Frequently Asked Questions

If my current association is not on your pre-approved association list is there anything I can do?

Yes, you are more than welcome to request that your association fill out our associate/pre-approved association application form. If your association meets the criteria to be a pre-approved association and is accepted as a member you would be eligible to be fast tracked through the application process, meaning that you will not have to write the entrance exam.

What is the difference between a Full and Candidate Membership and which one do I qualify for?

The only difference between the Full and Candidate Memberships is the hours of supervision of which you have completed. Full members will have completed 2 years of supervised professional work experience, with a minimum of 2 hours per month of supervision.

Candidate members may apply for Full Membership status after completing 2 years of supervised professional work experience, with a minimum of 2 hours per month of supervision. Documentation of the number of supervised hours is to be provided along with an application for full member status.

Do you accredit training programs?

The CCPCP does not accredit training programs at this time. We do recognize colleges and training institutions as associate members that are approved or accredited by provincial governments as providing competency-based mental health training programs.

I am relocating to Canada; am I able to work as a mental health provider with my background?

This answer depends in part on which Province you are planning on moving to as some provinces have registration requirements when using certain titles.

Most Provinces with the exceptions of those listed below do not restrict the practice of mental health services. It is highly recommended that practitioners join a professional association and/or regulatory college such as the CCPCP, and obtain liability insurance.

Ontario: The title “Registered Psychotherapist” is restricted to practitioners registered with the College of Registered Psychotherapists in Ontario (CRPO). Our suggestion is to contact the CRPO and inquire about their requirements. The title Registered Professional Counsellor and other designations referring to the practice of counselling can be used in Ontario.

Nova Scotia: This province has a regulatory college for Registered Counselling Therapists (RCT’s), which requires counsellors and psychotherapists to register with the province. A masters degree is required.

Quebec: Quebec has a regulatory college (controlled Act) for Marriage and Family therapists. A masters degree is required.

What are the 8 areas of core competency?

The ability to demonstrate working knowledge of major mental health theories and related techniques to include Person Centered, Psychodynamic, Cognitive-Behavioral models, Gestalt, Existential, Loss and Grief, Developmental, Couples and Family Systems.
Ability to conduct a thorough Clinical Assessment, evaluate crisis risk level and use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to determine scope of practice and make appropriate referrals.
Ability to develop and maintain a Therapeutic Relationship, set goals, assess for progress, determine outcome measures, and initiate effective closure of the mental health process.
Ability to employ effective Mental Health Interventions based on client’s presenting concerns, and goals.
Ability to manage cases within the framework of generally accepted standards of care as applied to the environment in which the applicant practices.
Commitment to Professional Practice as demonstrated by fee setting, accountability to clients, operating within one’s scope of practice, and adherence to the ethical guidelines set out by the professional association of which the applicant is a member.
Ability to demonstrate appropriate risk assessment procedures and interventions for the resolutions of Crisis, Suicide, Conflict, and Emergency situations.
Ability to demonstrate Wellness Practices through a commitment to ongoing personal growth and professional development.

What should I do if my supervisor cannot comment on all of the 8 areas of Core Competency?

If your supervisor cannot comment on all of the 8 areas of core competency section of the application, please have a colleague or past supervisor evaluate that portion of the form. A supervisor is usually unable to comment due to the fact that a portion of one of the competencies is not within the scope of your practice.

I have shared my background with you; can you tell me whether I will be accepted?

To establish your eligibility for membership, you need to submit an application and supporting documentation before we can give you a definitive answer. The following documentation is required: application, education, work experience, criminal record check and number of direct contact hours spent with a supervisor, etc.

What designation will I receive once becoming a member with the CCPCP?

CCPCPR – Canadian College of Professional Counselling Practitioners Registrant

CCPCPR.Cand – Canadian College of Professional Counselling Practitioners Registrant Candidate

CCPCPR, ACP (Specialty) – Canadian College of Professional Counselling Practitioners Registrant, Advanced Counselling Practitioner (with your specialty in the parenthesis)

Associate Members do not receive a designation but will receive an Associate Certificate

Student Members do not receive a designation but will receive a Letter of Proof of Membership and a Receipt.

Why have I not received my entrance examination?

If you have not submitted a letter in writing requesting your receipt of the entrance examination it will not be sent to you.

Do my references and transcripts need to be sent directly to the CCPCP Office?

Both your references and transcripts may be included with your application package for your convenience.

Why are my client’s insurance claims being turned down?

Although many CCPCP members have had their clients receive reimbursement for their services it is entirely up to each insurance company whether they will approve the claim or not.

The CCPCP cannot guarantee that your client’s claims will be approved. Each claim is considered for remuneration based on the client’s insurance benefits, and approved on a case-by-case basis by the insurance company.

Can I obtain my liability insurance once I become a member?

It is a requirement of the CCPCP to already have liability insurance prior to becoming accepted as a member.

Does liability insurance have to be purchased through AON and the CCPCP?

No, you are able to purchase your liability insurance through the insurance company of your choice.

What is the difference between the CCPCP and the CPCA?

Although the CCPCP and the CPCA each offer a different scope of benefits to members, both are working hard to expand professional and public recognition of competency-based mental health services throughout Canada. This shared goal has been in place since the CCPCP’s inception in 2006, and continues today.

What does the CCPCP stand for?

The CCPCP is a National self-regulatory college with the primary mandate is to protect the public from harm. Most Provinces in Canada (with the exception of Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia) do not regulate or restrict the practice of mental health services. Instead it is left to clients, and insurance companies to seek out mental health practitioners who are have joined a national, self-regulatory college such as the CCPCP. The CCPCP’s added layer of consumer protection provides confidence in the professionalism of members listed on the CCPCP directory. An increasing number of insurance companies are adding CCPCP registered members to their list of approved providers.

Membership in the CCPCP is competency-based. Experienced practitioners from a variety of mental-health related disciplines and levels of training may apply. The CCPCPR designation identifies mental health professionals who voluntarily submit to outside oversight, maintain consistently high ethical standards, efficacy of services, and pursue continuing education.

What are the benefits of joining the CCPCP?

Registration in a national, competency-based regulatory college provides recognition of the experience and skills you bring to the profession.

Multiple types of designation can elevate your professional credibility in the eyes of clients, colleagues, insurance companies, and the general public.

CCPCP members listed on the website directory may be considered on a case-by-case basis for remuneration for services by insurance companies such as Sunlife, Greenshield, Great West Life, Empire, and Industrial Alliance.

Liability Insurance is provided at reduced rates.

How can I submit my application to the CCPCP?

You can submit your application in two ways:

By Mail to

CCPCP

PO Box 23045

Vernon, BC

V1T 9L8

Or by email at inquiry@ccpcp.ca

How can I submit my Application fee, Membership Fee or Renewal Fee?

You can submit your fee in two ways:

By Cheque sent by Mail to:

CCPCP

PO Box 23045

Vernon, BC

V1T 9L8

Or through our Pay Now link(PayPal) on our website www.ccpcp.ca

Is the CCPCP for you?

An Interview by:

Phillip Hay

EAP Consultant

With

Jim Wright

Past Executive Director of the CCPCP

Disclaimer:

Published: September, 2015. This article and any information herein concerning any third party regulation, regulatory college, legislative act, organization referred to is strictly the opinion, interpretation or perspective of the CCPCP or its author(s) and should not be acted upon by any reader or third party without due diligence and independent verification of their own of any source referred to in this article.

Phil:

Like many other practicing counsellors and psychotherapists, I’ve been witness to a rapidly evolving educational and regulatory professional environment. Many of these changes are accelerated by the growing establishment of provincial regulatory Colleges.

Associations and regulatory colleges have come into existence, each with their own terms of reference and criteria for inclusion and membership renewal expectations. Some associations rely on a Master’s degree and related training from an accredited college or university as proof of counseling competence, while others use a combination of prior learning and/or formal education, testing and supervision as an admission requirement.

As for regulatory colleges, there exists confusion as to who and what each college actually stands for, as the answer often lies in the details. What baffles many are the “Terms of Reference” used to explain key regulatory elements or legislation related to the field of counseling and psychotherapy. In the following interview I turn to Jim Wright, past Executive Director of the CCPCP to provide more detailed understanding of regulation in Canada. Jim has been on the front lines since early on in the movement to regulate the counselling profession since 1998 and is well situated to answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

Interview

Phil:

Jim, I appreciate you taking time with our readers to shed some light on questions that counselors frequently ask about the Canadian College of Professional Counselling and Psychotherapy (CCPCP). Can you begin by explaining the purpose of a “Regulatory College” and how is that different from a “Professional Association”?

Jim:

Counselling Associations, like the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association for example, are registered nationally under the Canada Corporations Act. Associations are there to provide a professional recognition as well as training, and other services to its members.

Regulatory colleges for counsellors, therapists and other professionals who deliver mental health services to the public serve in a regulatory capacity, with the primary mandate to “protect the public”. They also have a mandate under the Canada Health Act and the Canada Agreement of Internal Trade (AIT), to not create barriers for access to health services (including mental health).

A Regulatory Body or College can be either “voluntary” or “mandatory”. Presently, none of the regulatory counselling colleges in Canada require “mandatory” membership in order to practice as a counsellor. Three provinces have passed legislation restricting use of title for specific practitioners: psychotherapists, marriage and family therapists, registered counselling therapists. (More details about this later in the interview.)

The CCPCP is part of the Canada Corporations Act (Not for Profit) and as such relies on self- regulation of its members. The CCPCP funded its own creation and is funding its own operation, including legal costs.

Provincial regulatory bodies are part of provincial Health Acts or Psychotherapy Acts. Based on legislation these colleges can regulate their members by enacting “Protection of title” and/or establishing a “controlled act”. These regulations are meant to allow only members of the provincial college to practice the mental health services designated as ‘protected or controlled’.

Canadian courts have found instances where provincial “Protection of title” and “controlled act” legislation may be in conflict with national laws of Canada. For example, the Agreement of Internal Trade (AIT) prohibits legislation that results in barriers to the access of health services (including mental health). The decision in the Supreme Court of BC (BC Psychologists ‘vs.’ Utendale) clearly speaks to this issue. (For complete details of this case see www.cpca-rpc.ca,/resources/news)

Legal commentary on the case concludes that anyone can use the title ‘psychotherapist’ if they are trained to practice psychotherapy. The title “registered psychotherapist” can be protected by the controlled act– however, restricting the “practice of psychotherapy” to a particular group would be very difficult to enforce and likely result in limiting access to these services by the public.

Phil:

Just to be clear, can CCPCP-Registrants operate in their respective provinces as “Counsellors”? Also, under what circumstances, if any, can they use the term “Psychotherapist” if it is ‘title protected’ in their Province of practice?

Jim:

If you reside in a Province such as Ontario which has passed legislation restricting the title, ‘psychotherapist’ you must registered with the Provincial Regulatory College of Psychotherapists in order to use the restricted title ‘registered psychotherapist’. If you are a member of the CCPCP, you can practice as a counsellor (with your designation), but must avoid use of the title,”psychotherapist”.

Phil:

Is there an ideological difference between what the CCPCP represents that sets it apart from provincially regulated colleges?

Jim:

Yes. Traditionally governments have been mandated to “protect the public from harm” by regulating healthcare services (nursing, optometrists, medicine, and the like). Most of these services and industries presently being served by statutory regulation are considered ‘homogenous’ in that the specific roles and services each provides are clearly identified as belonging within the scope of practice of that industry.

The CCPCP recognizes that the practice of counselling and psychotherapy is not homogenous and therefore can be very difficult to regulate due to the different, gradient and blend modalities as well as the cultural diversity that exists. The problem with regulating such a diverse industry is that there is the potential to bring harm to the public by limiting access through the creation of unnecessary barriers to these eclectic service providers. Because of this diversity of services in mental health delivery we believe that regulation itself needs to reflect this diversity. This is where I see the CCPCP, which practices inclusivity, as being a viable alternative to regulating the mental health industry.

The nationally registered CCPCP opens the door to regulation of a diverse range of mental health professionals based on competency qualification.

Phil:

Thanks Jim, I understand that various counselling associations are banding together and attempting to obtain some form of title protection. Which provinces currently have Regulatory Colleges?

Jim:

To date only three provinces have passed legislation to regulate the practice of psychotherapy or therapy:

Quebec has a regulatory college (controlled Act) for Marriage and Family therapists. It is credential based.

Nova Scotia has a regulatory college for Registered Counselling Therapists (RCT’s), which is a Protection of title (RCT) under Bill 201 there. It is credential based.

Ontario has a regulatory college (not acclaimed yet) for Registered Psychotherapists (R.P.’s) (controlled Act). It is competency based.

Many other provinces are working toward the same end. For example, in British Columbia, FACT, B.C (www.factbc.org) is trying to obtain protection of title for counselling therapists in BC. It is proposed to be competency based.

Phil:

Is it true that while core competency education and prior supervision is required, acceptance to the CCPCP is not restricted to a specific degree?

Jim:

Correct. Acceptance to the CCPCP is not restricted to a specific degree, but requires the applicant to meet competency-based criteria, including Association membership, malpractice insurance, criminal record check, core competency education, and supervision.

Phil:

Is the CCPCP-Registrant accepted by third party payers?

Jim:

Many members of the CCPCP are being reimbursed either directly or indirectly (via their clients) by third party payers. Quite simply clinicians who join the CCPCP are receiving national recognition and providing a huge service across Canada either by personal contact or electronic methods of counselling.

Phil:

Thanks Jim, very informative. Your responses are helpful in understanding the complex and fluid changes as well as ideological perspectives of each type of regulatory college. If someone is interested in joining the CCPCP but has more questions, whom should they contact?

Jim:

They should contact the National Registrar:

PO Box 23045, Vernon, B.C. V1T-9L8.

Email: inquiry@ccpcp.ca

Phone: toll free 1-866-704-4828 or 1-250-558-7700

Website: www.ccpcp.ca