In follow-up to the brief phone contact we had earlier today, please find below my consultation with the College of Psychologists of Ontario outlining the proposed structure of the National Expansion of the Bounce back service and the specific question around registration for psychologists providing the proposed consultation function.

Specifically, my query is whether psychologists overseeing a paraprofessional Workforce in Ontario would be able to assume the same function should the Ontario paraprofessional Workforce be engaged in Frontline service with residents of Nova Scotia or whether there would be restrictions on this because of only being licensed in Ontario .

Thank you in advance for any information you might be able to provide to this consultation. I’m happy to have a free phone call to clarify if it would be helpful.

We would refer to the NS Regulated Health Professions Act and the Psychology Regulations. If the services to the public in NS do not infringe on the Regulated Health Professions Act and the Psychology Regulations then none of the parties would require registration here. Typically, a violation would result from one using a title or description that identifies the direct provider as a psychologist or the services as psychological. We don’t anticipate that would be occurring here based on the use of paraprofessionals, though we understand that there would be psychologists providing supervision to the direct providers. Ultimately if the services are not marketed using terms that contain the word psychology, psychological or a derivative, and the practitioners are accurately identified to the public with a title that is not in contravention of the Act, then this will avoid any infringements and the need for registration in NS by any of the parties.