BCACC launches first-of-its-kind Practicum Hub to strengthen B.C.'s future mental health workforce

New province-wide platform connects the next generation of clinical counsellors and psychotherapists with practicum opportunities, helping build training capacity and support access to mental health care across B.C.

VICTORIA, BC, Sept. 29, 2026 /CNW/ -- The BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) has launched the BCACC Practicum Hub, a centralized platform designed to connect BCACC student members pursuing careers in clinical counselling and psychotherapy with organizations offering practicum opportunities across British Columbia.

The initiative addresses an important challenge in developing B.C.'s future mental health workforce: connecting graduate students with the supervised, hands-on clinical experience they need as they prepare to enter the profession.

BCACC currently has more than 1,300 student members pursuing master's-level education in clinical counselling, psychotherapy, counselling psychology and related programs. Through the Practicum Hub, these students can now search for practicum opportunities offered by clinics, private and group practices, community agencies, non-profit organizations, and other organizations across the province.

The Hub is currently accepting practicum listings, with placement searches available exclusively to BCACC student members.

The launch represents the next phase of BCACC's broader initiative to strengthen practicum capacity across British Columbia. In June 2026, BCACC released its Practicum Toolkit, a comprehensive resource designed to help organizations establish and operate well-structured practicum programs. Developed following consultation with a range of stakeholders, the Toolkit provides guidance on areas including student supervision, client safety, privacy and record keeping, student evaluation, organizational policies and the development of sustainable practicum programs.

Together, the Practicum Toolkit and Practicum Hub are intended to help expand the number and geographic reach of practicum opportunities, strengthen the development of the future clinical counselling and psychotherapy workforce, and support greater access to mental health services in communities across British Columbia.

"Building B.C.'s mental health workforce begins well before a counsellor enters independent practice," said Michael Radano, CEO of BCACC. "Students need meaningful opportunities to translate their graduate education into supervised clinical experience, and organizations need practical tools to develop those opportunities. The Practicum Hub brings those two sides together."

"This is about more than helping students find placements," Radano added. "By making it easier for organizations across British Columbia to participate in the training of future clinical counsellors and psychotherapists, we can help build a stronger pipeline of well-prepared professionals and, ultimately, greater capacity to provide mental health care to British Columbians."

For BCACC student members, the Practicum Hub provides a single location to explore available opportunities rather than having to identify potential placements individually. Students can search and filter listings using factors such as location, client population, supervision structure and placement requirements, and then connect directly with the organization offering the opportunity.

For organizations, the Hub provides a dedicated channel to reach students actively seeking practicum experience. Private and group practices, clinics, agencies, non-profit organizations and other eligible practicum sites can create profiles and publish listings describing their opportunities, including the nature of the placement, supervision arrangements, requirements, duration and application process. Organizations can manage multiple opportunities and update or remove listings as their needs change.

Importantly, BCACC's role is to provide the platform that connects students and organizations. Participating organizations remain responsible for their practicum programs, selection processes and supervision arrangements, while students remain responsible for determining whether a particular placement meets the requirements of their educational program and their individual training needs.

BCACC is encouraging organizations throughout British Columbia – including those that have not previously offered practicum placements – to consider how they could contribute to developing the next generation of mental health professionals.

The BCACC Practicum Hub is now accepting practicum listings. More information and access to the Hub are available at practicum.bcacc.ca.

BCACC: Founded in 1988, the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) is a nonprofit provincial professional association representing more than 11,000 members. BCACC advocates for the clinical counselling and psychotherapy profession and for improved public access to mental health services. Its regulated members, Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs), are held to rigorous standards of practice and a strict code of ethics in service and protection of the public. More information - https://bcacc.ca  

SOURCE BC Association of Clinical Counsellors

For media inquiries, contact: Joshua Karunakaran, Manager - PR & Communications, [email protected]