What activities can a psychologist perform?

Activities reserved for psychologists under Quebec’s Professional Code

A “reserved activity” is a professional activity deemed to pose a risk of harm if not performed by a qualified and competent professional. Quebec’s Professional Code outlines the reserved activities for psychologists in Quebec:

• Practicing psychotherapy
• Diagnosing mental disorders (including intellectual disabilities)
• Diagnosing neuropsychological disorders
• Assessing the psychological and mental functioning of a person with a mental or neuropsychological disorder, as confirmed by a diagnosis made by a qualified professional
• Assessing an adolescent in connection with a court decision under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (2002, Chapter 1)
• Assessing a person in matters of child custody and access rights
• Assessing a person who wants to adopt a child
• Assessing a student with a disability or adjustment difficulties as part of determining an intervention plan under the Education Act (Chapter I-13.3)
• Assessing a child who is not yet eligible for preschool education and shows signs of developmental delay to determine rehabilitation and adaptation services tailored to their needs
• Deciding on the use of restraint measures
• Deciding on the use of isolation measures in accordance with Quebec’s Health Services and Social Services Act and the Act respecting health services and social services for Cree Native persons

Special tasks for which the psychologist is a designated professional

Quebec law designates psychologists as professionals authorized to perform certain activities necessary for pursuing legally regulated procedures or fulfilling specific administrative requirements. These include:

• Holding information sessions on parenting and mediation (Regulation respecting family mediation, r. 0.7, from Quebec’s Code of Civil Procedure, Chapter C-25.01). Only accredited psychologists may offer this service.
• Assessing individuals who wish to become parents through medically assisted reproduction (Act respecting clinical and research activities relating to assisted procreation, Chapter A-5.01).
• Holding the information session on psychosocial and ethical issues that is mandatory in a surrogacy project, in accordance with Quebec’s Act to reform family law with regard to filiation and to protect children born as a result of sexual assault and the victims of that assault as well as the rights of surrogates and of children born of a surrogacy project (2023, Chapter 13; Ministerial Order AM-2023-5103 of the Ministère de Justice).
• Certifying that a surrogate is incapable of giving consent in accordance with the Act to reform family law with regard to filiation and to protect children born as a result of sexual assault and the victims of that assault as well as the rights of surrogates and of children born of a surrogacy project (2023, Chapter 13; Ministerial Order AM-2024-5310 of the Ministère de Justice).