Regulation
As part of its mandate, BCACC continues to take proactive efforts to enhance its public protection measures. It has done this by:
- Determining registration requirements and granting authorized use of the Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) title;
- Setting standards of practice;
- Determining the education requirements of RCCs;
- Maintaining a newly created member register, accessible to the public; and
- Taking steps to address and resolve complaints about its registrants.
In 2023, the BCACC granted the RCC title to more than 900 new registrants resulting in an increase in the number of RCCs of 14% year over year. The RCC designation continues to be recognized by more and more employers and institutions, and is sought after by mental health professionals.
Complaints/Inquiry
The number of new public complaints received continues to increase year-over-year due primarily to the increase in registrants each year.
Historically almost all complaints are resolved through consent agreements with only one resulting in disciplinary action, and just a few registrants resigning in the middle of an inquiry process. As a percentage of the overall number of registrants, the number of complaints remains in line, if not below, those of other BC Health regulatory colleges at less than 1%.
This is really a testament to the professionalism shown by RCCs as they voluntarily agree to be regulated and be held to account by the BCACC under the Societies Act.
The largest number of complaints received fell into two categories:
High Conflict Family Situations
BCACC has addressed this by introducing a new standard and by providing province wide multi-day training workshops
Clinical Supervision
BCACC has addressed this by introducing a new clinical supervision designation requiring more scrutiny and training
Regulatory Modernization
On May 24, 2024, the BC Government indicated in a that the legislative regulation of psychotherapy will be moving forward. BCACC welcomes the BC Government’s move towards regulating the profession as it is an urgently needed step that will provide British Columbians safer and more timely access to licensed practitioners.
In , CEO, Michael Radano says “The BCACC has been regulating the Clinical Counselling/Psychotherapy profession for the past 36 years and has created the environment and regulatory building blocks required for regulation by statute – the profession is ready. We look forward to working with the Ministry of Health to enhance public protection and quality of care while improving accessibility for British Columbians in a timely manner.”
BCACC continues to engage in proactive efforts to enhance its public protection measures and to prepare the Association and its members for when regulation under statute becomes a reality. These actions include ongoing consultation with multiple stakeholders in BC and from across Canada to build on and enhance BCACC’s work on its:
- Regulatory building blocks,
- Clinical Supervision Program,
- Entry to Practice Competency framework,
- Publicly viewable member registry,
- Updated Code of Ethical Conduct and the Standards of Clinical Practice that include a new cultural safety standard, and
- Representation at the (CNAR) on the topic of the regulation of Clinical Counselling.
Benefits of Regulation include:
- Enhancing public protection,
- Providing more informed choice and trust in the profession,
- Enhancing care due to improved information sharing amongst regulated professionals,
- Improving labour mobility and reciprocity agreements, and more.
Updated June 7, 2024