practice Guidelines for the Delivery of Driver Rehabilitation Services

The vision badge Level 1 holder will continuously strive to improve quality of services by doing the following:
• Remains current with relevant research and evidence related to vision and driver training needs
• Understands and complies with ADED Code of Ethics
• Understands and complies with ADED Best Practice Guidelines for the Delivery of Driver Rehabilitation Services

Registration confirmation and payment receipts are e-mailed to the attendee. Fees paid are non-refundable.  ADED reserves the right to modify content at any time. All complaints relative to the content, instructor, and registration procedures are to be directed to the ADED executive office: 200 1st Ave NW #505 Hickory NC 28601 or via email eLearning@aded.net

Current CDRS' & DRPs please refer to policy 403 for educational activity and maximum contact hours. 

ADED's Education Code of Conduct applies to this and all ADED education.  

This course has been approved by The Council on Professional Standards for Kinesiotherapy (COPSKT) for 15 contact hours or 1.5 CEU's.

Help Hope Live 

Sonny Mullen, Director of Outreach discusses the Help Hope Live program and how it can benefit clients. 

Help Hope Live supports community-based fundraising for people with unmet medical expenses and related costs due to cell and organ transplants or catastrophic injuries and illnesses. Even with insurance, a health crisis can become a financial crisis. Since 1983, Help Hope Live has helped thousands of people raise millions of dollars for to pay a wide range of expenses, including out-of-pocket costs for: medications, durable medical equipment, home health care, wheelchair-accessibility modifications, physical therapy, innovative treatments, medical travel and temporary relocation, even emergency living assistance. Our program has also helped thousands pay it forward and assist others with their medical expenses.

Driving Risk Calculator Basics, Updates and Questions
Presented by Ann Forrest Clark, OTR/L, CDRS, LDI
1.5 ADED Contact Hours | $45 ADED Members | $90 Non-Members 
After purchase, you have 6 months from the date of purchase to watch the recording, complete the survey, and claim your contact hours. 

The Driving Risk Calculator (DRC) is a framework that organizes the process of administering and interpreting results from standardized clinical driving skills tests.  The goal of the DRC is to help determine when an individual should or should not be referred for a behind-the-wheel assessment based on clinical skills testing results.  The performance of the DRC has been the subject of previous presentations that are available for viewing on the ADED e-learning platform.  This session will demonstrate how to access and use the fillable test recording forms created for the DRC and posted on the ADED eLearning portal for ADED Members.  Continuous improvement of the DRC is sought through the use of updated evidence-based testing.  Updated standardized tests and resources added over the past months will be presented.   

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will experience the Driving Risk Calculator's purpose, process, and application to the driver rehabilitation assessment process.
• Attendees will learn through demonstration how to access and utilize the Driving Risk Calculator fillable forms available to ADED members on the ADED website.
• Utilization of the DRC as a decision-making tool during clinical testing will be demonstrated through case studies review.

Registration confirmation and payment receipts are e-mailed to the attendee. Refunds will not be issued after purchase or if the purchaser does not complete the content and claim contact hours in the 6-month time frame. ADED does not offer refunds because of technological issues, please consult our FAQs page for any issues you may experience. All complaints relative to the content, instructor, and registration procedures are to be directed to the ADED executive office: 200 1st Ave NW #505 Hickory NC 28601 or via email eLearning@aded.net

Current CDRS' & DRPs please refer to policy 403 for educational activity and maximum contact hours. 

The Driving Risk Calculator (DRC) is a framework that organizes the results from standardized clinical tests to help determine when an individual should or should not be referred for an On the Road Driving assessment.  It was developed for use by OT clinicians across a health care system.  The developer worked with the ADED Research Committee to survey ADED members for feedback on the DRC framework as a method for clinical reasoning. This recording will present the Driving Risk Calculator framework, background and purpose.  It will demonstrate the tests used in the DRC. It will also discuss how the DRC is used as part of clinical reasoning and the development of client recommendations.  The process used to develop the ADED survey, survey results and research path will be examined. 

After registering you will be able to view all content. 

• The Content Tab contains videos to explain the Driving Risk Calculator and all of the resources/references. 
• There are (3) Driving Risk Calculator Forms found in the Handouts Tab. Please be sure you are using Google Chrome as your browser to open the forms. 

This area houses numerous resources for the field of driver rehabilitation.