2 thoughts on “Letter to FACTBC from Minister Dix 9-Feb-2021”
Lillian
When I started my MA program in Counselling Psychology at UBC in 1986 I was told by our professor in our clinical training that we would have licensed counselling in BC very soon because they already had it in the USA, and we would be soon to follow.
Here we are in 2021, some 35 years later, and we still have none. How slow can the government of this province move?
The only reason in my opinion for us to want regulation under the government is to receive recognition that would give us the ability to become recognized for coverage under more insurance programs, and extended medical, and hopefully under medical in time. However, there are also drawbacks to being under government programs and coverage. I think we have done well in regulating ourselves through the BCACC.
The only other reason is to ensure that people who are practicing counselling are qualified, and practice ethically.
This is a concern. I hope that people are knowledeable enough that they seek counsellors who are qualified, and registered.
I think they do know to do that.
As a member of the public who has been harmed by a therapist licenced through BCACC, who behaved in an unsafe and unethical way, I see things in a much different light. Regulation is for protection of the public and not for financial gain of therapists. Being licensed through BCACC does not ensure that therapists will practice in a safe and ethical way.
It is known in every other profession that one organization cannot provide both protection of the public and member services. It has been my personal experience that BCACC does not do a good job of protection of the public. This is why regulation and oversight is necessary.
In a time of an ever deepening mental health crisis, I support and applaud FACT BC’s efforts to obtain protection of the public, so that those seeking help will be able to obtain the safe and ethical treatment they deserve.
When I started my MA program in Counselling Psychology at UBC in 1986 I was told by our professor in our clinical training that we would have licensed counselling in BC very soon because they already had it in the USA, and we would be soon to follow.
Here we are in 2021, some 35 years later, and we still have none. How slow can the government of this province move?
The only reason in my opinion for us to want regulation under the government is to receive recognition that would give us the ability to become recognized for coverage under more insurance programs, and extended medical, and hopefully under medical in time. However, there are also drawbacks to being under government programs and coverage. I think we have done well in regulating ourselves through the BCACC.
The only other reason is to ensure that people who are practicing counselling are qualified, and practice ethically.
This is a concern. I hope that people are knowledeable enough that they seek counsellors who are qualified, and registered.
I think they do know to do that.
As a member of the public who has been harmed by a therapist licenced through BCACC, who behaved in an unsafe and unethical way, I see things in a much different light. Regulation is for protection of the public and not for financial gain of therapists. Being licensed through BCACC does not ensure that therapists will practice in a safe and ethical way.
It is known in every other profession that one organization cannot provide both protection of the public and member services. It has been my personal experience that BCACC does not do a good job of protection of the public. This is why regulation and oversight is necessary.
In a time of an ever deepening mental health crisis, I support and applaud FACT BC’s efforts to obtain protection of the public, so that those seeking help will be able to obtain the safe and ethical treatment they deserve.