As 2023 came to a close, we reflected on the activities and events that took place in the past year. We compiled a “2023 Year in Review” so that you may have an accurate and current understanding of the state of regulation of our profession. We look forward to continued dialogue and collaboration with the BC Ministry of Health.
Best wishes for a fruitful 2024,
Michelle Oucharek-Deo
Chair, FACTBC
chair@factbc.org
Update on Regulation of Counselling Therapists in BC
In early 2023, the Professional Regulation and Oversight Branch of the Ministry of Health initiated the regulatory process by sending FACTBC a document entitled “Questions for Regulation of Health Occupations.” Much collaboration took place among FACTBC’s 12 member associations, including review of hundreds of pages of data, in order to answer the government’s questions about regulating the profession of Counselling Therapy. Once completed, the submission was approximately 400 pages long including all appendices.
The FACTBC committee in charge of developing the submission for the Professional Regulation and Oversight Branch of the Ministry of Health sent the completed document to the appropriate parties on July 7. No specific timeline was given by the Professional Regulation and Oversight Branch regarding the review of the submission and we are waiting for information regarding the next steps.
In agreement with our association’s public commitment, our submission was consistently and strongly in favour of a competency-based regulatory model for our profession.
Health Professions and Occupations Act
As part of the modernization of health profession regulation in BC, BC Minister of Health Honourable Adrian Dix, introduced Bill 36 in the BC legislature on October 19, 2022. On October 27, a second reading was done and on November 24, the bill achieved Royal Assent and is now law as the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA). It has yet to be implemented.
The Ministry of Health made it clear that in addition to new legislation, the expected amalgamation of the current health colleges would take place before finalizing the regulation of any additional health professions. Amalgamations have already occurred in the Colleges for Physicians, for Nurses, and for Dentists. Preparations are underway for the amalgamation of the remaining health professions into two multi-profession colleges: the College of Complementary Health Professionals of British Columbia and the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia. The Ministry of Health has communicated its intention for this amalgamation to be completed by June 28, 2024.
The creation of the new administrative structure under which the HPOA will operate has been initiated by job postings by the Ministry of Health for the two key positions identified in the legislation, namely the Superintendent of Occupations and the Director of Discipline.