February 26 2021

A Reminder Regarding the Importance of Checking Your Internet Presence

The College has been made aware of an organization advertising mental health services and making unsupported claims for physical products, and that has apparently listed psychologists on its website who were unaware their professional profile is there. This situation provides a timely reminder of the importance of periodically checking your presence on the Internet by searching your name, to ensure that you have not become associated with organizations, services, or products of which you are unaware.

Psychologists hold a trusted position and it is possible that a member of the public seeing a registrant affiliated with products and services may infer that the products and services are trustworthy and empirically supported. Code of Conduct Standard 10.9 specifies that:

10.9 No misrepresentation of expertise

A registrant must not appear in, or permit the use of his or her name in, an advertisement that implies or could reasonably be interpreted to imply that his or her professional expertise is relevant to the subject matter of the advertisement.

Registrants are responsible for taking steps to ensure their names are removed from advertising and public statements that may mislead the public that their expertise is relevant to the services and/or products being advertised when this is not the case.

It is also important to consider the provisions of Standard 10.4 when you are intentionally permitting your name to be associated with services or products. Standard 10.4 specifies that:

10.4 Use of registrant’s name with services and products

A registrant must not associate with any services or products, or permit his or her name to be used in connection with any services or products, in such a way as to misrepresent:

  1. the services or products;
  2. the degree of his or her responsibility for the services or products; or
  3. the nature of his or her association with the services or products.

UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

1. PUBLIC GUARDIAN AND TRUSTEE HOSTS 2 DAY ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
Registrants may be interested in participating in the Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) professional development workshop in conducting incapability assessments for adults who cannot seek help on their own and are experiencing abuse, neglect and/or self-neglect. These could be adults who have dementia, acquired brain injury, intellectual or developmental disability, or mental health condition singularly or in combination, possibly complicated by substance use.

This PGT funded training will be of interest to registrants who are interested in ongoing expertise development in the field of incapability assessments for adults. Successful completion of this training can result in being added to a small roster of assessors (as these situations do not come up often) authorized by the PGT to conduct assessments of incapability under Part 3 of the Adult Guardianship Act. The online training for up to 25 participants is scheduled for April 23 and 24, 2021 and there is an information session on Wednesday, March 3 from 4:30 to 5:30 pm. For more information about timelines/deadlines and more details about the selection criteria check out Additional Training Information. Further elaboration will be provided at the March 3 Info Session.

2. COLLEGE WORKSHOP ON INDIGENOUS CULTURAL SAFETY : SAVE THE DATE
The College is pleased to announce an upcoming workshop on Friday, April 30, 2021 as part of our continued continuing competency activities focused on Indigenous Cultural Safety.  The presenter is Shannon Beauchamp (shannonbeauchamp.com).  Details will be shared as soon as timing is finalized.

3. UPCOMING WORKSHOP ON FAMILY VIOLENCE. WITH PETER JAFFE, PH.D, C.PSYCH. (ONTARIO)  (DETAILS AND DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED).

NEWLY POSTED DRAFT PRACTICE SUPPORT CHECKLISTS
The DRAFT Practice Support Checklist on Psychological Assessments has been further revised and has been reposted for registrant review. Please note that this draft replaces all previous drafts of the Psychological Assessments checklist. In addition, a DRAFT Specific Checklist for Family Law Parenting Assessments has also been posted for registrant review. You will find links to both of these checklists on the Practice Support page within the Registrant Portal. The College welcomes constructive feedback on both of these documents, which may be submitted to feedback@collegeofpsychologists.bc.caPlease ensure you review these documents and provide any feedback by April 9, 2021.