About The College

What is an Optometrist?

In BC, 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 BC, only optometrists who are registered with the College of Health and Care Health Professionals of BC (CHCPBC) 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.
• Optometrists Regulation
• CHCPBC Bylaws
• Code of Ethics
• Standards of Practice

as well as other provincial legislation applicable to health professionals.

Licence Verification

Search the Licence Verification form to verify that an individual is currently registered/licensed to practice with CHCPBC, 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.

What 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 BC, only physical therapists who are registered with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC)  can legally call themselves:

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

Standards And Legislation

Physical therapists in BC 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.

Licence Verification

Search the Licence Verification form to verify that an individual is currently registered/licensed to practice with CHCPBC, 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 BC, only psychologists who are registered with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC) can legally call themselves unless exempted in the Psychologists Regulation:

• “Psychologist”
• “School psychologist”

Standards And Legislation

Psychologists in BC 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.

Licence Verification

Search the Licence Verification form to verify that an individual is currently registered/licensed to practice with CHCPBC, 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 BC, only speech-language pathologists who are registered with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC) can legally call themselves:

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

Standards And Legislation

Speech-language pathologists in BC 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.

Licence Verification

Search the Licence Verification form to verify that an individual is currently registered/licensed to practice with CHCPBC, 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.

Regulated health-care professionals must make room for decolonization in health care and society by practising cultural humility and inviting Indigenous methods of good health maintenance, illness prevention, and healing in care. This includes understanding and applying the Cultural Safety, Humility, and Anti-Racism standard of practice, launched on September 30, 2022, by CHCPBC’s seven legacy colleges, along with four other BC health profession regulatory colleges. 

The standard was adapted from that developed and launched by the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (CPSBC) in February 2022. The standard ensures that health regulators have consistent expectations of their registrants to provide culturally safe and appropriate care to BC’s First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples.  

Read the Indigenous Cultural Safety, Humility, and Anti-Racism Standard for each profession:

• Audiologists, Hearing Instrument Practitioners, and Speech-Language Pathologists (PDF)
• Dietitians (PDF)
• Occupational Therapists (PDF)
• Opticians (PDF)
• Optometrists (PDF)
• Physical Therapists (PDF)
• Psychologists (PDF)

See resources to support the understanding and application of the standard (PDF).

The College’s mandate is to ensure the public receives safe, ethical, and effective care from the health professionals we regulate. The public includes Indigenous clients who receive health profession services. Indigenous clients are disproportionately subjected to unsafe care through stereotyping, racism, discrimination, and prejudice. CHCPBC remains accountable to the 2017 Declaration of Commitment and the 2021 Joint Apology and Commitment to Action. In addition to requiring our registrants provide culturally safe and appropriate care, we are committed to integrating cultural safety and humility into our work by decolonizing our culture, governance, and operations.  

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.” –Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

Learn more about CHCPBC’s commitments to Indigenous cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism (PDF).

• 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. 
  • recognized educational institutions
  • entry-level examination
  • completion of a jurisprudence exam.Recommends to the Board any requirements for registration and certification, such as:Approves and oversees exams.

Registration Committee Terms of Reference (PDF)

• 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.

Quality Assurance Committee Terms of Reference (PDF)

• Reviews 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, determines 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.

Inquiry Committee Terms of Reference (PDF)

• 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.

Discipline Committee Terms of Reference (PDF)

• Advisory only. No statutory authority.
• Provides advice and feedback to staff regarding developing practice and ethical standards and guidance.
• Provids advice, feedback, and recommendations to the Board regarding which practice and ethical standards and guidance require Board approval.
• Provides advice to the Board on any professional practice matter the Board requests.
• Provides 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.

Professional Practice & Standards Advisory Committee Terms of Reference (PDF)

• Recommends Committee appointments.
• Identifies Board gaps.
• Recommends governance policies.
• Oversees governance evaluations.
• Oversees learning of Board and Committee members.
• Ensures governance of the college enables commitment to anti-racism and Indigenous cultural safety.

Governance Committee Terms of Reference (PDF)

• Advises the Board on financial administration matters.
• Recommends financial policies.
• Oversees enterprise risk management process.
• Oversees budget and make recommendations to the Board regarding fees.
• Facilitates audit process.
• Oversees the college’s investment portfolio.
• Ensures the college’s finances enable commitment to anti-racism and Indigenous cultural safety.

Finance & Audit Committee Terms of Reference (PDF)

• Oversees the Registrar and CEO performance and compensation reviews.
• Oversees emergency and long-term Registrar and CEO succession planning.
• Assists the Board in fulfilling its governance oversight responsibilities with respect to the College’s human resources.
• Ensures the College’s strategic human resources policies align with diversity, equity, and inclusion principles and enable the College’s commitment to anti-racism and Indigenous cultural safety.

Human Resources Committee Terms of Reference (PDF)

CHCPBC Request Form For External Committees Or Groups (PDF)