The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) is working in Alberta to encourage that province to regulate its mental health professionals.
The Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta’s (ACTA) transition to a regulated profession, the association says, will provide a layer of oversight and an avenue for patients to file a complaint, with the knowledge that the regulatory college has the ability to discipline its member. The submission also discusses liability insurance and the importance of having a code of ethics.
“On behalf of the Canadian life and health insurance industry, I am writing to encourage the province of Alberta to move forward with the proclamation of the College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta,” writes CLHIA’s vice president, group benefits, Joan Weir. “Our understanding is that all required elements of a regulatory college have been developed. By doing so, Alberta would follow the lead of those provinces who have already regulated some or all mental health professionals.”
The submission goes on to point out that most insurance plans funded by employers do not reimburse the services of unregulated providers. “Public plans also do not fund these services,” Weir writes, adding that the lack of regulation reduces access and increases wait lists for mental healthcare. “Regulation will broaden the choice of mental health services that are available to the public.”
