The Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia is a voluntary professional organization established in 1965 to represent psychology in Nova Scotia. APNS is the only provincial association devoted to representing the needs of psychology professionals in the province. APNS promotes psychology as a profession, as a science, and as a means of promoting human welfare.

Recent Media Releases

Find out more about APNS's new Early Career Psychology committee.

The Nova Scotia Mental Health and Addictions Strategy consultations

Tackling Mental Health Issues Results in Improved Physical Health

Nova Scotia Personal Health Information Act (PHIA)

Latest on PHIA

The Nova Scotia Personal Health information Act (PHIA) is due to come into force on June 1, 2013. For more information on PHIA visit the NS Dept of Health & Wellness website. Also view presentation on PHIA given at recent APNS workshop.

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF NOVA SCOTIA RECOGNIZED FOR WORKPLACE PRACTICES

Receives Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award and Best Practices Honor
from American Psychological Association

Halifax, Nova Scotia [March 9, 2012] — In recognition of its workplace practices promoting employee well-being and organizational performance, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia received the American Psychological Association's (APA) 2012 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award (PHWA) at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 10. One of five employers from across North America to receive the award this year, the organization won in the not-for-profit category. The organization is a previous winner of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia's provincial-level Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award, qualifying it to be nominated for the APA award.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (CPSNS) excelled in its efforts to foster employee involvement, health and safety, employee growth and development, work-life balance and employee recognition. The organization's healthy workplace program, educational opportunities and feedback efforts are several examples of the workplace practices that helped it to earn a 2012 award. APA also recognized CPSNS as a Best Practices honoree for its dedicated steering committee that works to develop and implement the organization's healthy workplace program.

CPSNS's psychologically healthy workplace practices have reaped rewards for both the organization and its employees. Average employee tenure is nearly 10 years, and turnover in 2011 was a low 11.5 percent. Last year, employees responding to an engagement and satisfaction survey unanimously rated CPSNS as either an excellent or good place to work and said they would recommend the organization to others seeking employment.

All employees have an active role as members of the CPSNS Quality Council, the primary venue for discussing healthy workplace issues and developing action plans. Programs that advance fitness and well-being include a generous wellness allowance, healthful meals offered during meetings, an Employee Assistance Program and a smoking-cessation program with a financial incentive. CPSNS offers a variety of in-house classes and workshops ranging from team-building, goal-setting and customer service to nutrition, yoga, first aid and monthly lunchtime learning sessions. Employees say they feel valued and recognized for their work, and report low levels of stress and a high degree of support from colleagues.

“The business world is in the midst of a sea change,” says David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA, head of APA's Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program. “Successful organizations have learned that high performance and sustainable results require attention to the relationships among employee, organization, customer and community. Forward-thinking employers such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia are taking steps to create an organizational culture that promotes both well-being and business success.” 

APA's Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards are designed to showcase the very best from among the award winners recognized by APA's affiliated state, provincial and territorial psychological associations. Nominees are evaluated on their workplace practices in the areas of employee involvement, health and safety, employee growth and development, work-life balance and employee recognition. Awards are given to for-profit and not-for-profit organizations as well as government, military and educational institutions.

More information about APA's PHWA winners and Best Practices honorees is available at www.phwa.org/media . Organizations interested in learning more about creating a psychologically healthy workplace or applying for an award in their state, province or territory can visit www.phwa.org .

February 6, 2012

Canadians Need Better Access to Psychological Services

Ottawa: Today in honour of Psychology Month, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), the Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) and the Canadian Psychological

Association (CPA) joined forces to highlight the need to enhance access to mental health services in Canada.

Mental disorders are a leading cause of disability in Canada and represent a significant burden on the economy. It estimated to cost the Canadian economy $51-billion annually. Psychologists are the largest group of regulated and specialized mental health care providers in Canada. Yet

Canadians, in particular those in lower and middle income levels, face significant barriers when it comes to accessing psychological services due to their cost.

“The services of psychologists are not funded by provincial health insurance plans which make them inaccessible to Canadians with modest incomes or no insurance said Peter Coleridge, National Chief Executive Officer, of the CMHA. This is in spite of the fact that some of the most effective treatments for common mental disorders depression and anxiety are psychological ones like Cognitive behaviour therapy.

The U.K. has invested 400 million pounds over four years to make psychological therapies more accessible, and Australia has also enhanced access to psychologists through its publicly funded health insurance plans adds Coleridge. “Canada must do the same.

“It is vitally important that we look to the needs of the community when it comes to mental disorders and health promotion and that we respond to those in ways that are effective said Dave Gallson, Associate National Executive Director of MDSC. “Our research has found that the lack of insured services prevents a majority of individuals with mental illnesses from seeking the support they need.

Next week the Government of Manitoba is hosting a mental health summit with a focus on children and youth. Seventy percent of adults living with a mental disorders experience the

causes or onset of their disorders before age 18. Early intervention can make a dramatic difference in the course of a disorder and, ultimately in a person's life.

“Psychological services are proven effective in helping Canadians to manage and overcome psychological problems and disorders, added Dr Karen Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Psychological Association. “Canada's private health care insurance plans and publicly funded programs don't do enough to ensure Canadians have equal and adequate access to needed psychological service. Canada's governments and employers must do more to ensure all

Canadians regardless of income � can access the psychological care they need.

APNS Meeting and Presentation to the Mental Health Strategy Advisory Committee

On March 17th the APNS Executive met with the Mental Health Strategy team to discuss implications for psychologists and to present their recommendations for issues that must be addressed by the Strategy. Download the document here.

The Mental Health Strategy Advisory Committee will be holding service provider consultations throughout April. These consultation sessions are happening across the province and are open to mental health and addictions service providers. The service provider consultations are intended to provide a forum for individuals who provide services to mental health and/or addictions clients/patients/consumers. 

Those attending will have the opportunity to provide input into the development of the Strategy, hear what others across Nova Scotia have said, and build on their points.

Consultations are now closed. More info soon...

To access the Online Consultation, or more information regarding the development of the Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, please visit:

www.nshrf.ca/mentalhealthandaddictionsstrategy

In addition to the service provider consultations, the Advisory Committee will be holding public consultations across the province. See the above website for more informaiton.

Tackling Mental Health Issues Results in Improved Physical Health

It's mid-February, mid-winter and mid-flu season in Nova Scotia with no holidays in sight. Some are lucky enough to go south and others are hoping the Canada Winter Games will raise our spirits, but many are badly in need of a few “mental health days. That is one reason for designating February as Psychology Month. It's a time to remember that mental health has a huge effect on physical wellness. Stress and depression are just two of the issues that may be dragging down physical health. If so, it may be time to talk to a psychologist.

“Amid all the talk of cutbacks for education and health, it is a positive sign that government, corporations and the public are beginning to realize that integrating mental health strategies into primary healthcare can improve the health of Nova Scotians, says Dean Perry, Public Education Coordinator for the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia. “When psychologists work together as a team with physicians, nurses and other professionals, not only can it point to the role that psychological factors play in physical illness, but can identify the first signs of mental health issues.

Taking the team approach can also signify a cost saving to the health care system. It eases the pressure on family physicians, making more room in their schedules to see more patients, thus providing access to more people. Studies have found that patients decrease their use of medical and hospital services when provided with psychological services.

Research suggests that the average savings to the health care system attributable to the addition of outpatient psychotherapy services is about 20%, that is, every $1 spent on psychological services, yields a savings of $5 in medical costs. This figure does not include the gains to the patient's quality of life or to employers and the economy as a result of reduced absenteeism, lowered frequency of workplace accidents or reduction in disability payouts (Chiles et al., 1999) . Furthermore, a review of 35 studies on psychotherapy and its cost implications showed that, in 90% of published studies, the therapy cost was more than offset by other system savings (Gabbard et al. 1997).

A psychologist has the skills and professional training to help people learn to manage stress, alleviate depression and cope more effectively with life problems, using techniques based on best practice research clinical skill and experience. Psychologists take into account an individual's unique values, goals and circumstances.

Psychologists can play a key role in promoting and maintaining the health of Nova Scotians. For more information on how a psychologist can help, contact the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia. www.apns.ca

Nova Scotia Personal Health Information Act (PHIA)

*Update:

Please note that APNS reps are meeting with provincial authorities regarding roll-out and regulations surrounding the PHIA to attempt to address concerns of the profession.

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APNS hosted the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) Forum on Nov 18th. APNS urged its members to attend as we have concerns that PHIA will impact our clients in profound ways. Based on the information we have collected, APNS believes that PHIA may lower the minimum standard of consent for the sharing of health records across a wide domain of health providers and open the door to numerous potential negative implications for our clients and the practice of psychology.

APNS' submission (as well as others) to the Law Amendments Committee  on the Act and status is available here.  Next to "Law Amendments Committee", click on "Print Submissions".    Click on "download all written submissions for this bill".  Within that, scroll down till you come to the "change sheet" which lists all the changes that were accepted by the Law Amendments Committee. 

Read the most recent available version of the Act here

APNS would welcome your input on PHIA as it is being implemented. If you wish to express your opinion or concern, provide information, or relate a personal experience about PHIA please email us at apns@apns.ca.

Please see a summary of the Fourm below. To allow those who could not attend a way of viewing the Forum proceedings, please follow this link.

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Thanks to all who attended or logged-in to the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) Forum on November 18, 2010. The event had a good turnout and achieved APNS' goal to raise awareness of PHIA as well as our concerns about how this may affect client/patient confidentiality. Approximately 70 individuals attended the forum, either in person or remotely by logging-in online. Five panellists presented on PHIA and the forum was moderated by psychologist, Dr. Richard MacGillivray.

•  Suellen Murray, Project Manager, Health Information Legislation Project, N.S. Dept. of Health provided background information on the development of PHIA and an Electronic Health Record and explained a bit about the legal context. Similar legislation has been enacted in other provinces.

•  Elizabeth Iwaskow, NS SHARE/EHR Portfolio Manager, Senior Project Manager e-Health, N.S. Dept. of Health , spoke about the development and workings of SHARE, an electronic data base for health information. She explained that there will be different levels of access for different types of health care providers.

Ms. Iwaskow and Ms. Murray discussed the concept of a “lock box,� a measure of protection that would allow patients/clients to prevent certain individuals from accessing their health information. However, they conceded that this may be difficult to enact in practice. According to Ms. Murray, “custodians� of health records can make decisions about the use and dissemination of information. Unfortunately however, Psychologists working in the public sector and covered by PHIA will not be considered “custodians� and therefore will not have the ability to make such decisions.

•  David Fraser, partner, McInnes Cooper, encouraged Psychologists to maintain high levels of confidentiality. He noted that Psychologists could apply higher standards of confidentiality than called for by this legislation.

•  Psychologist Dr. Myles Genest, Genest Psychological Services Inc. summarized pertinent sections of the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists and addressed the conflict between these and the PHIA.

•  Dr. John Service, Director of the Practice Directorate, Canadian Psychological Association, reported on the national agenda for Psychology and reframed this as an opportunity for positive change within the discipline.

Subsequent to the Forum, the APNS Executive discussed strategies as to how APNS might proceed to monitor PHIA as it is implemented and to continue to make its concerns felt. PHIA has passed 2nd reading in the Legislature and we expect it will be enacted soon. The Law Amendments Committee has now met to discuss PHIA and APNS took advantage of this opportunity to submit a written brief of our concerns.

APNS also plans to take the following actions:

•  Post the link to the archived PHIA Forum for those who were unable to attend;

•  Gather information from psychology regulatory bodies and associations in other provinces to determine how they have handled the implementation of similar legislation in their jurisdictions;

•  Continue to follow-up with media and the Department of Health;

•  Create a place on our website with information on PHIA, as well as a method for collecting feedback.

last updated March 22, 2013