N.S. counselling therapists regulator implements Mass Casualty Commission recommendation

The Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists went to work within weeks of the Mass Casualty’s Commission releasing its final report and recommendations. 

And now, John Hubert says the regulator for RCTs has been able to implement one of the recommendations put forward by the commission.

In the final report, the Mass Casualty Commission recommended proactive monitoring by professional licensing bodies. 

The recommendation suggests professional licensing bodies should:

• monitor their members proactively to better ensure the safety and well-being of their licensees’ clients/patients
• through careful monitoring, track and proactively demand accountability when discernible patterns of unethical or illegal behaviour are uncovered; and 
• take steps to promote awareness of complaints mechanisms, including by requiring that licensees prominently display the Code of Ethics and information about the complaints process in their offices/clinics and online. 

“Trying to figure out how to be a bit more proactive in identifying patterns of behaviour that might lead to something like this is very difficult in the context of a very legalistic complaints process that is complaint-driven,” Hubert, executive director and registrar of the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists, said in an interview on Friday. 

“So while we’re working on those things, the board felt that one of the things we could do right away is address the other part of the recommendation, which is really about making sure clients are better informed.” 

Hubert said the regulator is among the first in its field to bring their clients’ attention to its complaint process.

The practice, which came into effect in December 2023, has RCTs verbally tell their clients that there is a complaints process and how to make a formal complaint. 

“We found a lot of people don’t realize that they have a right to complain,” Hubert said. 

The regulator has also posted a step-by-step video and infographic, which includes additional information for members of marginalized communities, on its website. 

However, there was some pushback at a recent panel discussion for RCTs across the province.

“The concern of the mass casualty situation, that’s kind of nice but it’s all after the fact, right?”

– John Hubert

“The imposition of such a heavy hammer put(s) our profession in a suspicious mind with our clients and should have involved greater conversation within our profession rather than such a misplaced interpretation,” voiced an RCT during the discussion at Acadia University last month. 

But Hubert said the board sets the standard for practice and doesn’t always do widespread consultations. 

Other than that, he said “very little resistance” from RCTs is mostly surrounding the process. 

When it comes to bringing forward a complaint regarding a client, Hubert said the process is more complicated and has typically been reactive. 

“We try to be as proactive in letting counselling therapists know what the standards are and the clarity on it and to assist them on being able to meet those standards,” he said.

“But beyond that, we wait for a complaint from somebody in the public generally and react to that and our complaints and professional conduct process kicks in there.” 

Hubert pointed to the tragedy that unfolded on April 18 and 19, 2020, when a gunman killed 22 people during a 13-hour rampage.

“The concern of the mass casualty situation, that’s kind of nice but it’s all after the fact, right?” he said. 

Hubert said the Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Network, a forum for all 22 health regulators in the province, is working on the recommendation put forward by the commission.

But he said the difficulty is “seeing it coming and being able to make those things actionable in a disciplinary and legal way.” 

Hubert said the board will bring forward its ideas but isn’t going to act in isolation as it did with the public complaint process. 

The Progress Monitoring Committee of the commission’s recommendations last met in December and is likely to meet four times a year. However, the committee’s role is not to ensure compliance.