CRPO Communiqué
December 2017
December 19, 2017


Message from the Registrar 
Deborah Adams Registrar


As we approach the holidays and I come to the end of my first year with the College, I wanted to briefly reflect on the last 12 months. Over the past calendar year, we have seen: the close of the grandparenting route to registration; the growth of the College membership from 3,927 to close to 6,000; a move to our own office space; and the passage of some significant legislative changes through the Protecting Patients Act, 2017 . Panels of the Registration Committee have been (and continue to be) incredibly busy reviewing applications. At the same time, we have been responding to an increasing number of complaints and reports , engaging members in the Quality Assurance Program , developing resources for members , expanding our practice advisory service and developing capacity to review and respond to the increasing number of candidates writing the Registration Exam .
 
One of the pieces of work that I would like to highlight is that of the Client Relations Committee. At its November meeting, Council adopted a "Position Statement on Terminology Related to Sexual Abuse by Members". Foundational to the work of the Client Relations Committee (CRC) is a shared understanding of terms that are relevant to the prevention of sexual abuse by members and to an effective process for responding to sexual abuse allegations. This position statement is part of ensuring that each committee and panel of the College is operating from the same understanding of terminology. A shared, working understanding will assist in fostering a clear and empathetic understanding of the impact that sexual abuse by members has on individual clients and on the public's trust in Registered Psychotherapists. It will also allow for consistency of approach to dealing with allegations of sexual abuse. 
 
Communicating with members using these terms will assist in fostering comprehension of their obligations (including around mandatory reporting of sexual abuse) and of zero tolerance. Most importantly, the consistent use of these terms in all information offered to the public will not only educate them about the role of CRPO in providing them with protection from sexual abuse, but will increase the transparency of College processes as well.
 
The position statement is now posted on the website on the  Sexual Abuse by Members  page and I would strongly encourage all members to take the time to review it.
 
Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a wonderful start to the New Year. 
 Quick Links

In This Issue
Important Information About Renewal of Membership for 2018-19

CRPO members are required to renew their membership on an annual basis, before the end of March each year. The Renewal form for the 2018-19 membership year will be available beginning in January 2018 under the "Renewal" tab found in members' user accounts. In addition to the online Renewal form, members will find their membership fee invoice for the next year (April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019) under the "Invoices" tab.
 
Members are advised to pay the membership fee early in the renewal period but no later than March 27, 2018 to allow at least three business days for the bank transfer payment to clear before the deadline on 11:59 p.m. ET on April 3, 2018 (Please note CRPO's office will be closed on April 2, 2018 for the Easter holiday). Once the payment has cleared, you must remember to return to the online Renewal form and click "Submit" to send the Renewal form to us before the deadline on 11:59 p.m. ET on April 3, 2018, or risk incurring a late fee. 
 
It normally takes a regulatory body several months to review all membership renewals. Members can continue to practise as usual while their renewal is being processed.
 
Registration staff will send a message through members' user accounts if there are questions about their renewal (e.g. about currency hours, or if more information is required). Members will not receive a new Certificate of Registration for every membership year but any changes to names, employers or practice sites, will be updated on the Public Register.
 
Detailed instructions for completing your renewal will follow early in the New Year. If you have general questions about the renewal process, please visit the Renewal page of CRPO's website or contact us at  info@crpo.ca .

Transferring to the Inactive Category
Inactive members are practitioners who are not currently engaged in the practise of the profession, or who need to take an extended leave from active practice, but wish to maintain membership with CRPO.
 
A member should carefully weigh their options before applying to transfer into this category since Inactive members are prohibited from:
  • providing or supervising direct client care;
  • providing supervision; and
  • making any claim or representation to having any competence in psychotherapy.

Members in the Inactive category must use the appropriate title: Registered Psychotherapist (Inactive) or the acceptable abbreviated form, RP (Inactive).

 
* Qualifying members and RP (Temporary) members cannot transfer to the RP (Inactive) category.
 
Note: Transferring to the Inactive category of membership is different from resigning membership. If you resign your membership with CRPO, and wish to return to active practice at any future date you will be required to submit a new application for registration, pay all associated fees and demonstrate that you meet all registration requirements at the time of re-application. Thus, if you are only planning to leave for a short time and/or think you might ever want to return to active practice in Ontario, transferring to the Inactive category would be a better choice than resignation. More information about resigning membership can be found further on in this Communiqué.
 
Fees
The annual membership fee for a member who transfers into the Inactive category before the renewal period is $286 +HST.
 
Note : The College does not provide any credit, refund or reimbursement to a member who moves from RP status to Inactive at any point during the membership year, which runs from April 1 - March 31.
 
Professional Liability Insurance
CRPO requires that Inactive members carry liability run off coverage (sometimes called enduring or tail coverage) for a minimum of two years since last practising in Ontario. Review the Professional Liability Insurance section of CRPO's website for more information about insurance requirements. Contact your insurance provider to discuss your options.
 
Note : Members who are covered by employer liability insurance should contact their employer for more information about coverage during leave. The onus is on the member to ensure they have liability coverage which meets the criteria stipulated by CRPO.
 
Renewal of Membership in the Inactive Category
If you would like to switch to the Inactive category for the upcoming 2018-19 membership year, you must notify CRPO in writing no later than March 2, 2018 and everything needs to be complete with your renewal (i.e. complete and upload the Transfer form to your CRPO user account , pay your Inactive category invoice allowing at least three business days for funds to clear the banking system, and complete and submit the online Renewal form) all by April 3, 2018 to avoid incurring a late fee.
 
For more information about the Inactive category or to complete the Transfer form , please visit the Renewal page of CRPO's website and read the "Transferring to the Inactive Category" section.
 
Resignation of Membership
Any CRPO member who wishes to resign their membership should understand what it means to resign. Resignation means your membership with CRPO ceases. Annual renewal and participation in other College programs, such as the Quality Assurance Program, would no longer be required.
 
A non-member may not:  
  • Use the title "psychotherapist", "Registered Psychotherapist" or any abbreviation or variation thereof in any language.
  • Hold oneself out as qualified to practise as a psychotherapist in Ontario (no matter what title one uses).
  • Perform the controlled act of psychotherapy* once it is proclaimed into force. 
A former member wanting to return to practice at any future date must submit a new application for registration and pay all associated fees. The former member would also need to demonstrate that they meet all registration requirements at the time of re-application. Specifically, those members who were initially registered through the grandparenting route would not necessarily meet the regular route requirements. No refunds of membership or other fees will be made. If any fees are owed by you to CRPO, you will need to be in good standing with the College before re-applying.
 
Resignation and Quality Assurance
Former members, who resigned at any point during a Quality Assurance review process, including the Professional Development tool review and Peer and Practice Review, should expect to resume these processes in the event of re-registration with the College.
 
Resignation and Outstanding Investigations
  • If a member resigns during, or as a result of a complaint/investigation into their conduct, a notation to this effect will be made on the Public Register.
  • If the former member then re-applies for registration with the College, the outcome of re-application may be affected by the decision to resign.
  • If re-registered as a member, the complaint/investigation process may resume.
  • If a complaint or report is received after a member has resigned, the College can still investigate and prosecute conduct that occurred while the person was a member. 
Professional Liability Insurance
Former members are advised to maintain run off liability insurance coverage for a reasonable time period after the last date of practise (please consult with your insurance provider for more information).
 
If you would like to resign your membership with CRPO, you may do so at any time by completing the  Membership Resignation form  and returning it to us at  info@crpo.ca. To avoid receiving late notices, incurring a late fee and having your membership suspended for non-payment of fees, your Membership Resignation form needs to be submitted no later than March 27, 2018. No matter when you resign your membership, no refunds will be given for any fees already paid.
 
* Treating, by means of psychotherapy technique, delivered through a therapeutic relationship, an individual's serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or memory that may seriously impair the individual's judgment, insight, behaviour, communication or social functioning.
Quality Assurance Program Deadline Changes 

In August, CRPO announced some changes to the Quality Assurance (QA) Program deadlines. These changes will impact member participation in the Professional Development component of the QA Program. Since then, we have received a number of questions from members, employers and professional associations. These questions and their answers are now available for all to view on the Quality Assurance Program page of our website.
 
To learn more about the changes, please review the information on our website, including the FAQs, the helpful summary document and a recording of a recent session where the changes were discussed. If you have questions about your PD participation requirements or the new deadlines, please contact QA staff at QA@crpo.ca . 
Public Complaint and Investigation Outcomes 

CRPO's Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) is tasked with screening complaints and reports about members. The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) and College By-laws require that certain ICRC decisions be posted on the Public Register . These include an in-person caution, specified continuing education or remediation program (SCERP) and undertaking (a voluntary promise that restricts a member's practice in some way). Minor complaint outcomes, such as taking no action, issuing written advice, or self-directed remediation, are not posted on the Public Register.
 
To promote transparency and inform Members and the public about ICRC decisions, we will publish examples of public ICRC decisions. Please note that because this Communiqué is for educational purposes, the name of the member will not be published here.
 
Caution and Remediation Program
On November 9, 2017, a panel of the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) required the member to appear before the panel to be cautioned in person, to complete a course on boundaries and ethics, to complete clinical supervision, and to have the supervisor submit reports to the College.
 
A report was made to the College by the member's former employer. The report alleged that the member had become involved in an ongoing business arrangement with a client, and the member was therefore engaged in a dual relationship, resulting in a conflict of interest. The College investigated the report, and the member chose not to respond to the allegations.
 
The panel had significant concerns about the member's ethics and judgment; however, the member's clients did not feel harmed and did not file a complaint with the College.  The panel felt that appearing before the panel to receive an in-person caution will impress upon the member the significance of his actions while providing him with a remedial/educational opportunity that will assist him in his future practice. In addition, the panel believed that supervision is necessary to ensure the issue does not recur. The supervisor will provide reports to the College to ensure the member has undergone genuinely reflected and learned from the events.
Controlled Act Update 

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care is proposing amendments to the Controlled Acts Regulation made under the  Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 in order to facilitate proclamation of the controlled act of psychotherapy and affect a transition period for the mental health sector.
 
A summary of the proposed regulatory amendments has been posted to Ontario's Regulatory Registry .
 
We will continue to keep our stakeholders updated with information about the controlled act as it becomes available to us.
CRPO News
  1. New Members Website Section
  2. Election of Council Members 
  3. Holiday Office Closure 
1. New Members Website Section
With the launch of our new website in November, we have updated and added content. One of the new additions was a New Members section. This section of the website contains important information that new CRPO members will find useful on topics such as responsibilities of regulated health professionals, professional obligations (renewing membership, participating in QA, practice standards, credentials, mandatory reporting, etc.), a page for RP (Qualifying) members and more information about CRPO and the resources available to members. While this information will be sent out via email as individuals become members, current members will likely also find this information useful. We encourage you to visit the New Members section of our website for more information.

2. Election of Council Members 
By participating in the election of Council members, either as a candidate or through voting, every member of the College has an opportunity to influence the future of the practise and regulation of psychotherapists in Ontario.
 
CRPO's Council and committees are made up of nine elected members of the College from regions across the province, and as many public members as are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council. Professional members of Council serve an important role by contributing their profession-specific knowledge and experience toward fulfilling CRPO's mandate of public protection.
 
Council members can expect to serve on several committees, some of which meet infrequently, others more often. Time commitments are variable; however, there are usually four full-day Council meetings per year. In addition, each Council member should expect to attend committee or panel meetings one to two full-days per month; preparation time is also required.  Through their work on committee panels, Council members are directly involved in reviewing complex and/or 'irregular' applications for registration, and dealing with complaints about members' professional conduct and/or competence, among other concerns. Committee work is an essential part of every Council member's role.
 
More information about council elections and the role of Council members is available on the Council Elections page of our website. Questions can be directed to elections@crpo.ca .

3. Holiday Office Closure  
Please note that CRPO's office will be closed for the holidays from 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017 until Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. We will re-open at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018.
 

Season's Greetings
From all of us at CRPO, we wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday season and best wishes for the New Year!
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