Title protection for psychotherapy under the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) is scheduled to come into effect on November 29, 2027. Until that time, the title of “psychotherapist” is not yet protected in British Columbia, and registrants are not required to make any changes if they use that title in their practice. The College recognizes that many registrants have questions about how the title protection provisions will apply to regulated social workers who provide psychotherapy. The College is actively engaging with government and regulatory partners to seek clarity and support an approach that recognizes the longstanding role of registered social workers (RSWs) and registered clinical social workers (RCSWs) in providing psychotherapy services.
BCCSW is committed to keeping registrants informed as this work progresses and will provide guidance well in advance of the implementation date so that registrants have sufficient time to understand and respond to any changes that may be required.