Psychologists – Resources

• Code of Conduct (PDF): The Code sets out behavioural norms and standards of professional conduct for Psychologists of the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia.

School Psychology Diagnosis Practice Standard –  Effective May 1, 2024, in the course of practising school psychology within a learning environment, licensed school psychologists are authorized by the Psychologists Regulation to make a “school psychology diagnosis”.

Psychologists Regulation – Passed by the Provincial Government, these are the rules which define the scope of practice of psychology and protect the titles used exclusively by psychologists.

• Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility and Anti-racism Standard

The Practice Support Service, which is offered under the auspices of the College’s Quality Assurance Committee, is available to registered psychologists of the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia. This service intends to assist registrants in considering how best to handle ethical dilemmas and practice decisions and to enhance clinical practice, to ensure high practice standards consistent with the College’s public protection mandate. The Service is intended to supplement peer consultation, which should be a routine component of clinical practice.

To read more about practice support please review the

• Practice Support document (PDF)

Practice Support Checklists

• 01 – Use of Email and Other Electronic Media to Communicate with Clients
• 02 – Considerations When Contemplating Releasing Information in Various Circumstances
• 03 – Informed Consent and Assent
• 04 – Issues in Advertising
• 05 – Responding to Requests for Release of Information
• 06 – Telepsychology Services
• 07 – Use of Social Media
• 08 – Planning for Retirement, Relocation, or Extended Absence from Practice
• 09 – Activities for Appointing and or serving as a Professional Executor
• 10 – Provision of Supervision
• 11 – Providing an Assessment Requested for MaiD
• 12 – Indigenous Cultural Safety Checklist
• 13 – Establishing or Working Within a Group Practice
• 14 – Considerations Before Offering a Novel or Alternative Type of Service
• 15 – Telepsychology Assessment
• 16 – Psychological Assessments
• 17 – Family Law Parenting Assessments
• 18 – Disaster Response Services
• 19 – Working with Gender Diverse Clients
• 20 – Informed Consent and Assent Checklist for Licensed School Psychologists
• 21 – Record Keeping Checklist

Self-Assessment

The College has investigated self-assessment tools, and has posted an example of one that registrants may find useful in the new Practice Support section within the Registrant Portal. This is not the only self-assessment tool available, and registrants are welcome to choose another or to develop their own plan for self-assessment as long as it meets CCP Category E requirements.

Sexual Misconduct and Professional Boundaries

Section 16(2)(f) of the Health Professions Act establishes an objective for health professions regulators of maintaining a patient relations program to inform registrants and prevent professional misconduct of a sexual nature. The Psychologists Code of Conduct (PDF) contains various provisions requiring registrants to attend carefully to client welfare. The Code of Conduct highlights issues relevant to psychologists’ professional boundaries that should be familiar to College registrants through their training and attentiveness to Code requirements.

FAQs Regarding the Practice Support service

Please see the registrant FAQ (PDF) for the Practice Support service FAQs.

Contacting the Practice Support service

Only registrants of the College have access to the Practice Support service:

By phone: 1-877-742-6715 (press #3 for practice support)
By email: practicesupport@chcpbc.org

Quality Assurance reporting requirements for Psychologists

Applies to actively practising psychologists

The annual quality assurance (QA) reporting deadline coincides with registration renewal. By December 31 each year, all practising psychology registrants¹ intending to renew their registration must have fulfilled the following elements of the QA Continuing Competency Program (CCP):

1. Learning Activities
2. Practice Quiz
3. Practice Review Questionnaire
4. Self-Assessment (Self-Care & Self-Monitoring)

¹Registrants holding non-practising registration are exempt from the CCP requirements while they remain non-practising.

Each of the elements is described below.

Learning Activities

Psychologists are required to complete the minimum number² learning-related activity hours as outlined in the Continuing Competency Program Requirements (PDF). These activities must be evidence-based and demonstrate an enhancement of their psychology practice.

Psychologist registrants are required to keep a Continuing Competency Log (PDF), and supporting documentation, for a minimum of two years. It is only in the event of an audit that they would be required to submit this log.

²Registrants may be granted a reduction of these minimum hours based on the date of initial registration during that year. Please refer to the Continuing Competency Program Requirements (PDF) for further information.

Practice Quiz & Practice Review Questionnaire

Psychologists are required to complete a Practice Quiz and Practice Review Questionnaire on an annual basis by the deadline of December 31. Their purpose is for psychology registrants to reflect on their individual known risks to competence, in addition to identifying their known protective and supportive factors.

Please log in to the Psychology Registrant Portal to complete the annual quiz and questionnaire.

Self-Assessment (Self-Care & Self-Monitoring)

Psychology registrants are required to self-assess and create or modify a self-care plan to ensure they are taking time to fulfill the requirements of the Code of Conduct (PDF). This includes a review of factors that may contribute to stress load, to assess the potential impact of these factors on their ability to meet professional obligations, and to engage in self-care.

There is no requirement to submit documentation related to the self-care process. Registrants are required to attest that that they have completed their self-assessment at the time of registration renewal.

Registrants who are unable to complete the CCP reporting requirements

In circumstances where a psychology registrant has not fully met the CCP requirements prior to renewal, the Registration Committee may consider granting Temporary (Supervised) registration provided the registrant undertakes to complete any outstanding requirements and practises while under supervision.

Quality Assurance resources and contacts

Psychologists can report completion of their QA requirements at any time during the current QA cycle by logging in to the Registrant Portal.

Further information regarding the QA reporting requirements for psychologists can be found in the registrant FAQs (PDF).

Any questions, concerns, or requests for support can be submitted to the CHCPBC Quality Assurance Team using the Contact Us form.

These FAQs are intended to be useful in understanding the College’s mandate, policies, and procedures. Readers are advised that policies and procedures change. The College endeavours to update its FAQs and the website as efficiently as possible. The application of some procedures may depend upon the circumstances of a matter and therefore, may not occur the same way in every instance. The FAQs are for information purposes only and may not be relied upon as legal advice. To the extent that there are any inconsistencies between these FAQs and the provisions of the Health Professions Act or Part 4 of the College’s bylaws, the provisions of the Act and bylaws take precedence.

• FAQs

Criminal Record Check

All registrants must undergo a criminal records review every 5 years through the provincial government’s Criminal Records Review Program (CRRP)  Most registrants are able to complete this process online. Please review the “Applicant Guide” and “FAQ” document.  You will need the profession-specific access code (GDM74JX5TR) to complete the process.

If you are unable to complete the online process, please follow this link to request a consent to a criminal record request form from the College.  You will need to complete the form and return it to the College along with copies of two acceptable forms of ID (CPBC-List of accepted ID-2024_04_30.pdf). The Criminal Records Review Program does not allow organizations to post this form publicly.

N.B. The College does not accept shared results of a criminal record check previously completely with the Criminal Records Review Program for another organization.

Other Forms & Documents

• Continuing Competency Log Sheet
• Professional Executor Designation Declaration Form
• Request for the College’s Consent to Use a Reserved Title in a Business Name
• Self Declaration of Competence Form
• Verification of Licensure in Other Jurisdictions
• Application for Reinstatement

Policies

• Professional Executor Information
• Continuing Competency Program Requirements

Regulatory Documents

• College of Psychologists of BC Code of Conduct
• Mutual Recognition Agreement
• CHCPBC Bylaws

Reference Documents

• Professional Wills (Material from Workshops)
• Summary of Legislation Affecting Registrants in BC

Practice Support Checklists

The Practice Support Service provides a series of checklists on a variety of common professional practice issues. These checklists are intended to provide general guidance to assist registrants in identifying issues and options that should be considered, in implementing strategies to address issues, and in resolving problems and improving practice with respect to particular aspects of psychology practice. Registrants can find a full list of the checklists on the Practice Support document here.

Standard 9.7(b) of the College of Psychologists’ Code of Conduct [Requirements for credential presentation] provides that a registrant of the College must place immediately before their professional title only the highest academic degree upon which their registration is based. It also allows a registrant to use the prefix Doctor or the abbreviation Dr. (but not both the degree and prefix) where they have been registered on the basis of a doctoral degree.

For school psychologist registrants who are granted registration with the College under the transitional provisions of section 46(3) of the bylaws on or after May 1, 2024 on the basis of active membership in BCASP, the College interprets the reference in Standard 9.7(b) to “the highest academic degree upon which the registrant’s registration with the College is based” as referring to the highest academic degree for which the registrant delivered a transcript to the College in support of their application for registration in accordance with section 43(1)(d) of the bylaws.

In particular, a doctorally-trained school psychologist registrant who is registered under section 46(3) on the basis of their BCASP membership will be entitled under Standard 9.7(b) to use the prefix Doctor or the abbreviation Dr. if and only if they delivered a transcript for their doctoral degree to the College in support of their registration application.

It is important to recognize that this interpretation of Standard 9.7(b) does not constitute or imply any decision or determination by the College that the school psychologist registrant would be considered to satisfy the requirement for a “doctoral degree in psychology” as defined in section 41 of the bylaws in the event that they were to apply later to the College for registered psychologist registration. If such an individual applies to the College for registered psychologist registration, they will still be required to satisfy the Registration Committee that they meet all applicable conditions and requirements for registered psychologist registration under section 44 of the bylaws.