I did for a bit recently because it was an either ask for payment or go bankrupt circumstance at the time -- my SO had an OBGYN clinic on the 1st floor of our home, but the L&D dept. of the hospital closed 1 month after we put all savings into remodeling the home (everyone then chose Drs closer to the bigger city where they would be delivering).... I was the only other "employee" in the facility & my Childbirth Educator certification will be complete this summer
D) sooooo: as part of the office visits + birthing classes (during which I was supervised by my SO as he's the OB) we could bill the patient's health insurance
OR the patient would pay out of pocket if they chose to have the birthing classes + carseat check during bedrest in their own home (for gas/mileage, etc.) -- I needed liability insurance for this....
Although some techs in the national community supports request for payment (seemingly those in the states where it costs hundreds of dollars to get certified vs. here where it was only about $65), there was quite a stir in my local community against doing so. Until I spoke with the state coordinator & explained that I was not advertising to the general public, but rather to a select group payable through insurance (very rare situation) -- I didn't have many clients for my services, though, too (the malpractice insurance cost more than our income after L&D closed) & most of the interest has been with Nonprofit organizations who already involve themselves in some sort of family project in which
qualified vehicle safety services is important (
liability).
Hooking up with a Nonprofit allows a CPST to apply for a federal grant to have access to a trailer with carseats available to those in dire need (unsafe/absent carseat or at poverty level) -- I am looking into this right now after just meeting with my local Unitarian Universalist church (they have a "Babies First" program for which they currently use donations to buy Sceneras [YAY] but are extremely supportive of my participation): I think I might need a CPST-Instructor to join with me, but I'm not sure
Am awaiting a call back from my state coordinator.... This would be a volunteer without payment situation.
- In summary, yes, in theory some of us public service agents could be concidered as being paid for doing this, but it isn't required that public service agents attend the volunteer seat check events (only so many checks within a year or so signed off by a CPST-I necessary to maintain certification -- they just changed this & I haven't printed it out to try to remember the details on it yet)
- OR no you should according to some not ever get paid because asking for payment could jeopardize local government funding
- OR sure, maybe you can get paid if you're in a medical office that can bill the insurance & the doc/boss is willing to add the $ to your regular paycheck
- OR you can get in on the national CPS infor/advocacy events (someone else please list them?!) & get some reimbursement + goodies
- BTW, when families give $ donation we're supposed to document & forward the $ on to SafeKids
Just had an idea: there are lots of midwives/doulas around here ~ maybe they'd be interested in my helping them out & adding the perspective of vehicle safety for pregnant mamas + newborns...!