Message from the CPA’s Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer
We are writing regarding a recent decision by the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO) Council to revise the educational and training standards required for registration as psychologists and psychological associates in Ontario. Some of the proposed changes include:
- Changes to program accreditation standards,
- The removal of the doctoral standard for psychology, and
- The removal of the 4-year period of supervision required for registration among psychological associates.
These revisions were proposed by the CPBAO to address concerns cited by the Office of the Fairness Commissioner (OFC), which oversees registration practices for regulated professions in Ontario related to lengthy and complex registration processes, low success rates for internationally trained applicants, lack of diversity among registered psychologists, inconsistent entry standards across provinces, and insufficient workforce capacity.
The CPA has been working closely with the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) in its efforts to both identify issues with the proposed revisions and advance sustainable solutions that effectively address the OFC’s concerns. Simply revising or removing standards will not appropriately address challenges related to the lack of representation in the profession; increase access to care; or address the need for funding for mental health programs and services. Rather, it risks eliminating safeguards that protect Ontarians, while significantly eroding our professional reputation as experts in the field of mental health diagnosis, assessment, and treatment. Like physicians and nurse practitioners, psychologists and psychological associates hold the protected act of diagnosis and require training that reflects this responsibility.
As the national voice for psychology, the CPA makes itself available to assist the provincial/territorial psychological associations in advocacy and meaningful dialogue with relevant decision-makers and external organizations across a range of issues.
With respect to this issue, the CPA has met with the OFC itself regarding education and training standards and the CPA’s efforts to address barriers to diversity within the profession, submitted a joint letter with the OPA to the CPBAO Council, and has partaken in media interviews. Across the country, the CPA is also supporting the efforts of other provincial associations in dialoguing with regulatory colleges and provincial governments regarding registration changes for psychologists, transitioning to the doctoral standard, and support for investments in training programs, including the development of additional PsyD programs.
The CPA encourages its members, as individual registered psychologists, to participate in the consultation process to ensure your voice and perspectives are heard. The CPA will be participating in the consultation process regarding the CPBAO’s revisions and will be suggesting various short- and long-term reforms to address the OFC’s concerns, including but not limited to the following:
- Streamlining and harmonizing registration processes across provinces/territories for already-licensed psychologists.
- Permitting interim registration for those completing post-masters work.
- Modifying post-registration supervised practice requirements for accredited graduates.
- Establishing separate nationally harmonized masters and doctoral entry-to-practice standards, for different scopes and titles of psychological practices, to improve labour mobility while meeting society’s mental health needs in a way that maintains public protection.
- Working with the training community to evaluate and update current training models and curricula to attract and support trainees, reduce the time it takes to train psychologists, and graduate more psychologists in a way that both maintains training standards and increases representation in the profession.
- Investing in the creation of additional Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) programs across the country, alongside continued support of CPA-accredited PhD programs.
- Improving funding for mental health services in hospitals, health centres, and the community.
- Improving remuneration and support full scopes of practice for psychologists in the public sector to attract and retain talent, ensure access, and reduce wait times.
- Supporting respecialization pathways to assess competencies for internationally trained individuals.
The CPA remains ready and willing to discuss these issues and work collaboratively with the Ontario Psychological Association and other provincial/territorial associations, the CPBAO and other provincial/territorial regulators, governments, and other involved parties to identify and implement reforms that streamline registration processes, support the labour mobility of psychologists, and increase the representation of our profession without compromising the training and regulation standards that ensure the protection of the public.
Sincerely,
CPA Board of Directors
and
Lisa Votta-Bleeker, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer, CPA