One of the largest services funded by ICBC is the psychological treatment of individuals injured in motor vehicle accidents. Under the provisions of Part 7, individuals are entitled to psychological treatment for injuries arising out of motor vehicle accidents. Psychological problems include depression, PTSD, anxiety, pain management, and adjustment to neuropsychological injuries, to name a few. In order to maximize treatment outcome, it is critical for treating psychologists to understand and negotiate their way through the myriad legal and insurance issues which pervade the case. While your graduate training well provide you with the expertise for assessing and treatment of psychological disorders, understanding the numerous stakeholders and the “rules of engagement” can be a daunting tasks. This workshop is intended for those future psychologists who wish to provide treatment for individuals injured in motor vehicle accidents.

The purpose of this workshop is to lay the groundwork to demystifying the many legal and insurance issues that can be easily dealt with or become stressful stumbling blocks for the treating psychologists, particularly for those newly entering the field. We have brought a stellar panel of prominent experts in the field to share their wisdom and guidance. Topics included will include ICBC Part 7 Benefits guidelines for psychological intervention, conducting assessments and treatment of clients, reporting requirements when multiple stakeholders are involved, issues of confidentiality, and maintaining neutrality/ objectivity and professionalism amidst competing role expectations from stakeholders. We will also bring in legal experts to talk about the treating psychologist as an expert witness, as well as introducing guidelines for the medical legal reports required to meet the criteria of admissibility. While most your clients’ cases are settled and only a small percentage of cases go to court, the workshop will also discuss what to expect in providing court room testimony. Information provided will be provided from the plaintiff and defense counsel perspective.

This workshop is viewed as a primer from which to build your knowledge base. Even if you do not currently plan to do this type of work; inevitably, you will be faced with this type of referral. This is an excellent opportunity to learn from experts in the field.