CARP-BC Society 2001 Annual Report
Annual General Meeting was held March 21, 2002
President's Report
The Canadian Association of Rehabilitation Professionals is now in its 32nd year. Our BC society was incorporated 31 years ago and as we look back, the changes in our profession and indeed in the helping profession have changed the health care system substantially.
We now have over 2600 members across Canada with approximately 650 of those coming from BC. This past year of 2001 was activity on many fronts.
We continue with development of membership and public relations through more exposure at various conferences. The committee chair Cheryl Hagen sits on the national membership and public relations committee, assisting with the development on national initiatives.
The board attended a strategic planning session in November where it become apparent that professional development was to be a major continuing goal.
To this end, Margo Greiner’s professional development committee has arranged a partnership with NETWERCC in order to offer educational workshops to 3-4 other areas of the province. Watch for that announcement. Another area, which we are delighted with, is the successful commencement of the first Canadian masters program in vocational rehabilitation at UBC this past January.
Communication with our members continues with the Rehab Review which continues to be published quarterly as the BC and National CARP magazine. This committee should certainly be recognized for its dedication under the co-chairmanship of Richard Carlin and Seann Atley.
Professional regulation continues with the development and promotion of regulation of persons working in the field of rehabilitation to demonstrate professional competence to clients, payers, industry, agencies and other stakeholders. Anita Gill has been chairing this committee.
To keep us all fiscally on track, our treasurer, Gene Wallace-Deering has been setting up systems of accounting and budgeting for each committee.
As your president for the past 2 years, I have been representing you both here and at a National level through my chairing of the national research and development committee, the national fellowship ad hoc committee and in the position of president elect for National.
I am indebted to the dedication of our BC board for the many hours of work, which they have each put in to their positions. Thank you.
It is with confidence that I pass the presidency of this society onto a new board to continue on this successful journey.
Judy Alexander
President
CARP BC Society
Professional Development & Education
The Professional Development and Education Committee provides members with professional development awareness and opportunities for acquiring and maintaining acceptable education and practices in the profession of rehabilitation counselling.
Committee highlights during 2001 include the following:
- Commenced a survey of educational opportunities for rehabilitation professionals. This information was shared with The University of Calgary, for inclusion in a database being developed by the newly inaugurated Council of Rehabilitation Educators.
- Participated in planning the conference, The Aging Workforce, New Challenges ~ New Opportunities, March 21, 22, 2002, co-sponsored by The Workers’ Compensation Board of BC and CARP BC.
- Represented CARP BC on the Advisory Committee of the annual SFU Rehabilitation Management Conference. The May 24-25, 2002 conference focuses on treatment.
- Formalized a partnership between CARP BC and NETWERCC, for the purpose of providing 3 – 4 regional educational/training workshops each year. Local CARP members will be responsible for organizing the event. A workshop fee will be charged.
We acknowledge the need for the development and maintenance of competence in rehabilitation counselling. Herein lies the cornerstone of our ability to deliver quality service to our clients. Through our mutual commitment, we are developing a recognized standard of excellence as Rehabilitation Professionals.
The responsibility to share our knowledge and skills with colleagues belongs to each of us. You are invited to communicate your areas of expertise and availability as an educational presenter, to the CARP Board. In this way, we can all contribute to the expansion of professional development opportunities throughout the province.
Respectfully submitted,
Margo Greiner, MA, CCRC
Membership & Public Relations
Current members
- Cheryl Hagan - Chairperson Cameron Kline - meeting recorder
- Lucinda Socha - new member contact
- Mary-lynne Brooke - web person contact
- Donna Denham - central contact and resource for all committees
- Judy Alexander - BC Pres & frequent attender - thank you for your input
- Ann White - retired - thank you for participation
Membership Committee 2001 in Review
- Cheryl Hagan returned to the membership committee after taking a leave of absence to pursue educational goals. Thank you - Greg Travers for filling in during absence
- Review of current and proposed changes to BC web-site submitted by web designer
- Produced a current BC members directory
Goals for upcoming year - 2002
- To interact with current and new prospective CARP members, seek feedback and maintain on-going communications
- To update and revise our web-site and link closely with National office - ie members directory now on line at National web-site
- Showcase BC conferences, educational & training opportunities on our BC web-site
- To contact NEW CARP BC members and welcome them to the association; provide updated contacts and relevant information
- To set up a contact network across the provincial regions in BC and list on contact persons on the BC web-site
- Participate on the National Membership committee; share marketing strategies and work together to develop a consistent marketing image across provinces
Newsmagazine
Four issues of the Rehab Review were published this past year: "Education and Technology", "Sports, Recreation and Rehabilitation", "Psychiatric Issues and Rehabilitation", and "Rehabilitation: Public, Private and Non-Profit".
Continued effort has been made to have the Rehab Review serve our national membership. We want to thank those individuals and companies that have made the editorial content and advertising reflect this desire. We want to further increase the relationship and participation of all of our members across the country.
Our committee over the past year has been comprised of Judy Alexander, Seann Atley, Janet Burgess, Richard Carlin, Christine Gallienne, Maria Howard, Alex Jackson, Susan Parr, and Dean Powers. Donna Denham, our office manager, continues to play an invaluable role in coordinating all of the many tasks required to put out each issue. Rhonda Shade has expanded our advertising sales and her efforts are appreciated.
We wish to thank Judy Marshall and the National Office for their ongoing support. There are a number of issues which will need to be addressed in the future and their guidance and assistance will be appreciated.
On a sad note, our designer and publisher, Steve Hartley died unexpectedly in January 2002. He worked with the Rehab Review for many years and his presence will be missed.
The future of the Rehab Review is filled with many exciting and interesting changes. It is the wish of this committee that this publication continue to provide a means for connecting all of us involved in the rehabilitation community regardless of where we live and work.
Respectfully submitted,
Seanne Atley and Richard Carlin
Joint Editors and Chairs of the Rehab Review
Professional Regulation
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Mandate
"To advocate for the professional regulation of vocational rehabilitation practitioners"
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Background
The Professional Regulation Committee evolved from the Health Professions Committee, and with the support of the general CARP membership in 1992, submitted an application for designation as "Rehabilitation Practitioner" under the Health Professions Act. In this submission, Rehabilitation Practitioner is defined as:
"a vocational rehabilitation professional who assesses and counsels persons with disabilities and/or disadvantages, and who facilitates, manages, and implements individual rehabilitation plan to ensure effective vocational and/or avocational outcome for these individuals."
Within the context of the Health Professions Act application, vocational rehabilitation is defined as:
"a coordinated process which may include assessment, counselling, education, training, job placement, job accommodation and environmental adaptation that enables individuals with disability to secure, retain and advance in a suitable employment."
Research undertaken at that time concluded that approximately 350 professionals might be eligible for regulation as Rehabilitation Practitioner. CARP-BC application for designation under the Health Profession Act was reviewed along with other "counselling" professionals. The committee at the time objected on the basis that a rehabilitation practitioner’s body of knowledge extended beyond affective or adjustment counselling and included foundations of rehabilitation, medical aspects of disability, vocational case management, etc., and that the educational requirements and standards of practice were different than that of the other "counselling" applicants.
In 1997, the Health Professions Council submitted its recommendations in regards to the counselling profession to the Ministry of Health. Essentially the Council decided that the regulatory model established under the Health Professions Act was not an appropriate way to regulate the divergent activity of counselling. It was the Council’s view that it would be virtually impossible for a single College of Counsellors to establish, monitor and enforce educational requirements or practice standards for all counselling practitioners.
The Council acknowledged "some risk of harm" in the unregulated practice of counselling, and that some form of regulation was necessary. The Council further recommended that an alternative regulatory model with the following key features for counselling be explored:
- A registration system for anyone engaged in counselling, broadly defined, prohibiting unregistered practice and requiring the collection of information as to qualifications, area of practice and professional title
- A certification system to give exclusive right to use a descriptive title for specialist practitioners with the basic requirement of a master’s degree and two years supervises clinical work; the specialty groups, qualifications and training being further determined by a board representing various counselling disciplines, other health disciplines such as medicine, psychology, and the public
- A centralized complaint and discipline process, and a common code of ethics
- Exemption from registration for persons regulated under other statutes, or employed by government and its agencies, such as schools, hospitals and universities
While the other counselling applicants are exploring the options with the College of Psychologists through a Task Force that continues to date, CARP opted out and independently pursue its regulatory options.
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Purpose of Professional Regulation
Professional regulation is primarily a public protection mechanism. Professional regulation is generally intended to reduce the risk of harm to the consumers, but can also affect the income and stature of the professional. Professional regulation is expected to raise the overall competence and ethical performance through entry and practice standards. With well-defined entry requirements such as mandatory education and/or theoretical/practical training, and/or test of knowledge and skills, professional regulation will enable the consumers to make knowledgeable choices. Practice standards outline the rules and codes of conduct expected of a professional.
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Types of Professional Regulation
The following terms usually come up when looking at professional regulation; each one denoting a certain level of restrictiveness in regulation:
- Licensure – implies the granting or permission to perform a set of activities for which there are no close substitutes, and are illegal for an unlicensed professional to do.
- Certification – implies recognition of the attainment of a specific level of proficiency by a reserved name/title, and prevents those not certified from saying they are, or from using a reserved title.
- Registration – implies listing on a record or register, usually after meeting certain qualifications. It is the least restrictive form of regulation.
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Regulatory Options for Vocational Rehabilitation Practitioners
The committee considered a number of regulatory options and identified a number of practice and process issues specific to the regulation of vocational rehabilitation practitioners as well as other considerations such as costs, legal requirements, etc. With more focused work and specific expertise required, the committee recommended that a consultant be hired to assist in this process. The committee has now received CARP Board approval, and the process to identify and retain the consultant should begin with the new Board and Committee.
Submitted by:
Anita Gill Professional Regulation Committee
Finance
This year we are showing an unexpected deficit in the amount of $2,706.00 due to decreases in anticipated membership revenue, as well as a lack of conference and workshop revenue, which had been budgeted for.
The Balance Sheet
Our retained earnings have decreased during the year by the amount of our deficit. However, our retained earnings are still substantial at $59,987. We end the year with modest liabilities (bills we owe) that will be paid in 2002. There have been no cash flow problems for CARP this year.
The Income Statement
We have an operating deficit at the end of the year at $2,706.00. If we had not made the once-only extraordinary payment to the CARP National Office of $5,000.00 to support the RRP continuing education credit process, then we would have had a small operating surplus of $2,294.00.
COMMENTS
In 1998 CARP BC had a surplus of $318.00 and in 1999 a surplus of $36,189, while in 2000 we had a deficit of $2,609 and in 2001 a deficit of $2,706. It is important to note that the large surplus in 1999 was due to the revenue earned through the Partners in Change Conference. Surpluses like this can only be repeated if there are other conferences that produce similar revenues. Without any revenues from conferences, we are at risk of continuing to run small deficits that will eventually consume our reserves. The challenge for the Board in 2002 is to monitor closely whether expected revenues will be realized, and to cut spending if it appears it will not be. This is not a crisis, but rather prudent management of our retained earnings. At present, we have reserves that would enable us to operate for about eight months without any other revenues being received.
National Director's Report
CARP National has continued with very exciting developments over the past year. With a leaner board (one representative per province plus executive) much has been achieved.
The Research and Development committee held its inaugural meeting of the Council of Rehabilitation Studies in November in Calgary. There were 30 participants from colleges and universities across Canada who worked together reviewing educational programs in rehabilitation and disability studies in Canada and to plan for the future of an evolving profession. Plans are set for the second meeting which will take place just before the national conference and AGM in Ottawa in June.
As many are aware, the RRP certification process has had its frustrations. This continues to be addressed and improved upon. We have the national RRP representatives committee meeting this weekend to review recent changes with the CCRC. They will be working towards making this process easier for members.
National has announced a new e-journal entitled "International Journal of Disability, Community & Rehabilitation" to be launched in the spring. The purpose of the publication is to build the knowledge base amongst practitioners, consumers & researchers, and to encourage the exchange of knowledge and foundational ideas between world regions.
A draft code of ethics is on the national website for people to review and make suggestions.
The national conference and AGM will be held in Ottawa, June 19 – 21st. We hope to see you there.
Gene Wallace-Deering – National Board Member
Judy Alexander – President – National CARP