Practice Support

The Practice Support Service, which is offered under the auspices of the College’s Quality Assurance Committee, is available to registrants of the College of Psychologists of British Columbia. The intent of this service is to assist registrants in considering how best to handle ethical dilemmas and practice decisions and to enhance clinical practice, in order 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.

A registrant facing an ethical dilemma or a practice situation with unfamiliar characteristics or demands may find it beneficial to be able to discuss the matter with someone familiar with governing legislation, the Code of Conduct, and general psychology practice issues. The Practice Support Service is designed to provide this opportunity. The Service has a part-time senior psychologist dedicated to responding to registrant’s inquiries of this nature.

Parameters of Practice Support

  • The service is only available to registrants of the College of Psychologists of British Columbia
  • Service users will have an opportunity to discuss their concerns and will be referred to existing documentation, including the Code of Conduct, the practice advisories, and governing legislation, for guidance.
  • Options and possible outcomes will be discussed where relevant, with the final decision on the course of action to be taken being made by the registrant. The Practice Support Service cannot provide direct advice.
  • The Service is intended to assist registrants to identify and clarify the issues being considered, to identify options, and to implement strategies to address the issues, resolve problems, and improve practice consistent with the College’s public protection mandate.
  • The College does not provide legal advice or clinical consultation. This includes the Practice Support Service.
  • Inquiries to the Practice Support Service are confidential within the limits of the Code of Conduct and legislation. The College is required to take action on issues involving professional misconduct, incompetence, or impaired practice with respect to an identifiable registrant.
  • The Practice Support Service is unable to assist registrants with complaint matters, discipline matters, or registration matters.
  • Efforts are made to respond to inquiries in a timely fashion. It is expected that most inquiries will receive an initial response within three working days

Disclaimer

The College’s Practice Support Service is intended to provide assistance to registrants when considering an ethical dilemma or unfamiliar practice situation; however, a registrant’s consultation or discussion with the Practice Support Services does not constitute a ruling or decision by the College, and it does not bind the Inquiry Committee in the event that the matter may later become the subject of a complaint to the College. Every registrant remains responsible for their own decision-making and any actions they take with respect to any matter discussed with the Practice Support Service.

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. Please find a link to the portal here.

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 CPBC Code of Conduct contains various provisions requiring registrants to attend carefully to client welfare. This document 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 click here for the Practice Support Service FAQs.

Contacting the Practice Support Service

Please note: Only registrants of the College have access to the Practice Support Service

By regular post or courier:

Practice Support Service
College of Psychologists of BC
404 – 1755 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6J 4S5

By telephone: (604) 736-6164 (or toll free in BC at 1-800-665-0979), option 4
By facsimile: (604) 736-6133
By email: practicesupport@collegeofpsychologists.bc.ca