FAQs for All Registrants

> 1. A psychologist called and is wondering on what the legal/ethicaln> practice is regarding if she were to leave a company practice forn> another practice. She understands that the contract covers ifn> she is unable to come to work then someone would take over.

> However, she is wondering about when a client wants to stay with H.

>n> She has these questions:>n> * Who owns the filenThe practice.

> * Who owns the client (as in, can the client follow her if theyn> want and if the do.

Typically the clients and their files belong to the practice. The associate should discuss with the practice what to do if a client requests to follow the associate. IF the practice is okay with it (the practice does not have a non-compete clause or similar restriction on associates who leave and/or the practice is okay with clients following the associate), clients could choose to follow the associate, or the practice could choose to make another psychologist available in the practice to continue working with the client.

Does she have to create a new file.

If a client was able to follow the associate, then the associate would start a new file in the new practice. This would require a new consent form with the new practice. As part of that consent process, the client could be advised that they could request a copy of the file be transferred from the old practice to the new practice. The old practice would be able to charge a fee to the client, though it would not be mandatory to do so. The Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) has regulations which outline acceptable fees.

> * What obligation does the company have if they own the file to ensuren> that she completes all necessary paper worknAs noted the practice owns the files. The practice’s obligations are more for the practice to address than the associate to advise the practice what NSBEP says. I am not sure what paperwork is being referred to here? However, I would say that the practice would want to ensure that active clients are notified that the associate is leaving and there is an option for active clients to continue receiving services if desired.

> * What is her obligation in this situation.

The associate should discuss an exit plan with the practice. This would include ensuring that active clients are notified that the associate is leaving either notified by the associate or by the practice (but again, that is why the associate should be discussing this matter with the practice). If care/service is not complete with the clients before the associate leaves, the associate should ensure that there is either someone else who can take on the client in the practice, or there is another option for them to keep receiving services if desired.

Thank you for informing NSBEP about being subpoenaed for court. Considering the circumstances you have noted, NSBEP would not have a problem with you attending court while being off the register. You would simply need to be clear to the Court about your current registration status with NSBEP (that you were on the Candidate Register but are currently off the register). While we understand that you are suggesting it might be more appropriate for the other psychologist to testify, ordinarily once a person is subpoenaed, he/she would not have a choice about whether to attend or not (or suggest someone attend in their place), so we cannot provide advice on this matter. If desired, you would be able to contact your professional liability provider’s pro bono hotline for legal advice. Tail Insurance coverage (and presumably this service) usually extends for a certain period following one’s policy being active.

Additionally, in relation to subpoenas in general, we usually note to registrants that there is an FAQ documents provided by the Supreme Court, Family Law Nova Scotia, and Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service.

Here are the URLs:

https://www.nsfamilylaw.ca/processes/witnesses-subpoenas

https://novascotia.ca/pps/faq_witness.asp

The psychologist is registered to practice, so has/is completing any requirements as part of the action. Client has the right to know about past discipline – that is why we so post disciplinary decisions on the website. However, I don’t think it would be the responsibility of the psychologist to bring to the client’s attention unless they thought there would be harm to the client.

No, this is not a questions that we have received before. Gordon and I reviewed the COVID-19 Guidelines for Private Practice. We do not feel that refusing to see someone in this circumstance would be supported. However, the guidelines would provide other steps that the psychologist could take. The psychologist could consider virtual care, if appropriate. Additionally, the psychologist could combine some of the measures allowed in the guidelines such as both wearing a mask and social distancing.

To address your concerns;nWhen the practice is the custodian of client files, they would have obligations under PHIA legislation (and any other legal obligations associated with the role of custodian) in order to respond to requests for file information, in the manner they deem appropriate in relation to their PHIA obligations. In some settings, a previous employer might provide a courtesy call to let one know that they have released the file, however, if one is no longer an employer, the prior employer is not required to do this.

nNSBEP cannot provide specific recommendations as it would note that you are no longer an employee at the practice. However, NSBEP recommends obtaining legal consultation – especially if you feel it would be helpful in responding to the lawyer who has written to you. You could always start with the pro bono legal hotline that is part of your insurance.

For more information on release of file materials, please consult the “September 2014 – Position on Release of File Materials (including raw data and test materials)”

https://www.nsbep.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Raw-Data-General-Disclosure.pdf

Based on the information provided by the psychologist, her choice not to write this letter would appear to be consistent with standards and guidelines around providing any type of opinion relating to parenting , custody and associated issues, etc. As described in the NSBEP Custody and Access Evaluation Guidelines “the psychologist uses multiple avenues of data collection to arrive at his/her professional opinion”nIf the psychologisgt had information she deemed credible that a child was in need of protection, she would make a report to Children and Family Services but she does not appear to have made this determination. Optionally she may always consult with the hospital’s legal department if she wanted their opinion on the legal bases of reporting what she noted was hearsay. Finally, if the daughter and mother feel they posses such information to report, they would be able to report to DCS, rather than having the psychologist write a letter of opinion.

I discussed this with the Registrar and he made some good points.

“I think allowing permission to do it just once could set a bad precedent. Could also put us and or a registrant in a bad light with respect to third parties such as Insurance (if they respond to a claim made by the client), and so forth. If she was reinstated, that would show up on her online listing for the relevant period (would it not)? If $ is an issue, maybe reinstatement could be for less than a month and prorated accordingly?”nTherefore, I would say to the psychologist that you looked into / consulted on this matter, but Policy would not allow this work to be conducted while one is on the Inactive Register. However, in these circumstances, we could certainly place you back on the full register for a limited time to do this work. If you would like to do this then we could arrange for you to pay the pro-rated registration fee for one month ($67.08),I think if a registrant were subpoenaed to court we would consider it. But not as sure here.

Good of her to check in and I appreciate the tendency to accommodate in this case, but this would run afoul of the inactive register. I am thinking she could just pay a pro-rated fee for one month only ($67.08) and do it all above board, so to speak. Leave it with me and I will talk with the Registrar.

Thank you for sending and offering to provide the response. Below is the answer based on NSBEP Standards of Practice. Feel free to email him and also provide a brief answer by phone (if you are corresponding by phone with him)

For clients who were adults at the time of last contact with them, their files should be kept for 10 years.

For those who were under the age of 18 when seen by the psychologist, their files should be kept 10 years following the date of the client’s 18th birthday. Here is the link to and quote from 7.4 of the Standards of Professional Conduct:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Binder_Standards_Legislation_Guidelines.pdf

“Unless otherwise required by law a registrant shall retain both individual and corporate client records for at least ten years following the last client contact. If an individual client was less than eighteen years of age at the time of last contact, the individual client record shall be retained for ten years following the date of the client’s eighteenth birthday…”

While I appreciate the background information, the answer to the question is still yes. However, I would not want to leave it at that without providing the rationale for my reply: it is possible that having another person present in the session, who is not even speaking, could affect the assessment and/or intervention process with the psychologist.

If a registrant would like to change their status from Out-of-Province to Full then we will require proof of their registration in the other jurisdiction. If he can provide this proof then we can change his registration from out-of-province to Full registration. Such proof does not have to be any special letter or form just something verifying his registration is active.

Yes. In a group practice, where psychologists are employees, not an owner or operator of the practice, it would generally be seen as the organization who is the custodian. In such a case, it would be more appropriate to state the organization’s name rather than an individual employee who may leave the practice. The reason NSBEP seeks this information on the renewal form is really out of concern for psychologists who operate their own practice and so that we could find out who could be contacted in the event of their death or incapacity. In the case of a group practice we would direct former clients to contact the practice, not individuals in the practice.

Yes, and this would typically be the case where the psychologist is an employee or the organization. Under PHIA legislation, the operator of the organization could be custodian:(i) a regulated health professional or a person who operates a group practice of regulated health professionals,

As the regulator of the profession of psychology in Nova Scotia, the Board is statutory mandated to serve and protect the public interest. The Board accomplishes this mandate, in part, through its registration processes set out in the Psychologists Act.

A criminal conviction does not automatically disqualify an applicant from registration with the Board. In reviewing an application for registration, the Board considers criminal convictions along with all the other information submitted by the applicant in order to determine whether the applicant is able to practise psychology in a safe, competent, and ethical manner. If there are reasonable grounds to believe that an applicant will practise in a manner contrary to the public interest or if there is a nexus between the criminal conduct and the applicant’s ability to practise psychology, the Board may decline registration.

I trust you will find this information helpful.

This is to confirm that your Courtesy Registration has been set up with the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology as per the timeframe requested by you on January 4, 2019nThe Courtesy Registration has been authorized from January 1, 2019 until the end of 2019.

Courtesy Registration provides 21 days of practice per calendar year. However, should you require registration again next year, a new request would need to be submitted, and you would be required to have your regulatory body complete an updated version of the Confirmation of Good Standing for Courtesy Registration Form.

Please note that Courtesy Registration is conditional upon the psychologist’s registration remaining in good standing in their home jurisdiction.

Retired registrant can act as custodian of files

We certainly appreciate the concerns she is sharing about the raw data going to a non-psychologist or someone not competent to review it. However, our understanding is that psychologists would be legally required to bring to court with them any documentation required by the subpoena. Once at court they could raise their objections and request that the raw data be reviewed by a psychologist. However, ultimately the Court would make the determination, not the psychologist. She may also wish to review the Board’s position statement on the release of file materials.

https://www.nsbep.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Raw-Data-General-Disclosure.pdf

To expand one’s competence and/or scope, the Board recommends that candidates refer to the Learning Plan process in page 21 of the Supervision Handbook:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/SupervisionHandbook.pdf

As you will note, part of the process involves looking the candidate and their supervisor considering what may have already been completed in the past as part of the individual’s graduate level training and then considering what didactic activities would be proposed as part of the plan.

Once you complete this process, you could submit your plan and Registration Subcommittee of the Board would need to review the plan in order to provide feedback.

Yes this is possible and I noted that the supervisor has indicated she is providing oversight. More information is outlined in page 3 of the following document for employers and candidates. This person can feel free to share this information with others she feel it will benefit. Here is a link to the document from the Board’s website.

n

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Information_for_Employers.pdf

Hi,To answer your questions, the Board would have to pre-approve your reinstatement to the Register. For more information about the requirements and timeframe to request reinstatement, please see the attached letter from the Registrar sent January 31, 2020.

If you were to request reinstatement of your registration for the pro-rated period September to December 31, 2020, the pro-rated registration fee would be $268.32, plus the $50 reinstatement fee.

If you were off the registry for more than two years, the Psychologists Act would require you to submit a new application.

F/up ResponsenTo answer your question about reapplying after 2 years (versus requesting reinstatement up to a 2 year period), we would not require transcripts as we have these on file. However, we would require the application process to be completed and the following supporting documentation submitted:Criminal Record ChecknChild Abuse Checkn3 ReferencesnUpdated CVnPhoto IDnApplication Fee ($250)

Information requested in the Registrar’s letter dated January 31, 2020nOnce all of the application requirements are met, the application would be submitted to the Board Registration Subcommittee for approval at the next Board Meeting.

As for your question on when the two-year deadline is. Since your registration expired December 31, 2019, the two years would be up December 31, 2021.

This is not the same scenario that you forwarded to me the other day when she said that her current NSBEP Supervisor could not supervise her. She asked about having one of her prior supervisors take on the role and, based on it being a prior supervisor of hers, I saw no problem.

Whereas her supervisor indicates she has not been in the role of NSBEP supervisor before and is Professional Practice Leader (I think the Board would view this as a dual role/conflict that should be avoided unless there is information she has about the arrangement that would suggest it would not be) this may not be viable.

If there is another psychologist in the IWK, who has provided NSBEP supervision in then past, that her supervisor can approach to provide interim supervision to her that would be the best approach. In such a case, we should have the Supervisor’s Consent Form for the Supervisor (provided we have an existing copy of their CV on file from having served in a prior supervision role in the past).

Please change his status to withdrawn in the database, effective January 1, 2021.

Appreciate him letting us know that he is not renewing, so no suspension will be required for him.

There is no specific information or policy statement on this topic. However, there are ethical principles that would help to provide guidance on these matters, which are shared below.

II.13 Assess the individuals and groups (e.g., couples, families, organizations, communities, peoples) involved in their activities adequately enough to ensure that they will be able to discern what will benefit and not harm them, using assessment methods that are appropriate to the particular cultural and social contexts of the individuals and groups involved.

II.17 Not carry out any scientific or professional activity unless the probable benefit is proportionately greater than the risk involved.

II.18 Strive to provide and/or obtain the best reasonably accessible service for those seeking psychological services. This may include, but is not limited to, selecting assessment tools, methods, interventions, andncommunication modalities that are: (a) relevant and tailored to thenneeds, characteristics, and contexts of the primary client or contractnexaminee; and (b) based on the best available evidence in light of thosenneeds, characteristics, and contexts. It also may include, but is notnlimited to: consulting or collaborating with service-providingnorganizations in the community, members of other disciplines,individuals and groups relevant to the culture or belief systems of thosenreceiving or being subject to services; or advocating on behalf of anprimary client when appropriate and needed.

II.19 Make themselves aware of the knowledge and skills of other disciplinesn(e.g., law, social work, medicine, business administration), and makenreferrals or advise the use of such knowledge and skills where relevantnto the benefit of others.

To answer your question, under PHIA legislation, when the psychologist is an employee, the custodian is seen as either the person responsible for running the group practice or the employer, and generally not the employee.

Therefore, for the clients that are continuing with you, you could have a signed consent form authorizing transfer of a copy of the file, provided you discuss this approach with the custodian.

Some practices/organizations have put in written policies and practices around clients and their records in the event that a psychologist leaves the practice.

In any event, it is always helpful for the associate to discuss their transition with the existing practice to ensure a smooth transition. And, if clients are following the associate to their new practice, it’s important to have a signed consent form authorizing any copies of files that are being transferred or copied to the practice of the associate.

You could let her know that, yes, the Board would expect to see graduate coursework covering neuropsychology, along with the practica/internship she notes. Upon reviewing the completed application, the Board would make a determination based on all available documentation using the requirements outlined in the definition of the practice area of neuropsychology:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Appropriate_Practice_Areas.pdf

If the applicant declares neuropsychology they would need to address the requirements in its definition.

She joined halfway through the year, so she would not be subject to the Continuing Competence requirements at this time. The requirements will begin when the registration year begins July 1, 2021. At that time, she would be expected to begin following the CC requirements.

To answer your question, the decision to keep your maiden name or to change it is a personal one to each individual. NSBEP does not have jurisdiction on your decision with regard to personal use. However, if you are changing your name professionally, please provide NSBEP with an updated Photo ID that reflects the name change, as we will need to make a change in the Register of NSBEP in this case.

The answer is yes. thanks. She could continue to use her maiden name professionally.

As you mentioned, NSBEP would expect that, once registered, a psychologist would reactivate their full registration in the event that they wish to work within the psychology field. Situations involving those working under another psychologist’s registration are seen as applying to circumstances where the supervisee has not yet reached the level of autonomous practice (students, interns, non-autonomous staff, etc.)

To answer your question on taking a leave from practice, you have two options:1) Request a Leave of Absence from the Register. This can be done via email.

2) Change from Full Registration to Retired Registration. The fee is only $100 per year and the change could be requested by email at this time. However you could wait until registration renewal in the fall. One can still retain the title of Registered Psychologist (Retired) while holding the Retired category of registration, but there is no ability or practice or requirement to maintain Continuing Competence.

With either of the above options, one could request a return to full registration within a 2 year period without having to submit a new application to the Board. This request could be completed by email and you would need to pay the appropriate registration fees at the time. I have attached a line to the retirement planning guidelines, this may give you further clarification.

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/NSBEP_guidelines_for_retirement_planning.pdf

NSBEP has a Position Statement on co-signing that we would refer him to consider. Here is the URL to it:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Policy_Advisory_Cosigning_Reports.pdf

These activities would not be considered direct observation; however, they would still be considered valid methodologies for supervision.

Direct observation is considered to have taken place when the supervisor observes the candidate completing direct work with clients. For more information about this and other issues that can arise, NSBEP has provided some guidelines on supervision:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/GENERAL_GUIDELINES_FOR_SUPERVISION_REPORTS_2019.pdf

I just wanted to let you know that at a Board Meeting recently, they created an “Inactive” status which would apply in your circumstances and not require you to withdraw. Note that while in “inactive status” you are not permitted to practice. Please let me know if you would like to go this route.

——————————————————————————————————————nI have looked into the process for maternity leave on the website, and as you are no doubt aware, there are the following two options available:A. to remain on the Register and continue regular supervision and the established reporting schedule. Since the purpose of supervised practice is for one to be working while receiving supervision, work experience would not accumulate until after the return to work.

B. to request a Leave of Absence from the Register and thus cease all practice of Psychology and cease to use the designation “Psychologist, Candidate Register”.

If a candidate chooses the second option, he/she can apply for reinstatement at any time within the next two years without requirement of a new application and without loss of credit for accumulated work experience obtained before he/she withdrew. Candidates who withdraw from Register must submit: a written request for withdrawal; a completed Evaluation Form for Withdrawal from the Candidate Register; and a supervision report covering any months of supervision received since their last report was submitted to the Board. Please click here if you intend to withdraw.

I have included a link to the NSBEP website for further information.

As for the insurance questions you should contact your carrier to find out if there are provisions for a leave of absence.

https://www.nsbep.org/information-for-registrants/for-candidate-registrants/faq/#not_working_supervision

I have consulted on your enquiry. Registered Psychologists are expected to ensure they remain within their scope or seek out appropriate initiatives to expand within their scope. However, where you have previously self-declared counselling and had this listed on your practice profile, NSBEP would not restrict you from doing any counselling work that you have current competence with.

When this enquiry comes up for those who are fully registered a psychologist, we indicate the following.

3.2 A registrant planning to change or expand her/his professional practice to include a newnarea, client group or activity, beyond the registrant’s existing declared competence shallnundertake appropriate training, education and supervision. In the event that there arenquestions regarding competency, the registrant must be able to demonstrate to the Board thenpreparation they have undertaken. Individuals on the Candidate Register planning to expandnher/his practice shall submit a plan of action to NSBEP for approval.

The Board requires Candidate Registrants to use a Learning Plan process (page 18 of the Supervision Handbook URL provided below).

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/SupervisionHandbook.pdf

Although Registered Psychologists are not required to submit this plan to the Board, we still refer Registered Psychologists to this information in the Handbook as a reference. As you will note, part of the process involves considering what may have already been completed in the past as part of the individual’s graduate level training and subsequent training and experience, and then considering what didactic activities should be undertaken to ensure one is current with the activity.

If you were to utilize this process you could seek out an informal supervisor and jointly set up a plan. Note that you would not have to seek approval from NSBEP the learning plan, like a candidate would have to do so during candidacy.

You would also be able to integrate relevant activities within your Continuing Competence process.

NSBEP would recommend keeping your own record of the activities you engage in relevant to this activity.

To answer your question, if you are a registered psychologist in Nova Scotia and move out of the Country, you can still maintain your Nova Scotia registration (i.e., you can be registered in more that one jurisdiction during the same timeframe). This would allow you to see current clients in Nova Scotia via telepsychology. However, if you need to treat clients outside of NS, you would need to contact the respective jurisdiction where those clients will be located, as normally the jurisdiction where the client is located is seen as having jurisdiction over the practice of psychology.

I have attached a link to a document which may answer your questions.

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Working_with_Children_and_Adolescents.pdf

Generally if one is on maternity leave and not on the Candidate Register because of this, NSBEP would not expect them to be practicing, where they have chose to come off the Register. Even if a candidate were on the Inactive Register, the policy is that they should not be practicing psychology. If they are off the register then signing off at this time as a Psychologist (Cand. Reg) would be a violation of the Psychologists Act.

It would be important, therefore, not to do so and for clients to be made aware that the individual is not currently a psychologist. There would be no harm in having an actively registered psychologist ethically co-sign reports. The Board has a position statement on co-signing which may be of assistance. Here is a link to the URL:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Policy_Advisory_Cosigning_Reports.pdf 

The Fielding has been reviewed and regretfully in comparison to our entry level requirements it was not found to meet requirements, as it’s residency requirement does not meet the Board’s.

For more information, here is the Board’s position on residency:iv) The program should have a body of resident students who are enrolled in thatnprogram. Programs that are primarily based on-line are not acceptable to the Board.

For further clarification, the Board has adopted the Section on Residency from the ModelnLicensing Act recently approved by the Association of State and Provincial PsychologynBoards. It states:”Residency means physical presence, in person, at an educational institution or trainingnfacility in a manner that facilitates acculturation in the profession, the full participationnand integration of the individual in the educational, and training experience and includesnfaculty student interaction. Training models that rely exclusively on physical presence fornperiods of less than one continuous year (e.g. multiple long weekends and/or summernintensive sessions), or that use video teleconferencing or other electronic means as ansubstitute for any part of the minimum requirement for physical presence at theninstitution do not meet this definition of residency.”Note: The minimum period of one continuous year of residency is in addition to anynpractica or internship completed as part of the program requirements.

Under PHIA legislation, when the psychologist is an employee, the custodian is either the person responsible for running the group practice or the employer, and not the employee. Normally the consent form for service is signed on the practice’s consent form as well. Therefore, your plan to have a signed form authorizing transfer of files sounds appropriate, provided you discuss this approach with the custodian. Some practices/organizations have put in written policies and practices around clients and their records in the event that a psychologist leaves the practice.

In any event, it is always helpful for the associate to discuss their transition with the existing practice to ensure a smooth transition. And, if clients are following the associate to their new practice, it’s important to have a signed consent form authorizing any files that are being transferred or copied to the practice of the associate.

Please feel free to share this email with others if it would be helpful.

I have put the responses after your questions to keep track.

I will soon be in between jobs and would like to remain on the candidate register. Moving forward, will I be able to count my time spent meeting with my first supervisor as supervision hours for assessment work?Yes, assuming she is approved by the Registration Subcommittee at their September 14th meeting.

Last month, I submitted documentation for my first supervisor to be a co-supervisor with my second supervisor. I am unsure if my first supervisor has been approved as a supervisor. I have met with my first supervisor a few times this month, in addition to an hour of supervision with my second supervisor. Will my first supervisor’s hours count as supervision? As well, will my second supervisor and I be required to meet for a second hour of supervision, as we usually would?That would be up to my second supervisor. You need to have 2 hours of supervision a month in place. If my second supervisor is willing to provide 2 hours supervision until you secure a new co-supervisor, that would be acceptable, assuming she is approved by the Registration Subcommittee at their September 14th meeting.

Will my second supervisor be required to meet with my first supervisor in order for my second supervisor to share information with first supervisor regarding our supervision sessions, prior to September?Yes, with a change in supervisors it is expected that “The new Supervisor contacts the former Supervisor to allow for an exchange information with respect to the candidate’ supervision. This communication is documented in the supervision report.”Will second supervisor be required to complete any paperwork upon finishing up as my supervisor?Yes, see “Changes in Supervisors” on the website, here is link to page:

https://www.nsbep.org/information-for-registrants/for-candidate-registrants/supervision-processforms/#Change_of_Supervisor

Absolutely. It is really important and helpful that you reached out to me as a few have been in touch. (Like us) the registrar had an exchange with another registrant and government on the exact same issue. We figured this same response could be shared with others. Here was his response which you can share below with her.

Here is what you could say:The Board is aware of this issue and has responded to another registrant on same, as well as having been in contact with Government contacts and others as noted below.

The Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) provides that the NS Health Authority is the Custodian of records. As such, they would be responsible for ultimately making decisions on such matters, but could delegate specific functions to employees who would act as “Agents”. If the Custodian is amenable to putting in place some type of mechanism to lock down the portion containing the raw data and testing material protocols that would be ideal; however, it may not be what they ultimately agree to, so we must consider the following clause from the Standards for Providers of Psychological Service in such a matter, along with the realities of PHIA:”Since the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology has the right to regulate psychology only, these Standards are to be understood to refer to psychological services and training (as opposed to services and training in other professions), even where the adjective “psychological” is not explicitly used, and psychological service units are not intended to interfere with the larger organizational structure in which they are embedded.”The NSBEP recognizes that the reality of the NSHA being the custodian places psychologists in a challenging position with respect to standards where they conflict with the direction of the custodian. We have contacted our representatives with the NS Department of Health and Wellness to share these challenges and concerns. In response, we were advised that as an initial response, the first stage of this conversation should take place between the registrants and NSHA in the role of employer. This is recommended to ensure that the concerns have been fully and officially communicated to NSHA. You may find it helpful to share the above information with NSHA.

We are also consulting with other regulatory Boards across Canada to see if there are any other practices being followed that we could consider adapting. I have heard back from the Registrar in Alberta, and he indicated that Alberta Health Services has made specific arrangements to have test data access highly restricted and separate from the main clinical file. It would be nice if Nova Scotia Health would consider doing the same.

Registrar

NSBEP does not grant permission on a case-by-case basis; however, the guidelines allow psychologists to make a determination for an in-person appointment, once the psychologist has reviewed all the guidelines, as she notes she has done. The NSBEP guidelines would allow her to use discretion to hold an in-person appointment where she deems it appropriate to do so. The current guidelines do not require protective eye equipment.

Yes, the Board has received the complaint and signed consent documents.

To answer your question regarding the timeline, please be advised that the process can take from 6 to 18 months from the time the complaint has been received to the time a decision is made by the Hearing Committee.

As to the status, I can tell you that it is on-going.

NSBEP would consider the fact that you have a degree in Counselling Psychology and this was the practice area that was approved for you at the time of registration. There can be overlap between counselling and clinical practice, and there is no functional restriction on work that you complete within your individual scope of competence. However, the Board’s position is that one should not declare Clinical Psychology in their profile unless they have a graduate degree and training in Clinical Psychology.

If in addition to your Counselling Psychology graduate degree you have a graduate degree and training in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent) that you wish to have considered, please send the information to NSBEP and this would have to be reviewed by the Registration Subcommittee.

I have shared and consulted on your enquiry. The NSBEP appreciates that concerns relating to file materials arise for psychologists. Given the frequency of such issues, the Board developed a position some time ago “Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology Statement Regarding the Release of File Materials”. While the document discusses legal obligations when a matter is under litigation, it is intended to address the release of file materials in general.

Generally if a client requests a copy of their file or provides express consent that it be transferred, for example, to the insurance carrier, then the NSBEP Position would not prohibit this. However, generally the psychologist would be able to discuss the process with the client so that they understand. However, ultimately this Position would respect the client’s decision to provide consent to the release of the material. The exception would be copyrighted testing material, unless there is a legal obligation to turn over the full file.

For further clarification, I have attached al link to the Statement on release of file materials.

https://www.nsbep.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Raw-Data-General-Disclosure.pdf

It may be that the insurer has taken the position that the client may have provided express consent through their process, whether there are consent forms they have signed through the insurer or consented to through their processes. NSBEP cannot speak to these issues as they may involve contract law.

The above constitutes the regulatory information that NSBEP can provide on the matter. You may find it helpful to contact the pro bono hotline of your professional liability insurer and/or moreover to engage a lawyer on this matter, as noted, there may be legal questions that would be helpful to address. We recognize that you have engaged in collegial consultation; you could also contact the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia as they maintain a list of volunteers available for activities such as peer consultation on different topics.

It’s also available to members in the committee portal with the complaint documentation that is part of the specific complaint.

To answer your question, when a registrant completes the renewal, there are 4 tabs that form the overall process. The custodian is named on the tab #3, right before the renewal form.

I have forwarded your enquiry for review. At this time, NSBEP does not take a position on whether or not a psychologist must disclose their vaccination status to a client. Like all regulated health professionals, psychologists are responsible for taking steps to ensure a safe and healthy environment for clients. You may wish to consult with your own legal counsel if you have further questions about this issue.

The Board has taken the view that its legislation (Psychologists Act) prohibits the use of the terms “psychologist”, “psychology”, “psychological” and their derivatives by those who are not allowed use of restricted titles under the Act. The owner would not be a psychologist in this case and the name of the practice would be include such terminology in the incorporated title. The psychologist would be an employee and potentially transitory in nature. Since we are being asked this question, NSBEP would not take the view that this is in keeping with the Act and its intentions.

I think she should maintain her registration. Although her application may be complete, as you know, it won’t be reviewed until next year, and If she lets it go then when the Board reviews her application she will no longer be registered, and it won’t be a transfer anymore. Moreover, she won’t be granted regular registration until after she completes the Transfer Interview. Given the scheduling, she may be unable to have her interview until June or later and she could utilize courtesy registration if she needed registration, provided she held registration in the other jurisdiction If she does not maintain registration, then she will be unable to utilize courtesy registration while waiting. With all this considered, I do think its best to maintain registration.

Complaints made to NSBEP that are under investigation are confidential and psychologists are not ethically required to disclose them to an employer or to future clients. Complaints that have been dismissed or have received a non-disciplinary decision after being investigated are also confidential. Complaints that result in a disciplinary action are published on the NSBEP website (with information about the complainant removed) and can be accessed by the public and employers.

She can’t go on the Active Register unless she is able to receive supervision for 2 hours a month and most don’t do that when they’re busy on a maternity leave (and even if she could do that the savings would be minimal). So I think the only real option is for her to renew her inactive registration and then pay the full fee later in 2021, which will be $705 ($805-$100 she pays for inactive registration at this June renewal). Fees are only prorated the last six months of registration year (which is now Jan -June)

To answer your question, rather than choosing not to see someone who is unvaccinated, the NSBEP Covid-19 Guidelines do provide other steps that the practitioner could take.

1. The psychologist could consider virtual care, if appropriate.

2. The practitioner could combine some of the measures allowed in the guidelines, such as both wearing a mask and social distancing.

3. If necessary, the psychologist should work through the ethical decision-making process and document their process/rationale. This could include consideration of risk of harm to self and others.

4. While the psychologist in private practice could determine that the safest and most appropriate option is to conduct the session virtually, the client could choose to decline the virtual session. The psychologist would not be forced to do an in-person session. However, the practitioner should ensure that they have considered whether alternatives/steps such as those noted above have been considered, and a referral made elsewhere [could simply recommend that the individual consult the Find a Psychologist section of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia (www.apns.ca) website for a referral].

With that said, it may be an expectation of the NSHA/provincial government that psychologists working in the public sector or receiving public money accommodate clients who wish to be seen in-person.

You are more than welcome to keep your registration open for the duration of 2019 and can pay the reduced fee of $684.25 up until November 15, 2018. However, you would be free to switch to the Retired Register for January 1, 2019 and this fee is only $100.00. You could complete this process using the online registration option. We trust from your email that you do not intend to practice in 2019 so we have mentioned the retired option.

Thank you for the written notice of your intention to retire as of December 31, 2018. The information you provided regarding your custodian of files is appreciated. The only item would be to let us know when Heather confirms. We wanted to mention that the option of Retired Registration for $100.00 is there, the other is to not renew and withdraw from the registry according to the Psychologist Act.

Your psychologist would have to determine that they deem treatment in your case to be appropriate through video. If they feel this is appropriate, they would need to be registered in Nova Scotia in order to legally provide services to you, since you would be located in Nova Scotia. The psychologist could contact the Board to apply for temporary registration with the Board if this is something they feel would be appropriate in the circumstances.

NSBEP has a document on supervision scenarios that I would draw your attention to. And for that matter, please feel free to share this with information anyone you feel it would be helpful to. Here is the URL:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Supervision_Scenarios.pdf nThe above referenced document contains a section relating to “Supervision of practitioners from another occupation”. This would likely apply in this case, or one of the other scenarios outlined would cover the situation.

As you can see, the NSBEP would accept that the member of the other profession is being supervised by a psychologist, but the Board would not be of the view that the member of the other profession is providing psychological services. Rather, in this case, we would consider the direct services to involve the practice of marriage and family therapy.

One other important point made in the document is the following:Billing must not be underwritten in a way that gives the impression that a registrant provided the service when this is not the case (NSBEP Co-signing of Receipts Statement, 1993). Billing to insurance companies or third party payers must clearly state the qualifications of the provider and state the services being provided. Through the informed consent process, clients must be fully informed of the qualifications of the person(s) providing the services and the services being provided.

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/billing_practices.pdf

You should check with the jurisdiction where the client is located to find out what the requirements are.

It’s pretty much a universal expectation across jurisdictions in North America. We appreciate there are always ethical concerns with these matters, but NSBEP’s guidance to registrants is based on the fact that we expect them to follow the law in the jurisdiction where the client would be located, so we would expect them to contact the regulatory body in Maine. There is a document shared by ASPPB on each Board during COVID-19 and telepractice (you can look up the information for Maine in this document if you want more information including the Board’s contact information and Executive Orders that are in place during COVID-19 concerning the practice of psychology):

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.asppb.

et/resource/resmgr/covid19/9.8.2020_temporary_&_telepsy.pdf 

I was advised that NSBEP doesn’t vet individual reading material for self-directed learning. However, if the psychologist feels that it would be relevant to consider under interpersonal relationships and had a rationale for doing so then such consistency in the process is what NSBEP would look for.

To answer your question, no evaluation or minimum number of hours is required. This is an informal process wherein the candidate may lean on the support person on an as-needed basis until they become registered.

The Board would ultimately require proof of convocation. However, once all program requirements are completed, it is possible to apply to registration as a psychologist once the steps are completed that are noted in the following FAQ:You can let him know that the Board has approved his doctorate effective on the date that was indicated in the letter from the university. According to professional standards, a registrant should not use the degree to refer to him or herself in their workplace until, the date when NSBEP recognizes it, we just have to include this caveat as a precaution.

http://www.nsbep.or/applicants/faq/#register_prior_convocation (this is a new development since June)

To answer your question about insurance, yes, because this insurance coverage is necessary to cover individuals’ prior actions, taken in the course of their previous duties as a psychologist. (e.g., prior to their retirement, leave of absence from the register, leave from work, out-of-province move, or change of profession, etc).

This is because professional liability insurance coverage is written on a claims made form. This means that a policy must be in place when an allegation is made, regardless of when the actual event took place. Claims made policies provide coverage as long as members continue to renew insurance each year. Psychologists who do not renew coverage (or at least obtain tail coverage if they are no longer practicing) will not be covered for a claim made today for an incident that occurred in the past. You should talk to your insurance company. Insurers can typically provide tail coverage for those no longer practicing psychology. Typically, such coverage is possible for a one-time-fee, or for a limited period of time at no cost. Again, it is important to check with your own insurance company.

I am attaching a link to our website for further clarification,

https://www.nsbep.org/information-for-registrants/for-all-registrants/faq/#recently_retired_still_need_insurance

1. I just wanted to confirm that my understanding of the Atlantic Canada telepsychology MOU is correct. My understanding is that I can invite clients from other provinces to participate if they are interested in receiving telepsychology services as part of this project if I contact the boards in these jurisdictions. Please let me know if there are any other considerations beyond the MOU or if I am misunderstanding this document.

Correctn2. I fully intend to offer all services as part of the program virtually but have also considered a hybrid model if the COVID-19 situation changes. In this scenario, I would provide in-person services to people who are local to the Halifax region and have clients who are in other Atlantic Canadian provinces and/or are unable to travel to attend in-person attend the same group via Zoom Healthcare. This hybrid model has been used for teaching, but I am not sure if it raises any sort of concerns for the board in terms of virtual service delivery. Please let me know. The Board does not comment on specific models or provision of services via telepsychology other than to indicate that the psychologist needs to ensure that their services meet professional standards. Should the need for in-person service outside of NS arise, the psychologist would need to obtain authorization from the respective jurisdiction.

3. I am planning to have a clinical or forensic psychology trainee deliver the program with me as a practicum. I have a former graduate student who completed her MSc program in forensic psychology and is now completing her PhD at Carleton. She would be an appropriate trainee because she is interested in the population, has relevant experience, and previously completed a similar practicum. The only consideration is that she is physically located in Ontario. Am I able to have a trainee from another province work under my supervision in a clinical capacity or is this a big problem? NSBEP would not have an issue with respect to any clients seen virtually by the trainee as we would consider the supervising psychologist to have responsibility for services provided by the non-registered individual (trainee). However, it would be important to check with the other Atlantic jurisdictions as NSBEP cannot answer this with respect to services outside of NS

With respect to the informed consent process with clients, what you are proposing is consistent with what we have shared with others in situations where an individual will be working under the supervision of a psychologist.

NSBEP always indicates the following:It would be important that the public clearly understands what services they are receiving and from whom (the qualifications of the provider). This would be consistent with the NSBEP position on billing to ensure that billing is transparent about services provided and by whom. The URL to the statement appears below:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/billing_practices.pdf

Concerning billing for insurance, we would again point to the above; however, we could not be more specific than the information provided in the statement on billing practices. You may wish to check with one of the primary insurance providers to ensure that what is being conveyed on the receipt would be clear to them.

You could let him know: From NSBEP’s perspective, the announcement on September 29, 2021 from NSBEP would still allow for the psychologist registered with NSBEP to provide services to clients who are residing or located in Nova Scotia. NSBEP would continue to caution that we cannot speak for another jurisdiction, so they may consider it to be practicing in their jurisdiction if the psychologist is physically located in their state while providing service.

The primary information we provide psychologists comes from the document on the Use of Technology by Psychologists. I presume you have seen this document, but here it is just in case.

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/use_of_technology_by_psychologists.pdf

The Board does not proscribe methods for storage provided one can ensure that have followed appropriate and reasonable steps based on the standards of practice. One of the recommendations of the Board is for the custodian to consult with an IT professional in cases that more involve the specific technological setup. A lawyer knowledgeable in privacy matters can also be a valuable asset, if one would like to have legal consultation.

I realize that you have consulted an IT firm who is offering to provide a secure cloud solution to fit your needs. They are providing an opinion that they see this as the most efficient and a modern approach for your setting. I recognize he is likely looking at this from the perspective that if you were to maintain the files in your office, you maintain control of where the data is stored, and you could choose to have a copy of the data backed up to an external drive that would not have to be connected to the internet.

Clearly both approaches have merit but you are concerned with meeting the appropriate expectations. One nice way to look at this could be through the lens of the HIPAA legislation in the US. In order to be compliant with HIPAA, the only backup source could not be stored in the cloud / on a backup that is connected to the internet. While one could use a cloud service, there should also be a backup that is not connected to the internet. The idea being that a form of malware/virus could propagate through the internet to the cloud backup servers. The firm no doubt has provisions in place to address such concerns but that would be one point of consideration. You could ask them whether there would be a second backup of your data that would not be connected to the internet?With his setup you could backup all computers to an external drive and then make one backup of the external drive to another external drive. This second external drive would not have to remain connected to the internet. To my knowledge, PHIA and FOIPOP legislation do not restrict a cloud backup service, but it seems to make good sense for a practice to make sure they also have a backup copy that is not connected to the internet. As I said, the cloud company might have something they suggest or you could arrange a second onsite process with a local firm.

As far as PIDPA, any documentation that your practice received that originated from within a public body in Nova Scotia could not be stored outside of Canada. You might enquire whether you can specify the servers for Google Office be in Canada or find a similar solution that allows your data to remain in Canada.

I wish you the best as you navigate this process. This is a substantial investment but it is worthwhile making sure the appropriate provisions are in place before something might happen.

There is no special form. She can login to the website or provide us the information and update the contact information for the new employer. 

1. response one who does not meet the qualificationsnI would first like to thank you on behalf of the Board for your interest in becoming involved.

To answer your question, the criteria for Nominees are in regards to NSBEP registration. This will give the Nominee the breadth of experience and knowledge required to become a Board Member.

However, you can certainly volunteer in other ways for example, after you are registered to two years you can become a Candidate Volunteer. Which will help the Candidate, enhance your resume for nomination as well as give you the sense of accomplishment when a Candidate you have supervised becomes a registrant.

2. response one who does meet the qualificationsnI would first like to thank you on behalf of the Board for your interest in becoming involved.

To answer your question, the criteria for Nominees in regards to 5 years on the Register of Psychologists would recognize 5 years of experience if one were fully registered as a psychologist in NS and also held prior, full registration in another jurisdiction, which taken together met the required timeframe overall. You would indeed meet criterion (a).

Actually it would be CPA.

However, you could let him know that If he was just looking to buy this for the oral exam, he does not have to do so unless he wants to. We would just recommend to community psychologists the prep materials that we provide in the portal, and if he would like to do a refresher / skim, he could use the following PDF:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Binder_Standards_Legislation_Guidelines.pdf

It would be fine to extend courtesy registration to accommodate in the circumstances and for reasons related to continuity of care that may be required for clients. If we go beyond 21 days then there would be the standard charge of $200, and we would need to assess for more fees. However, at this time, it would be best to ask her to keep track of the actual hours of practice as they unfold, given the free version even includes 157.5 hours. If she needs to extend the time at a later date then she can simply contact the office and we can determine if standard of $200 is going to cover it (or at most, the fee would be the pro-rated annual fee applicable calculated at the time when she actually determines that she will requires the extension).

The Board has not made an official decision on this matter for 2021. However, it would not be unreasonable for a registrant to operate under the same credit changes allowed in 2020 given that the current situation with the pandemic has not changed and this was the basis for last year’s changes for workshops / webinars/online learning, and self-directed learning:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Addendum_2020_CC_Submissions.pdf 

I have consulted regarding your enquiry. NSBEP standards require that records be kept in accordance with Principle 7 of the NSBEP Standards of Professional Conduct, but there is no requirement that they have to be paper records, i.e. they can be scanned and become totally electronic.

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Binder_Standards_Legislation_Guidelines.pdf

It is important that a reliable backup of electronic files is made.

Beyond the steps you are taking, including contacting the testing corporation (as NSBEP cannot answer for them on copyright). you may also wish to consult the following NSBEP document, though not specific to raw data, which discusses technology and psychological practice.

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/use_of_technology_by_psychologists.pdf

Actually since this would still involves a change in the supervision arrangement from co-supervision to supervision with 1 supervisor only. the board will still want the Change of Supervisor Evaluation Form completed, along with the supervision report from the outgoing supervisor covering the months of supervision with him (only since his last report was submitted).

As you know, the Psychologists Act prohibits individuals from using terms such as “psychologist”, “psychology”, “psychological” and their derivatives by those who are not allowed use of restricted titles under the Act. When this question was reviewed by legal counsel in the past, the advice provided was that the Act does not prevent a non-psychologist from owning a psychology practice. However, there should be at least one individual at the practice who is a psychologist. I have forwarded your correspondence to the Registrar.

You could let him know that it’s 2 years following placement on the Register of Psychologists.

For the question on Continuing Competence, since you would be transitioning back to full registration during the registration year, NSBEP does not require a minimum number of credits for the current registration year, so you could use your discretion. 

I have consulted on your enquiry. While NSBEP would not state this to be a “position”, we are happy to share some of the typical information that NSBEP references for questions about billing and provide some additional considerations.

Principle 6nA registrant shall reach an agreement with an individual, group or organization concerning the psychological services to be provided, the fees to be charged and the billing arrangements prior to providing service.

6.1 A registrant sets fees based on the amount of time spent and complexity of the services rendered and does not base fees on the basis of advantage or clinically significant benefits accruing to the individual receiving services.

6.2 Interest may be charged on an overdue account as long as the client is informed of this practice at the time of billing.

6.3 Prior to using a collection agency or legal option to collect fees, the registrant informs the client of this intent and provides an opportunity for payment to be made.

6.4 A registrant does not request advance payment for psychological services however funds may be held in trust if agreed on by the client. Trust funds are applied only to services rendered with any excess returned to the client on the termination of services.

Some considerations and options:There could be a legitimate reason, or buyers’ remorse or something similar – which a potential client may have difficulty dealing with if they have not had any previous direct contact with the psychologist and have not had the opportunity to have had any questions about the consent answered.

There does not appear to be anything specifically stated in the professional ethics or standards that would indicate that a psychologist could not charge for a missed first session or ask for a credit / debit card in advance, provided there was clear consent. If a psychologist was to charge a fee for a first missed session, the consent could include what the fee would be, the circumstances where the fee would be charged, the steps that could be taken (regarding cancellation) to avoid the fee and the process to “appeal” if the missed session was due to circumstances beyond the control of the client (e.g., power outage, accident). In addition to the overall consent form being signed, it might be good for the client to initial the “fee for no show” section (as well as initial any other points the psychologist wants to emphasize).

Other options:Reduced fee for a no-show session.

Allow clients one “no show” during their treatment. If this happens on the first appointment and the client re-books, make it clear that future no-shows will be charged.

Inactive Status approved. However, when the time comes, you will need to contact NSBEP to switch your inactive registration status back to active candidate registration status, as NSBEP we cannot set the return date in advance. However, you can contact us in advance and rest assured the reactivation of your full registration can be done very quickly.

To answer your questions, yes, you would submit a Learning Plan to extend your practice of clinical psychology to include couples. The process is the same for a psychologist and a candidate registrant. For more information you can see page 21 of the Supervision Handbook:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/SupervisionHandbook.pdf nThe Learning Plan can be submitted for consideration at the same meeting as your CFTA Transfer application, which will be the next Board Meeting once all application requirements have been met.

Alternatively, you can request an amendment to your scope of practice from the College of Psychologists of Ontario. Should they amend your authorized scope of practice to include couples then NSBEP would accept this change without the need for a Learning Plan.

To answer your question, in this case, our understanding is exactly the same as yours that the Yukon, is one Canadian jurisdiction where there is no regulatory body in psychology to seek authorization from. You would not be prevented from providing service to this client.

Like all situations involving telepsychology, we would refer you to the NSBEP standards for telepsychology.

During COVID-19, the Board has been allowing all supervision to be held virtually. However it will be examining this allowance in future, as restrictions are expected to be lifted over the summer. There may be some continuation of this allowance into the new year, or a hybrid model considered.

You are welcome or check back with NSBEP later in the summer as it will be considering whether to continue to allow virtual supervision and how frequently. In the event that NSBEP reverts back to prior requirements. policy would allow the supervisor and candidate to conduct supervision using electronic means twice per year. You could also request the use of additional virtual sessions by following the process in pages 5 & 6 of the Supervision Handbook.

For further clarification, I have attached a link to the section of the supervision handbook which talks about this.

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/SupervisionHandbook.pdf

The standards on telepsychology advise the psychologist to ensure they are authorized to legally provide the services to the client(s). As far as your work in NS, NSBEP would not have an issue with your inviting the parent to join your telepractice in NS, nor have a problem with you working with the child and/or parent in this circumstance. However, we cannot speak about whether the jurisdiction where the parent is located would view this as practice in their jurisdiction with the parent. We would be inclined to see the practice occurring here in NS, given the circumstances presented. However, NSBEP is legally only able to speak to the jurisdiction of Nova Scotia.

In all cases, NSBEP advises registrants to be familiar with the standards of telepsychology:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Model_Standards_Telepsychology.pdf

A Driver’s License would be fine. For future, here is the policy (page 4 under change of name heading):

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/RegistrationInformation.pdf

Once you receive this information from her then you can change her name in the database (and QuickBooks).

To answer your question, the Board does not require its registrants to obtain consent if they intend to incorporate. There is nothing in our statute or policy which would prevent registered psychologists from incorporating their psychological practice.

Here is the link to the section of our website which talks about this:

https://www.nsbep.org/information-for-registrants/for-all-registrants/faq/#incorporationnPlease note – There are no regulations from the Board governing primary voting shareholder, director of the company of officer. No permit is required by the Board.

As well, the Board does not have to approve the name of the company.

If they come to Nova Scotia, they would of course need to be on the CR.

My understanding, however, from what is being stated is that the psychologist has been asked to review the work of another provider but would not be interacting with the actual client who was the subject of the file review. This work will be conducted outside of NS. If this is the case and the psychologist is not hired by a client/firm/organization located in NS, then we would not typically consider them to be practicing here.

If there is much likelihood that the psychologist will comes to NS then there would be no harm in being placed on the NSBEP courtesy register.

Yes they should still send notification to NB after the fact and just explain what happened. It would not be the first time this happened to a psychologist, This is not an onerous process with the MOU in place. By the same amount of time spent contacting NSBEP, the email could have been sent to NB.

That’s right. On the basis of the CFTA, NSBEP will only be able to approve those practice areas, populations and activities approved by CPO.

nnNo. Since you are a fully registered psychologist in another jurisdiction, it would not be appropriate for another psychologist to assume responsibility for your work like they would for a non-autonomous practitioner under their supervision.

In Atlantic Canada there is an MOU for registrants of the respective regulatory bodies in Atlantic Canada. Here is a link to the MOU, which outlines the process that must be followed by psychologists in order to make use of the MOU.

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Telepsychology.AtlanticMOU.pdf nThere is no MOU outside of Atlantic Canada, so one would need to approach any applicable jurisdiction(s) to obtain permission and determine what they require.

To answer your question, NSBEP wants 2 other registrants to nominate the psychologist willing to run in the election.

I understand you were looking for someone to call you. Since what you are questioning is a policy set by the Board and staff cannot exercise discretion since the policy is clear. So speaking to a staff person would not lead to a different outcome.

However, any registrant who wishes to dispute a Board policy is welcome to ask staff to take his/her concerns to the Board, since policies are set by the Board not staff. This is not to suggest that there will be a different result, necessarily, but we would guarantee that it could be taken to the Board for consideration. We can verbally take forward your request along with the details or you are more than welcome to submit a letter, which could be taken to the next Board meeting on February 22.

In addition to providing you with the longstanding policy and rationale on why the Board does not issues refunds, I consulted with the Assistant Registrar. He supports the information provided to you in my prior email on the Board Policy concerning payment of fees. He did ask that a considered response be sent to you by email. I am sending this to information by email and then I will call to follow-up on the email.

In addition to the policy information and rationale provided, other factors NSBEP takes into account each year are the following:The Policy stated on the online form where registrants pay registration fees (and elsewhere) is that the NSBEP does not issue refunds.

Notices are sent on September 15, so NSBEP does provide plenty of advance notice for registrants to consider their circumstances and complete renewals.

Registrants have the ability to pay by November 15 and receive a discounted rate on their registration fee.

Multiple email reminders about registration were sent to registrants. In fact, 6 emails reminding registrants to renew were sent, in addition to a copy being sent by regular mail to anyone who had not completed renewal by October 15.

We have no record of unreturned emails or voice messages regarding renewals. Additionally, it is the registrant’s responsibility to allow sufficient time to complete their renewals.

The Board Office was closed over the holidays, but we provided advance notice that the office would be closed.

Policies are set by the Board and staff cannot decide to selectively interpret a longstanding and clear policy on fees. Staff would not be able to reverse a Policy.

However, any registrant who wishes to dispute a Board policy is welcome to ask staff to take his/her concerns to the Board, since policies are set by the Board, not staff. This is not to suggest that there will be a different result, necessarily, but if you would like, we could take your request to the Board for consideration. We can verbally take forward this matter or you are welcome to submit a letter, which could be taken to the next Board meeting on February 22.

Please let me know if you wish to pursue through either of these options.

The Board would still be in a position to address a complaint that involved allegations in NS even when a psychologist moves to another jurisdiction. The investigation committee would have authority on final decisions including publication but we would except that another jurisdiction where the psychologist is registered would be notified, in the case of disciplinary actions in NS.

To answer your question, I was advised that NSBEP doesn’t vet individual videos for self-directed learning, and I suggest that you could list the videos and the source if you would like. It could be tied to one’s CC Learning Plan and would be within the discretion of the registrant, and would receive the credit as you noted.

In addition to notifying the NSBEP of this employment, which she has done by email, she can update her contact information as well. She could login and update her profile to add private practice as a setting and add the private practice contact information if she wishes. I would make sure to add her new additional employer in the database at this time in case she misses this when updating her other info.

As noted, further masking requirements were put in place in April 27, 2021 Practitioners have been permitted to operate using their existing regulatory guidelines, which would allow you to work with clients using plexiglass as outlined. However, an important change relates to common areas such as waiting rooms, and when one is not practicing but interacting with the public. In such cases masking should be utilized even if social distancing and plexiglass is installed. This is probably being done by practices, but it did tighten up guidance compared to prior masking requirements.

NSBEP lists areas of practice and populations relating to scope but doesn’t approve specific therapies or modalities. If the approaches you noted are used in empirically supported situations, and provided you have the appropriate competence it would not be an issue. Concerning competence, like any registrant, you would be expected to have taken steps that are consistent with Standard 3.2 from the Standards of Professional Conduct:A registrant planning to change or expand her/his professional practice to include a new area, client group or activity, beyond the registrant’s existing declared competence shall undertake appropriate training, education and supervision. In the event that there are questions regarding competency, the registrant must be able to demonstrate to the Board the preparation they have undertaken. Individuals on the Candidate Register planning to expand her/his practice shall submit a plan of action to NSBEP for approval.

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Consultation_with_NSBEP.pdf

Please see below. Are psychologists able to be registered in NS and live in ON? How does that work.

A psychologist fully registered in another province could be registered in NS and live in ON.

Unfortunately, we require the envelope to be post-marked November 15th at the latest in order to be considered in the office by the end of the deadline.

I have spoken to the assistant registrar and the Board doesn’t have guidelines specific to multidisciplinary practice, however, he did want the opportunity to provide some information for this enquiry. Whenever starting a practice NSBEP would recommend that you review the NSBEP Standards for Providers of Psychological Service. As well, you could also review the PDF attached for a listing of relevant legislation and other guidance you might see through the lens of operating a clinic:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Binder_Standards_Legislation_Guidelines.pdf

In a multi-disciplinary clinic, it would be important that the public clearly understands what services they are receiving (whether psychological services versus the other health services that are provided in the multi-disciplinary clinic) and from whom (the qualifications of the provider, e.g., psychologist or one of the other healthcare professionals). This would be consistent with the NSBEP position on billing to ensure that billing is transparent about services provided and by whom:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/billing_practices.pdf

We would also suggest that that document on starting and operating an independent practice might be helpful:

https://cpa.ca/cpasite/UserFiles/Documents/publications/PAA%20Guidebook.pdf

For all questions relating to scope of practice, the Board always recommends to registrants that they refer to the NSBEP definitions of practice areas. The URL is below:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Appropriate_Practice_Areas.pdf

Rather than issuing a blanket commentary on whether “CBT intervention for children and adolescents is considered a competency for MASP candidate registrants”, NSBEP would recommend that registrants with the practice area of school psychology refer to its definition. Specifically, we recommend that you consider whether your use of CBT would relate to the following:School Psychology is the application of knowledge about human behaviour and development to the understanding of the social, emotional and learning needs of children, adolescents and adults, and to the creation of learning environments that facilitate learning and mental health.

You may find it helpful to review this with your NSBEP Supervisor.

To answer your question, all disciplinary decisions are posted on our public website. However, we do not specifically contact the various third party payer organizations. However, you are free to contact the Board to enquire whether a disciplinary finding has been issued against a psychologist. Generally we have found many third party payers may periodically check the status of psychologists and whether they are in good standing.

You are also welcome to contact us at any time to verify the status of a provider. Please note that NSBEP only regulates psychologists, and other singular terms such as “counselor” and “therapist” are not a regulated titles. Yet other terms like “Counselling Therapist” would be regulated by the NS College of Counselling Therapists,

https://nscct.ca/nand other individuals who identify as therapist may be regulated with the College of Social Workers https://nscsw.org/

No problem for him to use this psychologist registered in ON to be the custodian in the event of death or incapacity.,

As per PHIA legislation, the operator of the organization / organization is considered the custodian:(i) a regulated health professional or a person who operates a group practice of regulated health professionals….

Consequently in a group practice, where psychologists are employees, not an owner or operator of the practice, the organization would generally be seen as the custodian to handle matters that arise with access to files once the employee departs.

While you could reach out to the psychologist (or former registrant) as a courtesy to let them know there has been a request, they would not be in any role to approve any aspect of work done / engagement with the file since they are no longer an employee and the organization is the custodian and owns the files.

Hi,Thank you for the above form, however this copy did not have your signature accepting the nomination. When you have a moment please forward a copy with your signature.

Please note that each nominee requires 2 nominators, a separate form can be sent to NSBEP for the second nominator if that works better for you.

Here is the link to the nomination form.

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/NSBEP_Election_Nomination_Form_2020.pdf

If you have any questions, please let me know.

changing either to or from the out-of-province status requires proof of their registration in the other jurisdiction.

Just a quick note to let you know that If you would like to change your registration status to Out-of-Province, then we will require proof of your registration in the other jurisdiction, Such proof does not have to be any special letter or form, just something verifying your registration is active.

Once I receive this, then we can change your registration to Out-of-Province from Full registration. 

I am fine with any registrant moving to retired because on the renewal form it states that they cannot be employed in any capacity so I treat it like a declaration since it is part of the overall form they must attest to. Of course keep checking with me, but I just wanted you to know the reasoning with movements to retired. Of course coming out of retired status would be a different story but we’re not dealing with that here and that’s pretty rare.

I have checked with the assistant registrar, and while one could potentially do coaching, you should note that from a disciplinary perspective, psychologists are responsible for any services they provide under legislation, even if using a different description of service.

While the attached excerpts from the NSBEP Standards of Professional Conduct do not explicitly mention bartering, this is how NSBEP has approached the issue in the past. We are sharing the whole excerpt, but the key points below are likely most relevant:Principle 6nA registrant shall reach an agreement with an individual, group or organization concerning the psychological services to be provided, the fees to be charged and the billing arrangements prior to providing service.

6.1 A registrant sets fees based on the amount of time spent and complexity of the services rendered and does not base fees on the basis of advantage or clinically significant benefits accruing to the individual receiving services.

Principle 9nA registrant does not seek special benefit or advantage from relations with a client.

9.6 A registrant shall not use information obtained during the provision of psychological services to directly or indirectly acquire advantage over or exploit a client or to improperly acquire a benefit.

9.7 A registrant shall not persuade or influence a client to make gifts or contributions.

9.8 A registrant shall not accept a gift of more than token value.

NSBEP does not prohibit master’s level candidate registrants from supervising others, e.g., practicum students. Like all candidates, NSBEP always cautions those providing supervision to individuals who may not be experienced/regulated professionals. Moreover it would be important that any registrant consider whether they would be comfortable taking on such a role.

Here is a link to the NSBEP publication on supervision scenarios which you may find useful to reference:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Supervision_Scenarios.pdf

This supervision may be acceptable for the University program and to the respective regulatory body that the applicant ultimately applies to. However, NSBEP does not accept graduates of this M.Ed. program, so it would be helpful for the supervisee to be aware that by receiving practicum supervision from a registrant of the NSBEP they are not being trained to become a provider of psychological services. Rather we would expect such students in this program likely plan to become counselling therapists.

NSBEP supervision is limited to what issues are raised in candidate register supervision, so we would not generally see your supervision of Georgina extending to the services provided by the practicum supervisee. Additionally, as you’ll note in the above referenced publication, NSBEP expects that another professional would also likely be involved with the supervision of the practicum student who would have knowledge of their future regulated profession and scope (counselling therapist).

 Thank you for getting back to me about my questions. Just a bit ofnclarification for me:So if I understand correctly, clients do not have the option to choosento continue with me if the practice has a non-compete. Even though Inwould not ‘solicit’ clients that are ‘owned’ by the practice, it isnsurprising that a client wouldn’t have the right to seek services from me should they choose.

I would presume that clients would be offered the option of seeingnsomeone else at the practice, but in the case(s) where a client wouldnprefer to continue seeing me despite alternatives presented, it soundsnlike they don’t have that right if the practice isn’t ok with it?This highlights the need for discussion with the employer when an associate is leaving.

I think you are generalizing to a somewhat distinct issue from the question as we initially saw it. We provided advice around ownership, given the associate is an employee of the private practice. It would be important and ethical for the associate to consider any contracts with their employer. The reason is that they could potentially be considered in breach of contract and the practice might subsequently raise concerns around Integrity in Relationships if an associate knew the expectations (or ought to have known them) and only took the perspective that the client had the right to choose without addressing the contractual obligations, and did not have a conversation with the practice around the the practice’s expectations beforehand. When NSBEP had contacts in the past involving psychologists leaving a private practice, it has often involved differences of opinion between the practice and the psychologist leaving on the some of the very issues you have raised. If you have legal questions around contractual obligations and even other potential questions, we would urge you to take advantage of the pro-bono legal hotline available through your insurer. Ultimately, we cannot stress enough the importance for you to have an in-depth conversation with the practice owner and to work on an exit approach to address the most ethical approach in the various scenarios you might encounter when leaving the practice.

Now with all that said, of course a client can always decide to go to whomever they choose. However, this is really an incomplete consideration for the psychologist leaving (and would have been irresponsible direction from NSBEP) when an associate is leaving a practice where they are an employee, given all of the points raised above.

The paperwork I was referring to is that I see some clients throughn3rd party so depending on the notice/exit plan, I would want adequatentime to close files or provide termination/progress reports to thencase managers. I wanted to know what obligations I had around this andnwhat obligations the practice would have for continuity of care – ornif it was more of a ‘work it out as best as you can’ situation.

In this case, the associate would be expected to complete the appropriate paperwork so that the files are in order when they leave the practice to allow for continuity of service.

I’m hoping you could provide me with some direction regarding an application. I’m currently registered in Alberta. I am from Nova Scotia and have been considering the idea of a return for some time. I think COVID has given me a bit more of a push to seriously start an inquiry.

I had in the past thought it not possible to transfer a license from Alberta to NS, given the exception to the CFTA that NS was granted specifically for Alberta. I was aware that a candidate from Alberta could transfer with a period of supervision, but was not willing to undergo that. I’ve read the update from 2020, in which this restriction was lessened.

My first point of clarification is – based on my understanding, if a candidate from Alberta has competency in psychometric assessment and diagnosis, and can prove this, there may not need to be a period of supervision – is this correct?That is correct.

Additionally, what would constitute proof of this competency? I currently practice administering formal assessments across forensic, clinical and I suppose school psychology to a limited scope. I would be able to provide clear documentation of my additional training, as well as hours of consultation with a licensed doctoral level psychologist who is a faculty member at a University here.

Yes, that approach would be acceptable.

For my next point, I wanted to see if you could provide some clarity regarding domains of practice. As you are likely aware, in Alberta, our college does not keep additional designations on file regarding areas of practice. I primarily work clinical and forensic. What would constitute sufficient experience, training, etc. for a candidate to declare their scope of practice, if the candidate’s regulatory body does not keep records of areas of practice?Given you have noted that you complete formal assessment work, the materials you have offer to provide seem like they would contain sufficient evidence for consideration, along with this activity being noted on the form completed by CAP. Usually under service populations, CAP will note on the NSBEP Confirmation of Registration form (this form is filled out as part of the CFTA transfer process) whether one has formal or general assessment as part of their practice.

I do recognize it is difficult to comment generally on the application process, before an application is made. However, I wanted to get some clarity on these two specific items so I am able to submit all of the information you may require in my initial application.

In the new registration year – would Jan or Feb be the start of the pro-rated fees since the fees now begin in July?Yes, the NSBEP website was updated in January to reflect, but I know registrants just ask questions instead of reading some times. Here is the link for reference as it lays it all out very clearly for them: https://www.nsbep.org/about-nsbep/all-fees/nIf this is the case would it make any difference for the psychologist to withdraw and pay the re-instatement fee and pro-rated fee in Jan or Feb when she returns or should she pay the inactive fees. She would have to pay the Mar – June 2021 and then July to June 2022.

Actually, she is currently on the Inactive Register so her fees are paid up until the end of June 2021. If she fully withdrew, she would only save $50 since the reinstatement fee is $50. The savings from withdrawing would happen in July through December 2021, but then she would need to pay $50 reinstatement fee plus the pro-rated fees in Jan or Feb 2022. She could instead just renew in July 2021 with inactive registration and pay $100 then and then we could switch her to full registration when she is ready in Jan / Feb 2022, and she just would need to pay the pro-rated fee at the time. However if $50 makes a difference in July she would withdraw at that time.

At our discipline meeting yesterday, we reviewed some of the sections from the Annual Report that are relevant to the IWK (of course I encouraged folks to read the entire report, but pointed out sections that affect practice here or might in the future). We added on the most recent communication from NSBEP about Telepractice, which caused some confusion. We did review the document with the FAQs, but a few things still came up that I would like to clarify please:1. Our understanding is that if a client is located outside of Nova Scotia, we would still have to contact the licensing board of the province where the client is located and follow their procedures. So, what does the change mean then? What is different from the previous procedure?The change that has been made is that psychologists registered outside of NS, but elsewhere in Canada, do not have to obtain registration with NSBEP in order to practice via telepsychology with a client located in NS. While NSBEP was able to make this change for clients within NS, it does not have control over how other jurisdictions operationalize their legislation. Psychologists are still be expected to contact the licensing board where the client is located and to follow their procedures.

Does it mean that some provinces might have no additional requirements – and therefore NSBEP is saying that they would continue to govern the practice of the psychologist and telehealth could proceed?No, as mentioned, psychologists would need to check with the other jurisdiction to determine requirements. Regarding your question about the comment on governing practice, should a psychologist registered with NSBEP receive a complaint against them, NSBEP would still retain authority to investigate the complaint as that psychologist is registered with NSBEP. More information on potential complaints is noted in page 2 of the FAQ,

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Cross-jurisdictional_telepsychology_services.pdf

But telehealth practice could not proceed if the province requires licensure in that province?You would be expected to follow the requirements in that province if the client is located there. Many have adjusted their requirements to allow the psychologist to keep seeing existing clients who might be located in that regulator’s jurisdiction during COVID-19.

2. What about clients who spend summer months – temporary residence – outside of the province? Is the process different if they are in New Brunswick or PEI (so within Atlantic) or elsewhere in Canada?Yes, the MOU in the Atlantic Provinces will continue to allow psychologists registered with NSBEP to simply provide notification to the regulator in the other jurisdiction in Atlantic Canada and provide services, rather than requiring them to be formally registered.

For more information please see the NSBEP page on telepsychology:

https://www.nsbep.org/information-for-registrants/telepsychology/

Your follow-up questions and replies from NSBEP are (in bold) below.

Where is the original completed test kept (is it part of the patient’s medical record in a clinic) or is it stored separate from the patient’s medical record?In order to meet standards, psychologists have stored the raw data and protocols separately from the medical record.

If the test is not kept with the medical record, does a summary need to be written in the patient’s medical record detailing the results of the test?YesnDoes the completed test have to be locked up?The standards expect that access be restricted to those competent to interpret results.

For how long is the original completed test material kept?Unless otherwise required by law a registrant shall retain both individual and corporate client records for at least ten years following the last client contact. If an individual client was less than eighteen years of age at the time of last contact, the individual client record shall be retained for ten years following the date of the client’s eighteenth birthday.

For reference to the Standards, Guidelines and Legislation psychologists are expected to follow, you may consult the following URL:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Binder_Standards_Legislation_Guidelines.pdf

The Board has responded to registrants reaching out about raw data and test protocols, as well as having been in contact with Government contacts and others as noted below.

Here is the response that we have provided.

The Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) provides that the NS Health Authority is the Custodian of records. As such, we recognize they would be responsible for ultimately making decisions on such matters, but could delegate specific functions to employees who would act as “Agents”. If the Custodian is amenable to putting in place some type of mechanism to lock down the portion containing the raw data and testing material protocols that would be ideal; however, it may not be what they ultimately agree to, so we must consider the following clause from the Standards for Providers of Psychological Service in such a matter, along with the realities of PHIA:”Since the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology has the right to regulate psychology only, these Standards are to be understood to refer to psychological services and training (as opposed to services and training in other professions), even where the adjective “psychological” is not explicitly used, and psychological service units are not intended to interfere with the larger organizational structure in which they are embedded.”The NSBEP recognizes that the reality of the NSHA being the custodian places psychologists in a challenging position with respect to standards where they conflict with the direction of the custodian. We have contacted our representatives with the NS Department of Health and Wellness to share these challenges and concerns. In response, we were advised that as an initial response, the first stage of this conversation should take place between the registrants and NSHA in the role of employer. This is recommended to ensure that the concerns have been fully and officially communicated to NSHA. You may find it helpful to share the above information with NSHA.

We are also consulting with other regulatory Boards across Canada to see if there are any other practices being followed that we could consider adapting. I have heard back from the Registrar in Alberta, and he indicated that Alberta Health Services has made specific arrangements to have test data access highly restricted and separate from the main clinical file. It would be nice if Nova Scotia Health would consider doing the same.

Registrar

As you probably recall, the following is a stated requirement in the Conditions of Candidacy for those on the Candidate Register:You are not permitted to engage in your own independent practice work during the period of candidacy. It is important for you to have access to a registered psychologist for collegial support, consultation and supervision relating to workplace matters. If a psychologist is not available onsite then another manager/supervisor who can provide evaluative feedback to your Board Supervisor would be acceptable. In this instance you must have another psychologist for collegial support and consultation about workplace matters, in addition to your NSBEP Supervisor.

In keeping with the above requirements, candidate registrants could be co-owners with a registered psychologist, but they would need to have workplace supervision available to them, in addition to their NSBEP supervisor. They should be able to name the registered psychologist(s) who can provide workplace supervision and consultation. It would also be important to have a plan in the event that the registered psychologist left the practice/partnership, as otherwise it would become an independent practice of 2 candidates.

Sure. I added this email address to her record in the database and then followed the process that the registrant would use to send her the link to get a new password. The reason she would not have been able to do this is because the address was not in our records. I received the attached confirmation that the email was sent to her email address that she provided.

Actually, in future all you need to do is go to add the second email address in the database and then visit the link where any registrant would login, and click the link “forgot password”. Then enter their registration number and email address and it will send an email to the registrant. I am happy to help with the geeky stuff as well.

So in order to approve a change registration status to Out-of-Province, NSBEP will still require proof of her registration in the other jurisdiction. Such proof does not have to be any special letter or form, just something verifying her registration is active.

Once you receive this proof, then you can change her registration to Out-of-Province from Full registration, to take effect at renewal time.

It would be good if you could ask to change the status from suspended to deceased. (FYI – If the status is changed to deceased it will only show as “no longer registered” if they are ever looked up in the public NSBEP directory)

You have reached the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology.

Although the Board’s office hours are Monday through Friday 9-1, please feel free to leave a message. We aim to respond within 24-48 hours on working days but may respond more quickly if we are able to do so.

Alternatively visiting our website at www.NSBEP.org may answer your enquiry. We strive to answer frequently asked questions on our website. You may also reach us by email at nsbep@nsbep.org.

I have a two-part question about maternity leave and the EPPP, which I am hoping you can answer JnI became a Candidate Register effective Sept 9th, 2016, which means that my deadline to write the EPPP was September 9, 2018. However, I had a year-long maternity leave, and simultaneous removal from the register, effective October 2nd, 2017 – October 1st, 2018.

When is my new deadline to write the EPPP?Sep 9, 2019nI am again preparing for another maternity leave July, 2018 – July, 2019. What would my deadline then be in consideration of this period of removal from the registry?If she either withdraws from the register or goes on the inactive register for Jul 2019-July 2020, then her new deadline would be Sep 9, 2020.

She is eligible to take the EPPP at any time even during a withdrawal from the register or if she goes on the inactive register.

Ethically, we would generally refer the registrant to II.42. II.43, II.44 in the Code of Ethics for Psychologists (Fourth Edition).

Legally my understanding is that there is no legislation specific for professions compelling a psychologist to report another treating professional, as there is in Ontario. The Psychologists Act does not have such a clause and we do not have umbrella legislation for health professionals in NS so each regulatory body has its own statute meant to govern its own members, not those in other professions. The exceptions would be if the concerns somehow fell under the purview of legislation such as Adult Protection, Children and Family Services Act, etc. She may wish to contact Child Welfare as a general enquiry and complete a general consultation without providing the client’s name. Since this person is now an adult they may be able to quickly answer but it still could not hurt to check with Child Welfare.

She might also consider working with the adult client and encouraging them to contact authorities again, though I’m not sure how this would work with police if this was already reported. However this could still be a step the psychologist might encourage the client could be encouraged to take.

Yes, NSBEP would recommend that you consult the Telepsychology Guidelines

https://www.nsbep.org/information-for-registrants/telepsychology/ nAnd,Pages 2 through 4 of the Email Update from NSBEP, concerning Informed Consent and other virtual considerations:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/March192020_COVID19_Bulletin.pdf

Other Email Updates re COVID:

https://www.nsbep.org/information-updates-for-registrants-during-covid-19/n

For Practice Outcome Monitoring, we are looking to confirm that there has been systematic evaluation of service provision using a questionnaire or measure to evaluate the effectiveness of the psychological services provided. These may be standardized measures such as the Beck Depression or Anxiety Inventories that are used to monitor the patient’s progress through, and response to, the treatment provided. There could also be patient questionnaires (either developed by the clinician or obtained elsewhere) with ratings related to the client’s perceptions of the effectiveness and appropriateness of the psychological services provided. There is no need to submit documentation if the measure you are using is in common practice, but you should include less commonly used measures.

I don’t think they know much about registration fees for psychologists. You could let her know that there are no taxes on registration fees so no other version of receipt that could be provided.

Hi,To answer your question, the new Board member position would take effect for the October 23rd meeting. An orientation session would be provided to new Board members prior to the Board Meeting

I would treat it as an existing client. Although we often use 2 years in many contexts, we don’t have a timeframe for existing vs. new clients so I’m fine to view it as existing.

To answer your question, for the provision of services via telepsychology to an existing client located in Nova Scotia, NSBEP has temporarily suspended the requirement to complete the Courtesy Registry application process.

You send an email to notify NSBEP via E-mail In this email, provide your Registration Number, Jurisdiction of Registration, and Contact Information, as soon as possible.

No application fee is required. After sending your information, you may begin services with clients as soon as is necessary; there is no need to wait to receive confirmation from NSBEP before providing service. Please note that the above applies only to provision of telepsychology services to existing clients.

For the provision of telepsychology services with new clients or to apply to provide in-person services in Nova Scotia, please continue to use our existing courtesy register

We would consider the activities to be within the scope of practice of psychology if a registered psychologist is carrying them out, notwithstanding the title of the position. However, we offer the accommodation in relation to Courtesy Register to allow you to quickly begin your courtesy registration.

For non-registered individuals, they are not psychologists. and if not using the title of psychologists we do not see them as practicing psychology.

Please note that NSBEP is only speaking for the province of Nova Scotia.

While the psychologist in private practice could stipulate that the session be done virtually, if they feel at risk, the client could decline the virtual session. Again, if they feel at risk, the psychologist would not be forced to do an in-person session. However, the psychologist should be sure that they have considered whether alternatives have been considered or referrals elsewhere made. It would of course be important for the psychologist to work through the ethical decision making process and document their process/rationale. We would reiterate that the back to work guidelines for psychologists approved by Public Health are minimal requirements, and that requiring social distancing and mask use could be combined.

With that said, it may be an expectation of the NSHA/provincial government that psychologists working in the public sector or receiving public money may be required to accommodate clients who wish to be seen in-person.

To answer your question, we do not feel that refusing to see someone who was not vaccinated would be supported.

However, the Covid-19 Guidelines do provide other steps that you could take. You could consider virtual care, if appropriate. Additionally, you could combine some of the measures allowed in the guidelines such as both wearing a mask and social distancing.

As you have noted, you did not locate an authorization in the file to release the content of of the file.

There may be legal mechanisms that interested parties can utilize to obtain access to the file, but in the absence of a legal requirement to provide the information, the professional standards would otherwise continue to apply, and you would maintain confidentiality, as you would for a living client.

Additionally, under the Personal Health Information Act, an individual may be designated as a substitute decision maker who could access a record. If this were the case for his wife, then this designation may extend beyond death. I’m sorry but NSBEP cannot provide legal advice and cannot say for certain that if his wife was designated as a substitute decision maker that it would continue to extend to this point in time. We can only state that this may apply and you would need to obtain legal advice in the event that his wife raises this matter or would like to investigate such a question at this time.

Most recently NSBEP has approached this situation in the following ways:1. The candidate was encouraged to seek out a different NSBEP supervisor, and the former NSBEP supervisor could provide workplace supervision if desired.

2. In the event that the candidate was unsuccessful in securing another NSBEP supervisor, you may request that your current NSBEP Supervisor continue to provide supervision for the remainder of candidacy. If you would like to request this exemption, you should submit a letter (by email) and the request would have to be reviewed by the Registration Subcommittee of the Board. The Board does not guarantee pre approval of this arrangement. Should this option be desired, a psychologist would need to be secured who would be prepared to act as a backup or alternate NSBEP supervisor should a conflict arise during the remainder of supervision. While no formal supervision would be required from this supervisor, a plan should be established to consult with them throughout the remaining supervision period to ensure they are accessible for consultation with any issues that could arise.

To answer your question on part-time hours, anything less than 35 hours per week (including direct and indirect client work). With regards to setting up a private practice, there are a couple of other steps you could take. These would be to review the NSBEP Standards for Providers of Psychological Service, in the context of private practice. As well as review the below PDF for a listing of relevant legislation and other guidance you might see through the lens of operating a clinic:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Binder_Standards_Legislation_Guidelines.pdf

Finally, we would suggest that that document on starting and operating an independent practice might be helpful:

https://cpa.ca/cpasite/UserFiles/Documents/publications/PAA%20Guidebook.pdf

Covenants and Restrictive Covenants are not uncommon, though I would not go so far as to suggest they are common. We would not state they are unethical. The covenant applies to the psychologist not the client. I would expect the client could choose to seek out the provider of their choosing. However, if the employee signed a covenant and decided tonleave they would need to refer to a lawyer since it is legal contract and potentially the employer could seek a remedy under beach of contract. Also, the wording of the covenant would be important. Does it state the employee cannot solicit clients of the practice if they leave or that they will not provide service to clients of the practice if they leave the practice, etc. Ultimately if a registrant is uncomfortable if is up to her to see if they can negotiate the contract or whether to accept the offer to work there.

According to Provincial Law (age of majority), someone is not an adult until they have reached the age of 19. It would not be unreasonable for a registrant working with the adult population to consider providing service to an 18year-old.

To answer your question, yes more information will be provided after the last day to withdraw nominations passes. This will take place on September 18th. Registrants will have 2 weeks to vote.

A former psychologist can act as custodian of files.

I wanted to let you know that the office will be closed December 22 to January 1, 2019 and will reopen January 2, 2019. Additionally , we have been advised that likely the entire floor of our building will be closed over much of the time between the above dates. Therefore, if you were planning on coming by and dropping of a cheque or putting it through the mail slot, you likely won’t be able to do so over some or most of these dates.

However, please note that the online renewal system will remain functional. You have the option to renew now and make your renewal pending until the end of 2018 and the system will not process payment until that time, or you can provide a cheque now that post dated until December 31, 2018. If you do choose to provide a cheque, please remember to complete the online renewal process and select the payment by cheque option.

Since the renewals must be completed by December 31, 2018, we are unable to accept payments after this date.

To answer your question, please see the attached fee guide from APNS. Please note that NSBEP does not set the fees nor define what is reasonable, but APNS has a recommended fee.