by Dr. Michael Foreman, R.Psych.

It’s hard to believe that we are not only into a new year, but into a new decade I hope all have enjoyed the holidays, and are looking forward to renewed pursuits. We have the prospect of new energy and input from a number of members expressing interest in expanding the grassroots involvement within the Association, and I’m glad to have the opportunity to review the various initiatives we hope to build upon as we move forward.

First, we have engaged a web design company to develop a new structure and format for our website, with the expectation that it will be operational in about six months, and that it will meet our needs in communicating with you and providing a source of information useful to the public.

Due to a reallocation of funds to build a full year’s budget in reserve, we are not as far along as we intended to be toward hiring and maintaining consultants in public relations, however, this remains an important element in our strategic plan.

We anticipate the release of the provincial “Ten Year Mental Health Plan” sometime in January, and we look forward to opportunities to respond to the practical application of the Plan in service delivery. The Mental Health Commission of Canada continues to promote the recognition of the
significance of mental health issues in the lives of many, and of the effects of mental illness on individuals, families, and communities. They anticipate the next phase of consultations to begin in March. This phase will be oriented to the further development of strategic planning for mental health service delivery models.

We participate with the BC Alliance on Mental Health and Addications in continuing to press for the needs of mental health services for the homeless, mentally ill, and addicted. However, we must also contend with the challenges of difficult fiscal times and competing priorities that affect the
Health Authorities, and therefore with cutbacks in funding for psychological services.

We have the opportunity to work with the BC Medical Association to develop strategies to broaden access to multidisciplinary mental health resources supporting the efforts of general practitioners and family physicians. We have also been attending meetings with the Health Sciences Association, with the intention of addressing dissatisfaction in the representation and remuneration of psychologists employed in unionized positions.

We have not only been attending meetings. We have created a BCPA working group to review issues associated with possible expansion of publicly funded access to psychological services, or alternative models of fee-for-service structures with government. We have also created a working group to review the issues associated with the development of prescriptive authority for appropriately trained psychologists.

We also have need of input from members interested in the implications for the profession of the application of the Agreement for Interprovincial Trade. This federal legislation will affect the
Mutual Recognition Agreement put together by the provincial regulatory bodies. There will be issues in the protection of the public with identification of practice and the maintenance of appropriate qualifications, competency, and accountability in the delivery of mental health care.

Most imminently, I would like to remind you of Psychology Month (February 2010), which gives us the opportunity to be engaged in public venues providing information about the breadth of psychological services contributing to better health. This year we are also given the opportunity to note the range of issues associated with the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Other opportunities for involvement are with the active committees of the Disaster Response Network, the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Collaborative, and the Community Engagement Committee, which all contribute to the application of psychological services in promoting resilience and health in the community.

In conclusion, I expect that members have noticed the continuing developments in the presentation and production of the BC Psychologist, and that we have been receiving more articles for publication from members. However, I would still like to encourage members to submit more articles that have relevance to the profession, with perspectives or reviews on issues in recent psychological research, ethical issues, or considerations in practice. Articles should reflect grounding in the current literature and science of psychology. It may be that some perspectives will be considered controversial or invite debate but, if maintaining a focus in science rather than personal opinion, the BC Psychologist could be a venue for sharing information of interest to all. If you would care to submit an article, please contact the BCPA office.

It is an interesting time, and we look forward to your involvement and enthusiasm let us know what you think.

Mike Foreman, Ph.D., R.Psych.
President, BC Psychological Association...next page