The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
Enewsletter | January 2020
In this issue…
  • Information about Novel Coronavirus
  • Controlled Act of Psychotherapy Regulation
  • Council Elections and Highlights
  • Quality Assurance Updates
  • Practice Q&A: Type of Practice - Clinical or Non-Clinical
  • Reminder: Submit Your 2019 Privacy Breaches
  • Allied Health Professional Development Fund Deadline
Novel Coronavirus Updates
Information and Ministry of Health updates on our website
Information on the novel coronavirus, including updates from the Ministry of Health, is now available on our website . We will continue to update the website and provide eblasts to registrants as required.

Occupational therapists are reminded to follow infection prevention best practices ( See the College Standards for Infection Prevention and Control ). Please contact our Practice Resource Service for any questions about infection prevention by phone at 1.800.890.6570 ext 240, or by email at practice@coto.org .
Controlled Act Approved
The Ministry of Health approves the psychotherapy regulation
It's official! The College has been informed by the Ministry of Health that the occupational therapy regulation for the controlled act of psychotherapy has been approved. The regulation is now in place for occupational therapists to continue to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy. 

As of January 1, 2020, only physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychotherapists and social workers and social service workers who are authorized by their respective regulatory College may perform the controlled act of psychotherapy.
Council Elections and Highlights
Nominations Close and Council Meeting Highlights
Nominations for Districts 2 and 4 Council positions have now closed. Thank you for your participation! 

Congratulations to Julie Entwistle and Jennifer Henderson who will be staying on our Council for another term. They were unopposed in District 2 and therefore will be acclaimed as the successful nominees.

After a long absence, we welcome back Carol Mieras. Carol was on Council previously. She was nominated unopposed in District 4, and therefore will also be acclaimed.

We will say a fond farewell to Patrick Hurteau, who decided not to run again. It has been a pleasure to have him at the Council table and we will wish him well at our next Council meeting in March.
Learn about key decisions in the highlights from the January 28 College Council meeting . All Council meetings are open to the public. Meeting dates and materials are posted online.
Competency Assessment
Peer and Practice Assessments for 2019-2020
All registrants who were randomly selected to participate in a peer and practice assessment for the 2019-2020 registration year have been informed. If you did not receive a letter, you have not been selected to participate in competency assessment for this registration year.
Quality Assurance Updates
Compliance with Quality Assurance requirements & PD plan reminder
The Self-Assessment (SA) and Prescribed Regulatory Education Program (PREP) were due to be completed on October 31, 2019. 99% of registrants completed their requirements by the due date. The Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) is currently following up with any registrants who were non-compliant with these requirements. Please review the policy to learn about the decisions the QAC can make if an OT is non-compliant with annual quality assurance requirements.

Your 2019 Professional Development Plan (PD Plan) is due on May 31, 2020. By now, you are likely well on your way of working towards the goals you set in 2019. Remember to log back into MyQA and note your progress with these goals on an ongoing basis. Your PD Plan is required to be marked completed by May 31, 2020.
Quality Assurance Survey
Thanks for your feedback
We had more than 720 responses to our QA survey and thank all who participated. We appreciate your commitment to quality practice. Your input will inform aspects of the College’s evolving competency assessment process.
Opportunity: QA Subcommittee
Seeking a paediatric OT to serve on our Quality Assurance Subcommittee 
The College is seeking a paediatric occupational therapist (OT) to serve on our Quality Assurance Subcommittee. The term begins on May 1, 2020.

As a member of the QA Subcommittee, you will help develop learning objectives, key messages, and case scenarios for the annual Prescribed Regulatory Education Program (PREP) for occupational therapists.
Q&A: Clinical & Non-Clinical Work
Information about how to identify your type of practice
You asked us : I work in a management role at my organization. Most of my work is administrative but on occasion, I am called in to see a client or talk with a family.

Should I consider my practice to be clinical or non-clinical in nature?
Reporting Privacy Breaches
Submit Your 2019 Health Privacy Breach Report by February 28, 2020
Health information custodians in Ontario are required to report statistics relating to health privacy breaches annually to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario's (IPC) office. How do OTs know if they are a health information custodian? The IPC has a useful resource:  Frequently Asked Questions - PHIPA . 
 
By law, health information custodians that have experienced at least one health privacy breach during the 2019 reporting year—from January to December—are required to report breaches through the  IPC’s online submission website .
 
Reminder to submit your health privacy breaches by Friday, February 28, 2020.
Allied Health Professional Development Fund Deadline
Submit your AHPDF applications by the Monday, March 2, 2020 Deadline
We have learned that the Ontario government will be winding down the Allied Health Professional Development Fund (AHPDF) and will end the fund as of March 31, 2020. Final submissions must be submitted on or prior to March 2, 2020 to be considered.
Any changes to your profile information in the last 30 days? Make sure you update your profile.
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If registrants unsubscribe, they will be contacted to re-subscribe. The College communicates to occupational therapists by email regarding changes to standards, mandatory registration requirements, public consultations and more. We strive to keep communication relevant and to a minimum.

20 Bay Street, Suite 900, Toronto, ON · 416.214.1177 1.800.890.6570 · www.coto.org · info@coto.org