Ethics
JamPsych seeks to uphold the ethical standards of the profession by providing practitioners with guidance on ethical conduct through our code of ethics and other supporting documentation, training on current developments in the field, and aiming to provide the best possible service to its members and the public who believe they have been harmed by the unethical conduct of psychologists/counselors.
Have a Concern? File a Complaint Here
A complaint may be filed by a client, guardian, or family member of a client, a JamPsych member, or an individual with personal knowledge of unethical conduct by a JamPsych member.
Ethics complaints and their proceedings are confidential and are managed by the JamPsych ethics committee. The allegations, the names of the parties, and other information are made available only to ethics committee members participating in the ethics review proceedings.
Complaints against a JamPsych Member must be
Written (no verbal complaints will be reviewed by the committee)
Signed by the Complainant
Submitted to the JamPsych Ethics Committee by email to jampsychethics@gmail.com.
Before filing a complaint:
1. Verify that the psychologist/counsellor you wish to file the complaint against is a member of the Jamaican Psychological Society* (JamPsych).
2. You may contact our membership office at jampsychmembership@gmail.com to determine if the Psychologist/Counsellor is a member of the Society. Please be prepared to provide the psychologist’s name, parish of practice, and telephone number of their practice.
*The JamPsych is a voluntary membership organization. We do not have authority over Psychologists/Counsellors who are not members of JamPsych and therefore, we cannot process complaints against non-members.
3. If the clinician is not a member of JamPsych and is found to be in violation, you will be redirected to the Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM; the licensing body).
Download Documents
*Please be sure to sign each of the required releases at the end of the form. Your form will not be processed without your signature and it will be returned to you.
For Practioners
Having an ethical complaint filed against you can be an emotionally taxing experience. Below are some resources to help JamPsych members address any ethical dilemmas and/or complaints.
We encourage all members to review the JamPsych Code of Ethics and familiarize themselves with relevant guideline documents to ensure that they practice within their boundaries of competence and protect themselves against common ethical issues.
Contact info for assistance:
- Once informed that an ethical complaint has been filed against you respond by acknowledging receipt of the complaint and note the number of days allowed for you to provide a formal response.
- Consult with a senior clinician, supervisor or legal representative before responding to the complaint.
- Provide a formal response to the complaint & follow Committee guidance on next steps in the review process
- Do not ignore any complaint (See ethics code 1.06 Cooperating With Ethics Committees)
- Do not make contact with the client and try to sort things out or attempt to persuade him/her to withdraw their complaint.
- Do not submit any additional documentation until specifically requested. Any documentation with identifying information should be provided with relevant consent for sharing.
What to do if a complaint has been filed against you
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