The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
Newsletter | June 2023
In this issue…
  • Video: 2023 Quality Assurance Activities
  • Standards of Practice in Effect, Webinar Q&As and Recording
  • New Resource: Public FAQs
  • Resource: Culture, Equity, and Justice in Occupational Therapy Practice
  • June Board Meeting
  • Presentation: Year in Review
  • June Poll and May Results
Important News
Information and Updates
QA Activities Now Available
Access the Annual Learning Plan and Annual eLearning Module
OTs, your 2023 Quality Assurance (QA) activities are now available. Both the Annual Learning Plan and the Annual eLearning Module are due October 31, 2023.

Access to these activities has changed while we introduce a new and upgraded COTO portal that registrants will access for all their College needs. We thank you for your patience.
Tips for Your 2023 Annual Learning Plan

The Annual Learning Plan (ALP) may be completed in two stages:

  1. Complete the self-assessment and create your goals in the Learning Plan. The responses will be saved in the system once you click “Save and Next.” 
  2. Work towards your goals, then return to the Learning Plan to add the impact of your learning before the October 31 due date. 

This year, you may want to choose short-term goals that can be completed by the October 31 due date. In future years, the ALP will be launched in January so there will be more time to complete goals.


Questions? Please contact us at [email protected].
Standards of Practice
Updated Standards now in effect
The updated Standards of Practice came into effect on June 1, 2023.

Occupational therapists have a professional responsibility to meet the expectations set out in the Standards of Practice. OTs should review the updated Standards, reflect on their practice, and identify any learning needs or gaps to incorporate into practice.
You and Your Practice
Information, Cases, and Resources
Standards of Practice Q&As
Questions and answers from the updated Standards of Practice webinar

A recording of the webinar is available on our YouTube channel.

Please contact the Practice Resource Service if you have a specific practice question or situation that you would like to discuss. 
New Resource: Public FAQs
Frequently asked questions from the public
COTO has a new section on our website dedicated to addressing questions from the public, such as:

  • Are occupational therapy services covered by OHIP?
  • Do I need a referral from a doctor before I can see an occupational therapist?

This can be a resource for everyone, including clients, caregivers, and occupational therapists. If you have ideas for questions, please send them to [email protected].
Culture, Equity & Justice
Occupational therapy practice resource
June is both National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month. We want to celebrate and recognize the culture, history, and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada, and the LGBTQ2S+ communities.

We encourage occupational therapists to check out our Culture, Equity, and Justice in Occupational Therapy Practice document as a resource.

OTs in Ontario serve diverse populations. This resource was designed to help educate and empower occupational therapists. To help OTs develop the knowledge and tools to move toward culturally safer, anti-oppressive practice.
College Governance
Decisions, Directions, and Outcomes
June Board Meeting Highlights
The College Board held a meeting on June 22, 2023. View the key decisions in the highlights from the meeting.
Year in Review
College Registrar and CEO Elinor Larney presented the College's 2022-2023 accomplishments to the Board.

You can view the Year in Review presentation on our website.
Connect with Us
Share Your Feedback and Get Involved
June Poll & May Results
To build public awareness of the professional standards and quality care clients receive when working with a licensed health professional, we recently promoted our video on “What to expect from your occupational therapist."
Have you seen this video before?
Yes, I’ve seen this video on COTO’s social media channels
Yes, I’ve seen this video on COTO’s website
No, I haven’t seen this video before – thanks for sharing!
In May we asked you: Which Standard would you like to see discussed in a webinar next?

We received 406 responses and here's the top 3 Standards you voted for:

  1. 25.9% voted for the Standard for Psychotherapy (105 votes)
  2. 23.4% voted for the Standard for Assessment and Intervention (95 votes)
  3. 16% voted for the Standard for Record Keeping (65 votes)
Thank you for participating in our poll!
The updated Standards of Practice came into effect on June 1, 2023.
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DO NOT UNSUBSCRIBE IF YOU ARE A REGISTRANT OF THE COLLEGE.

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 · [email protected]