Upgrading Your Certification

Upgrading from one certification to another involves filling out an upgrading form with the accumulated clinical hours needed for the upgrade.  

• A qualifying Student member can upgrade to an RPC-C member 
• A qualifying RPC-C member can upgrade to an RPC member
• A qualifying RPC member can upgrade to an MPCC member

Note: All Upgrade Requests include a $50 upgrade fee (plus applicable taxes).  Once the upgrade is approved, the difference in your membership dues will be required.

An MPCC member can apply to become a Qualified Clinical Supervisor (MPCC-S).  This is not an upgrade but rather a specialization requiring additional specific education.  There is an application fee of $75 (plus applicable taxes) for all MPCC-S applications.

 

1. Qualifying Students Upgrading to RPC-C     [Upgrade Form]

• Ensure that you have completed all of the Educational Requirements.
• Send an email to upgrade@cpca-rpc.ca with "RPC-C Upgrade" in the subject line. Attach all of the following documents to the one email:
• Complete RPC-C Upgrade Form
• Official educational transcripts
• Copies of all training certificates
• Two letters of recommendation (one from an educational institution, and one a character reference) 
• Current CV or resume
• Send Original Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sectors Check (and not older than 1 year)
• Send upgrade fee of $50 (plus applicable taxes)
• Successfully complete the CPCA Qualifying Exam

 

2. Qualifying RPC-C members Upgrading to RPC     [Upgrade Form]

• Regular quarterly submissions of Quarterly Supervision Reports need to be up-to-date. 
• Watch the Instructional Video (14 min) on how to how to use and fill in the Quarterly Supervision Reports
• Complete the Upgrade to RPC Form and send it to upgrade@cpca-rpc.ca with "RPC Upgrade" in the subject line.
• Check out the Glossary of Terms for Reporting Direct Client Contact and Professional Currency document and the Qualifying Types of Clinical Supervision document to assist in completing the RPC Upgrade Form.
• After Supervision Hours are complete, fill in the Candidate Evaluation of Supervisor form and submit it to submissions@cpca-rpc.ca 
• Your supervisor must also fill in the Supervisor's Evaluation of Candidate form and submit it to submissions@cpca-rpc.ca 
• Send upgrade fee of $50 (plus applicable taxes)
• Once the upgrade is approved, the difference in your membership dues will be required.
• If you are not already a qualifying RPC-C, you will need to successfully complete the CPCA Qualifying Exam.

 

3. Qualifying RPC members Upgrading to MPCC     [Upgrade Form]

• Complete the MPCC Upgrade Form
• Check out the Glossary of Terms for Reporting Direct Client Contact and Professional Currency document and the Qualifying Types of Clinical Supervision document to assist in completing the RPC Upgrade Form.
• Print off the form and have your Supervisor sign it
• Submit 2 letters of recommendation attesting to clinical skills and experience
• Send Original Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sectors Check (not older than 1 year)
• Send to upgrade@cpca-rpc.ca with "MPCC Upgrade" in the subject line.
  
• Send upgrade fee of $50 (plus applicable taxes)
• Once the upgrade is approved, the difference in your membership dues will be required.

 

4. Application to become a Supervisor (MPCC-S)   [Application Form]

• This application is only open to members who hold an MPCC designation from the CPCA
• The process to receive an MPCC-S designation is a 2-Step process:

Step 1: Become a Provisional MPCC-S by completing the following:

• Complete the MPCC-S Application Form 
• Gather all documentation needed (see page 1 of application)
• Send to application@cpca-rpc.ca with "MPCC-S Application" in the subject line with all attachments.
• Send upgrade fee of $75 (plus applicable taxes)
• Once approved, the difference in your membership dues will be required.
• Send MPCC-S Recommendation Form to those who are recommending you (see details in the application form) and have them forward it to application@cpca-rpc.ca 

Step 2: Complete Supervision Hours as a Provisional MPCC-S 

• Complete 100 hours of documented clinical supervision as a provisional MPCC-S
• Provide verification that you received clinical supervision for these supervision hours 
• Submit the MPCC-S Supervision Hours Verification Form to application@cpca-rpc.ca 

Note: An applicant who has already completed 100 hours of supervised clinical supervision hours may be eligible to submit these hours if they were completed after 30 hours of required supervision education. 

 

 

 

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 Qualifying Types of Clinical Supervision

Direct: In-person or distance through online venues, Observation in Session, Review of Recorded Sessions, Co-Counselling
Indirect: Case or Documentation Review, Case Consultation, Skill or Self-Care Strategy Consultation

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One-to-One Structured

• 24 of the total 150 hours minimum requirement for Candidate members must be individual sessions regarding clinical practice. 
• This type of supervision is in individual sessions with a registered Qualified Clinical Supervisor (QCS).

Day-to-Day Clinical Consultation

• This type of supervision is with a workplace clinical supervisor, a Qualified Clinical Supervisor (QCS) (MPCC-S), or an experienced clinician who must have expertise in the area of consultation.
• This supervision includes individual and/or group sessions, phone calls, face-to-face immediate consults, or clinical oversight as a result of employment or placement in a mental health setting. This is more than day-to-day administrative oversight.

Direct Observational

• This type of supervision is with a Qualified Clinical Supervisor (QCS) and includes either recorded audio/video or in-session observation with permission.

Group

• This supervision is facilitated by a Qualified Clinical Supervisor (QCS) (max. 8 participants)
• This supervision includes case summaries, technique/intervention education, role play, moderated discussion about client cases & clinical practice.
• It can also address issues and/or enhance strategies around self-awareness and self-care.

Mentoring

• This type of supervision is facilitated by an intentionally matched experienced clinician/therapist/mentor who is also registered as a Qualified Clinical Supervisor (QCS), is recognized as a Supervisor in the field or meets the equivalent requirements.
• This includes a planned agreement between mentor and mentee of goals and expectations, where the counsellor/mentee is being observed by the QCS/mentor. (Coursework hours are reported as Professional Currency)

Other: ie. One-to-One Self-Care with a Qualified Clinical Supervisor (QCS)

• This type of supervision addresses personal life impact and self-awareness either in prevention or recovery.

Supervision of Supervision Hours

• This type of supervision is for Master Practitioners who have completed a minimum of 30 hours of education related to providing supervision as a Qualified Clinical Supervisor (QCS) and are completing the 100-hour requirement to be fully registered as an MPCC-S.
• This supervision requires the senior supervisor to co-sign forms of attestations for practicum students and candidates.

Keep in mind that the purpose of supervision is two-fold:

1. Safety for Clients “ Do No Harm”
2. Development and Expansion of Counselling Competencies

 

NOTE: Peer Debrief/Consultation, individual or group, is valuable but is not a substitute for Clinical Supervision.