A new Health Professions and Occupations Act in British Columbia replaces the Health Professions Act to "streamline the process to regulate new health professions, provide stronger oversight, provide more consistent discipline across the professions, act in the public interest and protect patient care in the province, while also laying the groundwork to further reduce the total number of regulatory colleges.” Counselors and diagnostic and therapeutic professionals will now be regulated. The colleges for dietitians, occupational therapists, opticians, optometrists, physical therapists, psychologists, and speech and hearing professionals will be combined. The colleges for chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopathic physicians, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncturists will be combined. A new regulatory oversight body and an independent disciplinary tribunal will be created, as well as a reformed complaints process that takes into account cultural safety and humility.
October 26, 2022
UK: report urges regulation of care staff in children's homes
The final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recommends "introducing the regulation of care staff working in children’s homes in England and young offender institutions and secure training centres in England and Wales." The report also recommends that all professionals should be legally mandated to report child sexual abuse and face criminal sanctions for failure to do so. Mandated reporters would include police officers, social workers, family court advisers, foster carers, children’s home staff, teachers and healthcare staff working with children.
October 13, 2022
BC proposes single regulator for lawyers, notaries and paralegals
The British Columbia government has released a proposal to create a single regulator for lawyers, notaries, and--for the first time in BC--paralegals, with the intention of making it easier and more affordable for the public to access legal services and advice. The Ministry of the Attorney General has had meetings with the Law Society of British Columbia, the BC Notaries Association, and the BC Paralegals Association. Key reforms in the intentions paper include a single regulator for all current and future legal service providers that would establish requirements and standards of practice, an election/appointment process to ensure that the board reflects all British Columbians, an adaptable licensing system to respond to the changing legal landscape, a focus on the public interest rather than membership-driven, and culturally safe support within the complaints process.
September 12, 2022
Calls for dog trainer licensure
The Alliance for Professionalism in Dog Training, a joint organization of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, has proposed model legislation that would require state licensure and continuing education for dog trainers. The CCPDT is currently working with legislators in New Jersey, California, and Illinois. The organization's model legislation takes into account literature and research promoting science-based training standards and prioritizes positive reinforcement rather than punishment as a training approach.
May 17, 2022
Michigan considers reinstating dietitian and nutritionist licensure
In 2014, the Michigan legislature repealed the licensure requirement for dietitians and nutritionists. A bill introduced in teh Senate and referred to the Committee on Health Policy and Human Services would reinstate requirements for those wishing to use the titles dietitian or nutritionist to complete a course of study accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, pay a yearly licensure fee, pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration exam, and complete continuing education requirements.
April 20, 2022
New Zealand: changes to engineering regulation
New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has announced changes to engineering regulation, making registration and licensing mandatory. The current Chartered Professional Engineers register is voluntary. The new system will require all practicing engineers to be registered and those working in high-risk fields to be licensed. Engineering New Zealand supports the new regulatory framework.
April 13, 2022
Iowa considers certified professional midwives
Iowa is considering a bill to license certified professional midwives, joining 35 other states that regulate the profession. Opponents to the bill argue that it doesn't adequately address transfer agreements and coordination between midwives and hospitals. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is in favor of restricting midwives' scope of practice to carefully defined low-risk pregnancies. Some such restrictions about medical liability insurance and written collaboration with a physician have made it more difficult for midwives to practice. In 2019-20, the number of home births in the US rose 22%.
April 07, 2022
Report released for AHPRA's administration of health practitioner registration and notification
The Community Affairs References Committee has completed an inquiry into the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency's administration of health practitioner registration and notifications. The report includes 14 recommendations. One proposal is to refer low-risk notifications to health practices and services, with AHPRA only handling clinical issues relating to patient safety. Concern was raised about the stress and detrimental impacts of the current system. Another proposal would remove the mandatory requirements to report to AHPRA about a health professional's conduct if it poses a risk to the public. Concern was raised that the reporting requirements discourage health professionals from seeking help and treatment. Other recommendations include regulation of the use of the title "surgeon;" a more flexible re-entry to practice model; regulation of social workers, aged care workers, and personal care workers; simplification and enhanced education and support about notifications and other complaint pathways; and analysis and improvements in notification timeframes.
Ontario to regulate behaviour analysts
Under the Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis Act 2021, applied behaviour analysis will be created as a new health profession with its own scope of practice. Behaviour analysts will be regulated under the re-named College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario. A working group of the College is consulting with stakeholders to develop regulation requirements. The College will work with the Ontario Association of Behaviour Analysis to incorporate the new profession into quality assurance, client relations, and standards of practice policies. The composition of the College council and committees will be amended to include representatives of the applied behaviour analysis profession.
March 02, 2022
Maine considers registration for residential construction contractors
A bill under consideration in Maine would require residential construction contractors to be registered by the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. In addition to basic contact and business information, the registry would include the contractor's website, number of years in business, any criminal convictions or bankruptcy petitions in the last 10 years, insurance, and any other occupational licenses held in any jurisdiction in the last 10 years. Registration renewal would be annual.
The commissioner of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation testified against the bill, noting that a licensing program's purpose is to set minimum standards, not address issues of fraud such as those that prompted the bill.
