Communiqué

April 2024

Town Halls – hear what’s going on with your regulator

CRPO will be holding a series of virtual ‘town hall’ meetings over the coming year. The first session will be on Wednesday April 24 from 12 noon until 1:00 pm. At this meeting, the College will provide a general ‘update’ to recap the work that was done in fiscal 2023.

Please look out for an emailed invitation so you can sign up for this session.

Over the year, staff and Council members will present on regulatory issues related to private practice, addressing conduct concerns, DEI work, the College’s trauma informed review, the QA Program and more. We will make the sessions as interactive as possible, so please plan to attend and ask questions.

We will be posting dates and topics for the remaining sessions and will send an email to all registrants so that you have access to the links to sign in and participate. All sessions will be recorded and made available on the College’s YouTube channel so they can be viewed at your convenience if you are unable to attend.

My CRPO Deadlines

What are my professional obligations?

As a CRPO registrant, you have professional obligations that include both scheduled and non-scheduled activities. It is a part of your professional responsibility to carry out these obligations as required. We have developed a useful information sheet (click on the image to access and download the PDF) to help registrants meet their professional obligations and remain in good standing with the College. Please note the information sheet outlines CRPO deadlines for registrants in both the Qualifying and RP categories of registration.

Limits to Confidentiality

In each Communique for 2024, we will be highlighting aspects of the updated Professional Practice Standards , which came into effect on January 1. While the updated Standards contain new content, there is also a lot that has stayed the same as the original 2014 version. This is the case regarding the limits to confidentiality.

The commentary to Standard 3.1 Confidentiality emphasizes the importance of confidentiality in the psychotherapy profession. The commentary goes on to list some of the limitations to confidentiality. RPs must ensure clients are aware of these limits before treatment begins. In addition to discussing these limits as needed and answering any questions, many RPs find it helpful to list the limits on their intake or consent form. RPs can use some of the wording from the commentary in developing such a form. They can indicate, for example, that client information is maintained in strict confidence, except with the client’s consent or as required by law, for example:

To prevent a significant risk of serious harm to a person
Where a mandatory report is required (e.g., to a Children’s Aid Society where a child is in need of protection)
Where disclosure is required for a legal proceeding
To facilitate an investigation or inspection authorized by warrant or by any provincial or federal law
To contact a relative, friend or potential substitute decision-maker if the client is injured, incapacitated, or ill and unable to give consent personally
Disclosing information to the College (e.g., when a complaint has been made about a registrant, or assessment of the registrant’s practice as part of the Quality Assurance Program)

Verifying Insurance Claims

An insurance provider has asked me to verify information on a claim. What do I do next?

Many registrants write to the Practice Advisory Service asking about what to do when an insurance provider asks them to verify information on a benefit claim. Verifying claims is often a necessary step before a client can be reimbursed. Although such requests often relate to administrative details such as the provider’s credentials, session dates, and billing amounts, registrants are still responsible for maintaining client confidentiality. What should you consider? Read our Practice Matters article for guidance.

2023 QA Reporting Cycle Update

As part of CRPO’s Quality Assurance Program, registrants are required to complete professional development (PD) activities every two years. These activities include completing a self-assessment and engaging in 40 hours of professional development (learning) activities.

The 2023 PD reporting cycle ended December 31, 2023. Registrants who were registered in an odd year (i.e., 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021) were required to complete an attestation by December 31, 2023.

Here are the 2023 reporting cycle results*:

o 5798 registrants were required to complete an attestation by December 31, 2023

o 4174 registrants submitted an attestation by the deadline (approx. 72%)

o 1565 registrants submitted a late attestation (approx. 27%)

o 12 registrants have not submitted an attestation (non-compliant) (approx. 0.2%)

o 47 registrants have changed registration status and are no longer being monitored (approx. 0.8%)

*Numbers as of April 17, 2024

What are my Quality Assurance Program Obligations?

All regulated health professionals in Ontario are required to participate in Quality Assurance Program activities. This assures the public that registrants are maintaining their competence to practice and providing safe and effective care.

CRPO registrants are required to engage in self-assessment and professional development (PD) activities every two years, known as the “PD cycle”. Registrants are also required to participate in a peer and practice review when selected.

Professional Development Activities

Engaging in PD, or learning, activities is an important part of maintaining competence and keeping abreast of current practices, issues, trends and new techniques. It also helps registrants maintain and enhance their knowledge, skill and judgment with respect to the Professional Practice Standards for Registered Psychotherapists, relevant legislation, and regulations. Registrants are required to report on their PD activities every two years, known as the “PD cycle.”

To participate effectively in professional development:

Engage in 40 hours of PD activities every two years.
Keep track of your activities and reflect on the impact the activities have on your practice in a learning record.
Save your learning record and supporting documentation in a professional portfolio.
Report to CRPO at the end of your reporting cycle by completing the attestation form in your CRPO user account. The attestation form becomes available on November 1 the year you are due to report.

Self-assessment

The self-assessment is an online questionnaire, which is available to complete in your CRPO user account. It is intended to help you reflect on your practice; identify areas for improvement; and help you build awareness of the current state of your practice.

To participate effectively in self-assessment:

Consider your knowledge, skill and judgement relating to topics such as professional regulation; the Professional Practice Standards; and changes in your practice environment.
Reflect on your professional relationships; support systems; and use of safe and effective use of self.
Complete a self-assessment in your CRPO user account at least once during your PD cycle.
Complete a self-assessment when there is a change in your practice.

Peer and Practice Review

The peer and practice review (PPR) is a mandatory component of CRPO’s Quality Assurance program. Participating in a PPR is a normal part of being a regulated health professional in Ontario. The objective of a PPR is to help CRPO registrants assess their knowledge, skill and judgment in key areas of professional practice and identify ways to improve and maintain quality of care.

Registrants are notified six months in advance when they have been selected to participate in a PPR. The first step of a PPR is to complete the case-based assessment (CBA).

The CBA is an online assessment, which is hosted on an external platform (i.e., the CBA is not accessed from your CRPO user account). The CBA is offered twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. The CBA has 30 situational judgment cases based on the Professional Practice Standards. Registrants are asked to rank five answer options, from most aligned to least aligned with the Standards, for each case.

To participate effectively in a PPR:

Respond to the selection notice by completing the pre-questionnaire.
Prepare for the CBA by reviewing the Professional Practice Standards.
Complete the CBA and use the results to inform your professional development activities during your next PD cycle.
Participate in peer coaching when required to identify strengths and address potential gaps in your practice.

For CRPO registrants: Please do not unsubscribe. CRPO uses email to communicate with registrants about important College updates. If you choose to unsubscribe, it is then your responsibility to regularly check our website to keep yourself informed about your College obligations. It is the responsibility of each registrant to make sure CRPO has your current contact information, updated within 30 days of a change, and ensure that the organization you work for does not block CRPO emails. CRPO may collect information about whether a recipient has read a message. CRPO may use this information for communication planning and record-keeping.