Abstract
In honouring the tradition my esteemed colleagues have initiated, the opportunity to contribute to this Special Issue is appreciated. Previous authors, Saklofske and Grainger, had an iconic presence that continues to affect ongoing developments.A solid foundation of professional practice in an ever-changing and dynamic field of applied psychology had been set. So much of what was predicted by these seminal leaders is now a reality with additional changes and refinements on the horizon. Information garnered from practicing psychologists, academics engaged in training and research as well as the Saskatchewan College of Psychologists assisted with this current update.
Keywords
“Saskatchewan—Easy to Draw But Hard to Spell”
This familiar quote has also been attributed to our respected Premier, the Honourable Brad Wall (Bouw, 2010). It highlights the fact that many who live outside Saskatchewan struggle with saying if not spelling Sask-at-chew-an, never mind Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where I reside presently. Perhaps this is not the only challenge that other Canadians have when it comes to understanding our province or its people. As a proud resident of this province, I was honoured to be asked to provide this update to Canadian Journal of School Psychology. Just like the province itself, school psychology continues to evolve and to redefine itself. In both cases, futuristic planning has become the norm and we are currently enjoying the benefits of this forward thinking both as a province and as a profession.
Originally, a “back to the future” mind-set was adopted when approaching this writing challenge, where decade-old predictions were revisited and compared with the state of school psychology circa 2016. While paying homage to the previous contributors, Don Saklofske and Jim Grainger (2001), I was impressed with their insights and vision articulated throughout their year 2000 millennial paper. However, some things are impossible to predict. Psychologists working in today’s school systems are challenged to keep up to the rapid changes within education, as well as the changing face of psychological assessment when it is applied to school-age populations. Thankfully, our 20 hours of mandatory yearly continuing education credits monitored by the Saskatchewan College of Psychologists (SKCP) serves to create a climate of accountability that recognizes the need to stay current and up-to-date. That being said, the ever-changing landscape of school psychology in the province provides an array of choices related to assessment and intervention, as well as professional training opportunities. This diversity in terms of the methods of assessment and intervention available to the psychologist working in Saskatchewan schools parallels the landscape of the province itself in that it ranges from bald prairie to boreal forest within its 588,239.21 km2 of arable land (Statistics Canada, 2011). Within this geographical diversity comes the challenges that Saklofske and Grainger referred to previously, in terms of distance and isolation encountered by psychologists working in rural and remote areas of the province. Thankfully, connecting electronically through platforms such as Skype and FaceTime has assisted in reducing the impact of the these geographical challenges to some extent, but the fact remains that psychological services cannot be delivered solely by electronic means. In-person consultation is needed for the majority of services provided, and as a result, major portions of Northern Saskatchewan remain underfunded and underserviced.
Solutions to this complex set of challenges are further exasperated by the fact that multiple levels of government need to be consulted and partnered with in order for any real change to occur. Rather than concentrating on the challenges that continue to exist within provincial boundaries as well as across this country when it comes to providing adequate psychological services to our indigenous populations, the focus of this article will concentrate on the significant changes that have taken place within the practice of school psychology in this province in a relatively short period of time. These positive contributions have served to advance the profession of psychology in general and the area of school psychology in particular.
SKCP Is Formed
Arguably one of the most significant changes since Saklofske and Grainger’s article is the formation of the SKCP in 2002 in accordance with the
Psychologists Act, 1997
. As stated on its website, their mission is
to regulate the profession of psychology through the registration of psychologists and ensure the protection of the public through the ethical, competent practice of the members. The College is a responsible, responsive, and professional organization that respects the rights and dignity of others and the integrity of relationships. (http://www.skcp.ca/pdf%20files/scp-strategy.pdf)
Subsequent to the formation of the SKCP, the Professional Practice Guidelines (PPGs; SKCP, 2008) were developed and then implemented in 2010. This comprehensive document was designed to augment the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists 3rd Edition (Canadian Psychological Association, 2000) and to assist members as they navigate through ethical dilemmas and practice-related challenges. Two SKCP-sponsored workshops were designed to inform interested members while also receiving feedback on this practitioner-centered document. Currently, an ad hoc committee has been formed to review, revise, and recommend changes to the PPGs, which highlights the ongoing responsibility the College has assumed to ensure its membership is well informed and supported in terms of ethical practice.
Entry to Practice in Saskatchewan
Another area of informed discussion among psychologists in the province centers on the standards for entry into the profession. Currently, there are more than 500 registered psychologists in the province with the number fluctuating throughout the year as some members retire or move to non-practicing status and new applicants are accepted as provisional psychologists or have completed all the registration requirements outlined by the SKCP. More specifically, the SKCP currently accepts master’s trained as well as doctoral trained applicants into the profession with designations of registered psychologist (R.Psych.) for the former and registered doctoral psychologist (R.D.Psych.) for the latter. Both streams go through similar steps in the registration process outlined in SKCP’s Regulatory Bylaws (2006), and the steps are summarized as follows:
Completes the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) with a score of 70% or higher
Completes a Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Search
Provides evidence of a master’s degree, 1 year (1,500 hr) of post-master’s degree successful experience under the supervision of a psychologist in a recognized setting, or a doctoral degree, 1 year (1,500 hr) in an accredited pre-doctoral internship or 1 year (1,500 hr) of post-master’s degree successful experience under the supervision of a psychologist in a recognized setting
Provides evidence of having been formally trained in the four foundational areas of knowledge: biological bases of behavior cognitive-affective bases of behavior social bases of behavior knowledge of the psychology of the individual.
In addition, Saskatchewan has the dubious distinction of being one of the few, if not the only, jurisdictions in Canada that has a two-tiered approach to registration that transcends educational preparation and focuses on diagnostic privilege. In other words, it is the applicant who chooses if they are going to apply for an Authorized Practice Endorsement (APE), in addition to meeting the registration criteria spelled out previously. An APE (an unfortunate acronym) requires that those seeking diagnostic privilege meet the following standards as outlined in Section 12 of the SKCP Regulatory Bylaws:
Demonstrated knowledge in areas of psychopathology or abnormal psychology personality and individual difference psychological assessment psychodiagnostics
Demonstration of an additional subset of six practice skills ranging from “establishing therapeutic rapport” to “formulating and testing diagnostic hypotheses” and “communicating diagnostic information clearly and sensitively”
Formal training that addresses specific areas of coursework as well as corresponding supervised experiences in these specific yet overlapping areas of professional practice.
Successful completion of an oral examination before a panel of three independently licensed full-practice psychologists who have the APE designation is required and is sensitive as to whether the provisional psychologist has elected to include authorized practice as part of their registration process. If the provisional psychologist is seeking to apply for the APE as part of their license, the panel will adjust their corresponding review of submitted work samples and interview questions accordingly.
To summarize, entrance into the profession of psychology in Saskatchewan has multiple routes and options. Currently, both master’s and doctoral trained applicants may apply for registration as a psychologist and subsequently must meet similar requirements for registration. These registered psychologists or registered doctoral psychologists may or may not have an APE that would enable them to convey a diagnosis within their declared areas of practice competence. Naturally, most employers, school divisions in particular, would want their psychologists to have diagnostic privilege afforded by individuals’ respective APEs. This is especially germane to the master’s-level psychologists who fill the majority of positions deployed in Saskatchewan schools. Perhaps when the next “cross-country check-in” is completed in 10 years or so, this province will have streamlined its processes for entrance into the profession while adhering to the whatever national standard(s) that have been established at that time.
In Loco Parentis
The advisory posted on SKCP’s website reminds school psychologists about important issues and challenges they might be confronted with when seeking to obtain informed consent. Their employers, who are typically non-psychologists, are often comfortable invoking the in Loco Parentis doctrine which stipulates that teachers/school divisions are literally “in place of the parent.” As such, the non-psychologist employer, according to these guidelines, could provide consent as part of the referral process for the delivery of psychological services when parents or guardians cannot be reached, or in situations where only verbal consent was obtained, or when a parent refuses to provide consent, but the system believes that whatever obtained service would be in the best interest of the child’s achievement. However, the Canadian Psychological Association’s (CPA) interpretation of informed consent, and who consent should be sought from, appears to be more restrictive. This may have led, in part, to an advisory being posted on SKCP’s website for their membership. In part, this advisory provides a firm reminder that psychologists must comply with the Canadian Code when faced with challenges of obtaining informed consent in school settings or other institutions where the legal doctrine of in Loco Parentis is invoked. In part, this advisory provides the following direction:
The doctrine has commonly been applied in school systems to justify discipline of students, but it is appropriately used in that context ONLY when it is applied for the purpose of educating the child. Nor is the doctrine applicable to all persons employed within the institution. For example, the Courts have held that school counsellors in their role as counsellors do not perform services directly related to education, and are not schoolteachers. Thus, the doctrine does NOT automatically extend to the provision of psychological services, even if they are provided within the school. It is also important to stress that being in loco parentis does not allow teachers to “consent” on behalf of parents or guardians in order to provide psychological services to a minor child. (SKCP, n.d.)
However, in addition to being registered psychologists, some members are also licensed teachers in the province. This dual role may place additional stress on these psychologists when their employers insist that as employees of a particular school division, under the expectations of the profession of teaching, they need to comply with their policies and advisories. While the Code is clear that members of this profession must adhere to the “higher standard,” when confronted with dueling directives, it is likely that lawyers on both sides of the argument will have the final say on what presently proves to be an area of contention within some jurisdictions in the province.
The Evolution of Professional Practice in the Province
While changes in the registration and regulation of the profession constitute a significant portion of this update, I would be remiss if I did not address the paradigm shift that has taken place in terms of the manner in which psychologists deliver their services in Saskatchewan schools. In addition, psychoeducational assessment practices within Saskatchewan schools have strived to remain consistent with current “best practices” that are often defined by our American neighbours. While keeping in mind that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach, which has been adopted by all school psychologists in the province, there are some consistencies worth noting.
Response to Intervention
In 2008, the Guidelines for the Practice of Professional Psychology in Schools Within Saskatchewan was published with the endorsement of the Ministry of Education and the Saskatchewan Educational Psychology Association (SEPA). The document promoted the multi-tiered Response to Intervention (RTI) model. The role of the psychologist in Saskatchewan schools, as outlined within the RTI framework, aspired to be one that was holistic, integrated, and focused on prevention as much as intervention and follow-up. This aspirational document became the focus of government-sponsored workshops throughout the province where professionals with successful experiences implementing an RTI model in their home jurisdictions lead the discussion and prospective planning that was to take place. Subsequently, individual school divisions created their own approaches to delivering psychological services within an RTI framework. Although multiple interpretations of the RTI model may exist within the province, it is safe to say that the fundamental principles of the RTI model have influenced the role of psychologists working in schools both directly and indirectly. For example, in some jurisdictions, there are clear expectations that Tier I (school-wide/classroom interventions) and Tier II (targeted/group interventions) interventions are to be implemented prior to Tier III intervention (intensive individual interventions or intensive supports) being recommended. Ideally, the psychologist would be involved at both Tier I and Tier II as a consultant or professional resource while their role at Tier III falls within the more traditional role of engaging in an individualized psychological assessment and treatment process. In some jurisdictions where the demand for psychological services greatly exceeds the human resource capacity available to address these needs, a form of triaging is in place where documentation of preventive and remedial forms of intervention (Tiers I and II) must have taken place before Tier III is even considered as an option. In other jurisdictions, psychologists function effectively as consultants who are able to provide both consultation and follow-up services, in addition to individualized assessment, diagnostic, and treatment/intervention services. Perhaps the next edition of these guidelines will provide us with a more detailed report of how this proposal was received and enacted throughout the province.
Cross-Battery Assessment
One of the most significant changes to Tier III interventions has been the adoption of the Cross-Battery Assessment (XBA) approach. Thanks to advocacy bodies such as SEPA in the past and the more recently formed Psychology Association of Saskatchewan (PAS), psychologists in the province are provided with ample opportunities to obtain their yearly 20 hr of continuing education (CE) credits without having to travel to national or international conferences sponsored by the CPA, the American Psychological Association (APA), or the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Although these professional bodies offer a virtual smorgasbord of professional development (PD) and corresponding CE choices, the typical psychologist’s PD budget may limit them to more local offerings. The PAS has carried on SEPA’s tradition of offering high-quality PD for its membership. As an example, Dr. Dawn Flanagan has been invited to provide workshops on more than one occasion on XBA. More recently, Dr. Nancy Mather’s workshop, on the newly revised Woodcock–Johnson–IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities and Test of Achievement, reinforces some of Flanagan’s recommendations pertaining to cross-battery assessment. If you are unfamiliar with this approach, a quick visit to www.crossbattery.com is recommended. Many psychologists working in schools have either adopted or adapted XBA in their professional practice, and in turn, it has also influenced the training of graduate students in most academic settings. While XBA is not without its critics who remind practitioners that when this approach translates into creating assessment batteries that routinely “mix” test scores obtained from both Canadian and American normative samples, the possibility of obtaining false positives or false negatives may be increased due to the known differences in the derived scores obtained from these divergent populations. In other words, the beyond chance differences obtained from converting raw scores with a Canadian norm table versus the American counterpart have the potential to skew corresponding diagnostic conclusions if statistically significant differences are ignored and tests scores obtained, from multiple norming samples, are combined within a recommended XBA framework. However, the majority of psychologists are aware of these potential psychometric pitfalls and adjust their application of XBA accordingly.
The Future Holds Both Promise and Potential
In closing, the future looks bright for psychologists seeking employment in Saskatchewan. This is not limited to school psychology but can be applied to professional practice opportunities in general. Recruitment of qualified personnel remains a challenge in many rural and remote areas of the province. Those willing to heed the call are often surprised by what these communities have to offer both in terms of professional and community supports, as well as recreational and cultural opportunities.
While the divisions within the profession that were alluded to previously by Saklofske and Grainger (2001), regarding levels of training and licensure as a psychologist, continue in some ways to exist, there has been a shift in the focus of the profession from this to a focus on practice competency and the importance of continuing competency. Within this jurisdiction, I believe that there is an appreciation for the contributions of psychologists at both levels of training and a recognition that the training is different, and thus, the contributions are different. I anticipate that the historical division and tension alluded to by my colleagues will continue to lessen as we move as a country toward more consistency in our licensure standards and philosophy. If one were to look to the membership of PAS and SKCP’s executive council, they would find that they are typically comprised of a mix of R.Psych. and R.D.Psych. members. My personal experience with both of these organizations has been positive and reinforces the fact that it is not the individual’s university degree that matters, as much as their professionalism and corresponding ability to embody CPA’s third ethical principle, “Integrity in Relationships.”
It is premature to predict what the future might hold for master’s trained professionals equipped with a broad skill set that enables them to work effectively within school-based settings. Psychologists working in schools are called to address a myriad of concerns related to both learning and mental health. In particular, those with diagnostic privileges are challenged to meet a growing demand for services, as well as the increasing complexity of the cases referred to them for assessment. These highly skilled psychologists are dedicated to the individuals they serve. The consumers of their services do not ask what degree their psychologist holds but rather acknowledge their dedication and professionalism with an appreciation that transcends any professional boundaries that may have been superimposed in the past.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.