About The College

What is an Optometrist?

In B.C., optometrists are health-care professionals who are trained to:

• assess the health of the eye and visual system and how it relates to systemic health
• diagnose refractive disorders and eye health disease
• treat eye health disorders and diseases with appropriate medication or corrective eyewear.

An optometrist is likely the health-care professional you will see when you have eye health issues or problems seeing well.

Use of reserved titles

In B.C., only optometrists who are registered with the College of Health and Care Health Professionals of BC can legally call themselves:

• “Optometrist”.

Standards And Legislation

Optometrists in B.C. are governed under the following:

• Health Professions Act: Umbrella legislation that provides a common regulatory framework for health professions in British Columbia.
• Optometrist Regulation
• CHCPBC bylaws
• Code of Ethics
• Standards of Practice

as well as other provincial legislation applicable to health professionals.

Public Register

Check the Public Register to verify that an individual is currently registered/licensed to practice with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC, and to see information about credentials and scope of practice.

Complaints

Optometrists must practice in a competent, safe and ethical manner. If you have concerns that the care you received does not meet the standards of practice, please share them with the College by filing a complaint.

tWhat is an Physical Therapist?

Physical therapists:

• are registered health-care professionals who specialize in how the human body moves
• treat people who have a loss of function from health conditions, injuries, or disabilities.

Use of reserved titles

In B.C., only physical therapists who are registered with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC can legally call themselves:

• “Physical therapist”
• “Physiotherapist”
• “Registered physical therapist”
• “Registered physiotherapist”

Standards And Legislation

Physical therapists in B.C. are governed under the following:

• Health Professions Act: Umbrella legislation that provides a common regulatory framework for health professions in British Columbia.
• Physical Therapist Regulation
• CHCPBC bylaws
• Code of Ethical Conduct
• Standards of Practice

as well as other provincial legislation applicable to health professionals.

Public Register

Check the Public Register to verify that an individual is currently registered/licensed to practice with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC, and to see information about credentials and scope of practice.

Complaints

Physical therapists must practice in a competent, safe and ethical manner. If you have concerns that the care you received does not meet the standards of practice, please share them with the College by filing a complaint.

What is a Psychologist?

Registered psychologists provide services to:

• manage and enhance the cognitive, behavioural, emotional, interpersonal and physical functioning of individuals or groups of individuals, primarily by applying and using psychological assessment and intervention strategies, including psychometric testing and psychotherapy
• assess and diagnose behavioural, emotional, cognitive, and mental disorders.

Psychologists typically focus their practice in specific areas such as clinical, counselling, forensic, health, rehabilitation or school psychology. Across these practice areas, psychologists engage in a broad range of activities including:

• assessing and treating mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression
• assessing and working with neurological conditions, such as brain injury or dementia
• helping people address psychological factors and problems associated with physical conditions and disease (for example, diabetes, heart disease, stroke)
• assessing cognitive functions, such as learning, memory, problem-solving, intellectual ability, and performance
• providing court consultations addressing the impact and role of psychological and cognitive factors in accidents and injury, parental capacity, and competence to manage one’s personal affairs
• assisting people struggling with stress, anger and other aspects of lifestyle management
• treating marital and family relationships and problems
• helping people to address addictions and substance use and abuse (for example, smoking, alcohol).

Use of reserved titles

In B.C., only psychologists who are registered with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC can legally call themselves unless exempted in the Psychologists Regulation:

• “Psychologist”
• “School psychologist”

Standards And Legislation

Psychologists in B.C. are governed under the following:

• Health Professions Act: Umbrella legislation that provides a common regulatory framework for health professions in British Columbia.
• Psychologists Regulation
• CHCPBC bylaws
• Code of Conduct
• Indigenous Standard
• School Psychology Diagnosis Practice Standard

as well as other provincial legislation applicable to health professionals.

Public Register

Check the Public Register to verify that an individual is currently registered/licensed to practice with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC, and to see information about credentials and scope of practice.

Complaints

Psychologists must practice in a competent, safe and ethical manner. If you have concerns that the care you received does not meet the standards of practice, please share them with the College by filing a complaint.

What is a Speech-Language Pathologist?

A speech-language pathologist is a health professional who provides, for the purposes of promoting and maintaining communicative health, the services of assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of:

• speech, language and related communication disorders and conditions, and
• vocal tract dysfunction, including related feeding and swallowing disorders

Use of reserved titles

In B.C., only speech-language pathologists who are registered with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC can legally call themselves:

• “Speech-language pathologist”
• “Speech therapist”
• or the abbreviation “RSLP”

Standards And Legislation

Speech-language pathologists in B.C. are governed under the following::

• Health Professions Act: Umbrella legislation that provides a common regulatory framework for health professions in British Columbia.
• Speech and Hearing Health Professionals Regulation
• CHCPBC bylaws
• Code of Ethics
• Standards of Practice

as well as other provincial legislation applicable to health professionals.

Public Register

Check the Public Register to verify that an individual is currently registered/licensed to practice with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC, and to see information about credentials and scope of practice.

Complaints

Speech-language pathologists must practice in a competent, safe and ethical manner. If you have concerns that the care you received does not meet the standards of practice, please share them with the College by filing a complaint.

• The College’s purpose is to ensure the public receives safe, ethical, and effective physical therapy services in British Columbia, as mandated by the Health Professions Act of BC. This includes physical therapy services provided to Indigenous clients, who are disproportionately subjected to stereotyping, racism, discrimination, and prejudice which is unsafe. CPTBC is therefore dedicated to Indigenous Cultural Safety, Humility and Anti-Racism in the regulation of physical therapy services in BC, which includes making room for decolonization within its culture, governance and operations. 

  To be antiracist involves eliminating racism from our policies and institutions, understanding how the present exists upon colonial and racist foundations, and committing to educate oneself and take action to create conditions of greater inclusion, equality and justice. 

  – In Plain Sight (PDF), 2020, p.7 

  Cultural humility is not a skill attained at one point in time. It is not a box that can be checked off and marked complete. Rather, it comes from a deep personal commitment to ongoing learning, continuous self-reflection and examination of personal biases. It is a willingness to listen, learn, and act to protect Indigenous human rights. It is a set of evolving skills that allows the healthcare provider to make room for decolonization and create a culturally safe space, which might look different for each individual client. 

  Statistics and research paint a distressing picture of our society, in which too many people are struggling with violence and trauma. These challenges exist against the historical backdrop of Canada’s colonization of Inuit Nunangat, in which federal government policy directed the institutions and systems that have destabilized our society by undermining our ability to be self-reliant. The social and cultural challenges that exist today can similarly be undone in large part through policies that support and empower Inuit institutions, families and communities. 

• Supports entry to the profession by: approving policies about granting registration and reinstatement; making decisions on non-routine registration, renewal and reinstatement applications; and, putting limits and conditions on registrant practice. 
• Approves and oversees exams.
• Recommends to the Board any requirements for registration and certification, such as:
  • recognized educational institutions
  • entry-level examination
  • completion of a jurisprudence exam.

• Defines the desired outcome for and principles of a quality assurance program that promotes the safe, ethical and competent practice of all registrants.
• Provides advice to staff developing and administering quality assurance programs.
• Assesses the professional performance of registrants; appoints assessors; and, conducts quality assurance audits to confirm compliance.
• Refers matters to the Inquiry Committee when it considers doing so is necessary to protect the public.

• Review complaints or other information that could result in an investigation.
• Oversees the investigation process and appoints inspectors.
• When determined to be necessary to protect the public during an investigation, the Committee makes orders for interim action, including imposing limits or conditions, or a suspension of registration.
• For complaints referred to the Committee, determine the outcome from the statutory options, including:
• dismissal with no further action;
• requesting remedial or disciplinary action by agreement; or.
• directing that a citation be issued for a hearing before the Discipline Committee.

• Conducts discipline hearings of citations referred by the Inquiry Committee.
• Conducts permit revocation hearings with respect to health professions corporations (HPCs).
• Considers findings or admissions of unprofessional conduct by registrants while practising in other jurisdictions. 
• When determined to be necessary to protect the public during a hearing, the Committee makes orders for interim actions, including imposing limits, conditions, or a suspension of registration.
• Makes findings and determinations regarding the allegations in a citation. If allegations are proven, impose an appropriate penalty.
• Provides written decisions.

• Advisory only. No statutory authority.
• Provide advice and feedback to staff regarding developing practice and ethical standards and guidance.
• Provide advice, feedback and recommendations to the Board regarding which practice and ethical standards and guidance require Board approval.
• Provide advice to the Board on any professional practice matter the Board requests.
• Provide advice to staff regarding any professional practice matter the staff requests.
• An avenue for the Board and/or staff to seek advice from Indigenous registrants and members of the public on professional standards and practice issues related to Indigenous-specific racism in the healthcare system.

• Recommend Committee appointments
• Identify Board gaps
• Recommend governance policies
• Oversee governance evaluations
• Oversee learning of Board and Committee members
• Ensure governance of the college enables commitment to anti-racism and Indigenous cultural safety.

• Advise the Board on financial administration matters
• Recommend financial policies
• Oversee enterprise risk management process
• Oversee budget and make recommendations to the Board regarding fees
• Facilitate audit process
• Oversee the college’s investment portfolio
• Ensure the college’s finances enable commitment to anti-racism and Indigenous cultural safety.

• Advise the Board on financial administration matters
• Recommend financial policies
• Oversee enterprise risk management process
• Oversee budget and make recommendations to the Board regarding fees
• Facilitate audit process
• Oversee the college’s investment portfolio
• Ensure the college’s finances enable commitment to anti-racism and Indigenous cultural safety.