Have you considered becoming more involved in OSRP leadership around Advocacy, Professional Development, and more?
Are you Board-Curious? Or Committee-Intrigued?
MP Stephen Ellis’s Private Member’s Bill C-323, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (mental health services), received its second reading on April 25.
Read the transcript of the complete debate, with PC and NDP members pushing the government on all fronts to change this unfair tax for good:
Here are some key quotes from MPs:
"...what can we do to help support all Canadians? We can modify the Excise Tax Act and eliminate the taxes on psychotherapy services and mental health counsellors. Even though we may say this is not a huge issue, we have an opportunity to do something. The government needs to look at opportunities so we can stop talking, make a difference and do something to help the health of Canadians." - MP Stephen Ellis, introducing the Second Reading of his Bill
MP Ellis's answer to the first question, from the Speaker of the House:"We can find proper titles for professions such as psychotherapist and mental health counsellor. I think that it is possible, then, to group together all professions offering the same services even if they have different names. I think that this is a way to find the process that will be best for all Canadians."
Next question (similar) got the following response from Ellis:"I do not think the nomenclature needs to allow us to not be able to move forward and cause us to have paralysis on this. We need to move forward for the betterment of all Canadians."
"The Bloc Québécois is really pleased to support Bill C‑323 to make a real difference in the lives of those who need help and to offer them a GST exemption." - MP Mrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Salaberry--Suroit, BQ)
"I want to talk a bit about our party's history on this. A 2017 NDP-sponsored bill would have removed GST from psychotherapy services. Bill C-218, sponsored by my colleague from London—Fanshawe, would also have removed GST from psychotherapy services. It is currently out of the order of precedence, so, again, we commend our colleague for moving this forward. The same colleague from London—Fanshawe presented a petition to the House of Commons to remove GST from counselling therapy and psychotherapy services. That petition received over 14,000 signatures. When the Conservatives' order of precedence comes forward, we do like it when they take NDP bills. This is something we are just starting to get used to." - MP Gord Johns (Courtenay-Alberni, NDP Health Critic, who seconded MP Lindsay Mathyssen's Bill first read Dec 2021 in the House.
Unfortunately, last week all 14, 244 House of Commons petition.signatories received a disappointing message from the Finance Minister.
This message is not new and has been received by her constituents and other letter-writers for years. This does NOT mean that our cause is hopeless.
As reported HERE in the March 28th Central, and ongoing since then, several MPs and their staff have advised that their offices have been flooded with GST/HST exemption letters.
The newly-merged Advocacy Committee + HST Task Force met April 14, and brought renewed energy to meeting with politicians and decision-makers, now that we are all fully briefed on this important issue.
WHAT IS OSRP DOING? Click here to read more:
Important actions and meetings are arising from your activism, and we will keep you informed of all new developments.
Click here to read the Finance Committee's recommendation, echoing bills from two opposition parties, and our press release!
The CRPO has posted five new practice CBA questions here, in addition to the five previously available: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y527JZ9
They have also highlighted key resources for CBA prep, or simply to avoid complaints.
These resources have been shared with the OSRP.
The “Informed Consent Workbook” is a useful guide to everyday practice.
So is the Core Competencies document.
The reviews are in – our April 6 debut hybrid event was a hit!
Left: Lisa E. Hamilton, Partner, Bell Temple LLP, Litigation Lawyers
Centre: Rachel Fulford, Event Producer, Co-Moderator
Right: Alethia Cadore, Executive Producer, Host, Co-Moderator
“The first session in the Protect series on Risk Mitigation was exactly what I needed to learn about minimising risk in my psychotherapy practice. Thank you for the key learnings and the reminder to care for self. The CBA case questions review was also highly informative and lessened my anxiety about this process.Thank you for creating this series!” - Roberta Currie, RP, Clinical Member, Collingwood
“What I found most helpful about the Risk Mitigation webinar was gaining a fuller understanding of the rationale behind the CRPO’s Case-Based Assessment, as well as how the CRPO will be responding to and supporting various scores. I now see the assessment as an opportunity to evaluate and sharpen my understanding of the CRPO's Professional Practice Standards.” - Dana K, RP, Clinical Member, Toronto
Surveys are unanimous – the seminar was relevant, the speakers were knowledgeable, and the seminar’s delivery made the material accessible to all participants.
GOOD NEWS – it's not too late to purchase a PS: Protect Seminars Flex Pass which will give you access to the April 6 video, PowerPoint and other valuable materials from this event…and the next four seminars!
The OSRP Board wants all members to have access to this incredible “Risk Mitigation” session. It’s a must-watch for your practice.
It’s like a $2,000+ legal consult + CBA Prep Session – all for the cost of:
$20 for the individual session, or
$75 for all five seminars – whether you attend in person, online, or simply receive all materials sent to your inbox.
“It’s the deal of the century,” as one satisfied member told us.
***Flex Pass – availability extended to JUNE 1***
Click HERE for more information & to register.
THANK YOU to the 118 registered members - your support makes it possible to continue offering these programs.
Protect yourself with five seminars offered throughout 2023. Starting with CRPO QA, take a dive deep into culture, sexuality, our cyber world, and then land with you. Yes, you.
Can’t wait to see you, virtually or in person.
Registration is open! Flex Pass available till June 1, 2023.
Also - did you know that the OSRP has launched the second edition of its BIPOC Bursary Program?
See our HOME PAGE for details on how you can donate to help a fellow OSRP member, or someone who wants to join!
Or simply CLICK HERE TO DONATE
OSRP proudly welcomes 1,309 people among its members: 548 Clinical Members, 310 Qualifying Members, 418 Student Members, 16 Retired Members, 7 Friends of the Society and 10 Honorary Members. Thank you to each and every one of you for your continued support.
At this time last year, we counted 1,057 members: 485 Clinical, 234 Qualifying, 308 Student, 16 Retired, 6 Friends of the Society and 8 Honorary members.
OSRP is keeping pace with the growth of CRPO Registrants – 11,000+ by last count.
(Did you know there are more than double the number of RPs compared to Psychologists registered in Ontario?)
What a tremendous story of greater presence as more and more RPs, RP(Q)s, Students and Retired Members are moved to call the OSRP their professional home, and enjoy all the benefits of membership.
We appreciate the opportunity to grow with our valued members into a space of leadership among Ontario’s mental health professionals.
The CRPO is asking all Registrants – and members of the public – to have their voices heard re: proposed amendments to the Clinical Supervisor definition.
Feedback received through this survey will be considered by Council.
The deadline to submit feedback is April 30, 2023.
The draft revised definition is available here.
Did you know:
This is a great opportunity to invite folks who might appreciate the low member-only pricing on PS: protect yourself: PROTECT SEMINARS, and exclusive access to after-seminar-materials including video – a member-only benefit.
April 1 is a terrific start date for a new member, with a minimal financial commitment up front.
Other members-only benefits are listed in this handy INVITE TEMPLATE, which you can address to your colleague as a special gift from you.
Please find a list of membership benefits – including health insurance, discounts on many products and services, access to the ListServ, and so much more – HERE.
Thank you for welcoming new members, and making OSRP the professional home for over 1,200 Ontarians…and rising!
The good news: Our efforts are being NOTICED.
OSRP members, united in a National Coalition, have been effective and impactful.
See OSRP Facebook post of volunteers with Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Carolyn Bennett as just one example of helpful contact with changemakers.
But there is some not-so-great news. It doesn’t seem that the GST/HST Exemption for our profession is in the 2023-24 Federal Budget. This is disappointing, given the launch of the House of Commons petition in September 2022, and all the great work by OSRP members signing, sharing and sending letters to their MPs.
Members of the OSRP Advocacy Committee, buoyed by the Finance Committee recommendation to remove GST/HST on mental health services, and the new Bill introduced by MP Ellis, asked you to write LETTERS. And write you did!
Those letters, and all that pressure, opened the door to several extremely important meetings with government MPs/Cabinet Ministers, and with the Finance Minister’s staff.
Please keep writing your well-informed and respectful letters and emails to your MP, and/or politely engaging with them about this at virtual or in-person community gatherings — it really, really does help. We are building a coalition that includes government leaders!
From our meetings last week, we repeatedly heard:
To join the Advocacy Committee please click HERE.
To read our updates, please visit our webpage ADVOCACY CORNER.
The CRPO has responded to questions and concerns from OSRP members.
Thank you to all members who shared their questions and concerns with the Board. We were active in amplifying and relaying your voices. The CRPO has responded.
The CRPO indicates that each year, 20% of all registrants will be randomly selected to do the CBA. (Half in spring; half in fall.)
This will replace the previous random selection of registrants for a “Peer and Practice Review.”
“2023 CBA dates are as follows: Spring CBA: Friday, May 26 to Sunday, June 4, 2023
Fall CBA: Friday October 27, 2023 to Sunday, November 5, 2023
Registrants who have been randomly selected for the May 2023 CBA will be notified the week of February 27, 2023.”
So, after five years, it seems that all Registrants will have taken the CBA.
“The CBA is intended to assist RPs in identifying opportunities to improve their practice with the goal of supporting safe, ethical and effective care.”
CRPO clarified that it is not meant to be punitive. Nor was it created because of a large number of complaints from the public. (See chart below.)
“Each health college is obliged to have a QA program that satisfies section 80.1 of the RHPA (Minimum requirements for quality assurance program). In introducing the College Performance Measurement Framework, or CMPF, the Ministry of Health established the expectation that all colleges would ‘effectively administer the assessment component(s) of its QA Program in a manner that is aligned with right touch regulation.’
Not all colleges have updated their programs since this requirement was introduced. As the Ministry is beginning to enforce the standards set by the CPMF, it is reasonable to assume that the other health regulators will be…revising their approach to how they deliver QA program elements in order to comply with the expectation that they align with the right-touch approach.”
COTO uses a competency assessment process and a risk-based selection process: https://www.coto.org/registrants/quality-assurance/competency-assessment”
We requested further information re: how our College’s registrants compare to others in terms of complaints. CRPO shared the following table:
COLLEGE
FORMAL COMPLAINTS* in 2021
REGISTRANTS as of 2021
College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO)
132
4,620
College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO)
16
6,452
College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO)
420
193,405
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO)
1751
45,183
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)
69
9,220
*Note that these numbers are for complaints received about all registrants of each college, not just those practising psychotherapy.
CRPO indicates they are “committed to an ongoing evaluation and will be reviewing every offering of the CBA. This evaluation will include accessibility. RPs will be consulted at each step of the program delivery…those RPs who would benefit from any form of accommodation are encouraged to participate by providing specific, constructive feedback. Additionally, accessibility was considered in designing the process and in the selection of the assessment platform.”
The CRPO is “in the process of engaging with a consultant to review accessibility across all core regulatory processes, including the QA Program.”
“CRPO will be working with an expert in competence assessment and quality assurance for ongoing competency requirements to evaluate the results of each CBA sitting. Part of this evaluation will be an equity impact assessment of the program that will be undertaken to identify any differential rates of success among BIPOC RPs, registrants who are Neuro-Diverse or disabled as well as RPs from other equity-deserving communities that may have faced barriers to entry to the profession. CRPO now has an active Diversity Equity and Inclusion Working Group that will be able to provide guidance around applying an equity and intersectional lens to evaluation of the program.”
OSRP Members please note:
“Registrants will be asked to provide self-identification data that will assist CRPO in carrying out an equity impact assessment of the QA Program.” All OSRP members are encouraged to confidentially self-identify in the CBA process if they are comfortable doing so.
CRPO indicates that: “CBA development has been informed by the perspectives of a diverse group of 50 professionals representing a variety of psychotherapy modalities, communities of practice, and lived experiences. As the program continues to be developed, CRPO will be recruiting more RPs and will actively seek out the involvement of registrants who may face barriers.”
CRPO indicates they are committed to continually improving the CBA. “Results will be assessed after each offering.”
OSRP members taking the CAB are encouraged to fill out the survey afterwards.
The OSRP is offering guidance re: the CRPO Standards, and support with the CBA in our first PS: protect yourself Protect Seminar on April 6. REGISTRATION LINK
Please contact us at mail@psychotherapyontario.org if you require additional support or resources.
CRPO adds that “the changes to the QA Program will result in a program that is more risk-focused; does not create unnecessary burden for clinicians who are already knowledgeable about the Standards; and assists registrants who demonstrate gaps in their knowledge of the Standards to avoid breaches that could lead to complaints about their conduct or care and – most importantly – harm to clients. This approach ensures that CRPO and registrant resources are used in a way that is most likely to mitigate any risk of harm to the public without creating undue burden on the profession.”
The CRPO has suggested that members “review the College’s Quality Assurance Enhancement Project webpage, which is updated regularly and provides accurate, up-to-date information about the project and links to the other QAP resources. We would also encourage you to review the January 11th message (Addressing misinformation about CRPO's QAP enhancement project) that was sent to all registrants…
Finally, the full set of Quality Assurance Program Policies are available online; they provide a complete overview of the requirements, process and approach that CRPO will be using to administer the QAP in accordance with right-touch and risk-based principles.
I’d also note that a brief update on the project will be provided at the March 29 Council meeting.”
COUNCIL AGENDA - please note QA item scheduled for 2:25–2:40 PM ET
To register using the Council Meeting Observer Registration Form will allow you to receive the link to watch the live stream.
How do you stay nourished, regulated and avoid burnout? We all want to know. Learn and share with world experts in their fields.
Develop in community. Safe and effective, together.
Click here to download the flyer. Please share with colleagues and friends! Flex Pass available until May 1.
Protect yourself with these five seminars offered throughout 2023. Starting with CRPO QA, take a dive deep into culture, sexuality, our cyber world, and then land with you. Yes, you.
And a big thank you to the 82+ members who have already signed up!
Can’t wait to see you, virtually or in person, starting April 6.
Analysis of the most common causes for complaints and lawsuits, with advice on how to avoid mistakes, and minimize the risk of discipline or malpractice judgments.
Members discuss CRPO Case-Based Assessment (CBA) with practice questions.
Date: April 6, 2023
Only available only available through the purchase of a "Flex Pass" or "Next Best Thing" registration.
Lisa E. Hamilton, Partner, Bell Temple LLP, Litigation Lawyers. Bell Temple LLP is recognized as one of the top 10 insurance defense boutiques in Canada.
AN INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL COMPETENCY: WHAT IS IT?
The CRPO has clearly mandated all Registrants to continue developing cultural competencies. This roundtable event discusses what this actually means in practice.
Date: Thursday, June 15, 2023
Time: 11 AM-1 PM ET
Location: Central YMCA, 20 Grosvenor St, Toronto (Grosvenor Room) and online via Zoom
Date: Thursday, July 6, 2023
Time: 5-7 PM ET
Location: Online via Zoom
Lawrence Murphy, MA, Counselling Psychology, and Instructor, Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University. Lawrence Murphy is the founder of Worldwide Therapy Online, the world’s first online clinical practice, established in 1994.
Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Time: Noon-1 PM ET
Q&A with Presenter Online via Zoom
Dr. Andrea Celenza, Ph.D., is a Psychoanalyst, Psychologist, and world expert who literally wrote the book on Sexual Boundary Violations: Therapeutic, Academic and Supervisory Contexts. She is a Training and Supervising Analyst, Boston Psychoanalytic Society/Institute; faculty, at Mass. Institute for Psychoanalysis; and Assistant Clinical Professor, Harvard Medical School.
Who Takes Care of the Caretakers? How do we resource ourselves and self-regulate to avoid “compassion fatigue,” burnout, illness and enactment?
Date: Sunday, November 26, 2023
Time: 4–5:30 PM ET
Dr. Krissy Doyle-Thomas, Ph.D., Medical Neuroscientist, Professor in Brain Disorders Management, Mental Health and Disability Management at Mohawk College, is an expert in brain-related medical conditions and mental health. Dr. Krissy was recognized in CBC TV’s “HERstory in Black,” and named an honouree in 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women 2022.
NON-MEMBERS:
$50 + HST per event to attend in person or virtually. No post-event access to video or materials.
OSRP MEMBERS
Option 1: Live Pass (per event)
$10 + HST to attend in person or virtually and receive post-event access to video & available materials.
Option 2: Next Best Thing Pass (per event)
$20 + HST for post-event access to video & available materials. Pass available until Dec 31, 2023.
Option 3: Flex Pass (live access and all available materials for all events)
$75 + HST for guaranteed attendance to all five events and post-event access to video & available materials. Pass available until May 1 2023.
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