Council Highlights
Major milestone achieved
Updated July 11, 2011
Regulations ready for formal consultation
June 22nd was a red letter day in the life of the transitional Council, due to its approval of three draft regulations, now ready to move forward to formal consultation, starting in late July.
Approval of the draft Professional Misconduct, Quality Assurance and Registration Regulations marked the culmination of an intense period of work for our committees, as they considered stakeholder feedback on the draft regulations, received at consultation meetings this spring and also submitted in writing.
Several key concerns were identified by stakeholders, and addressed through revisions to the Professional Misconduct & Registration Regulations (the Quality Assurance was not included in the consultation process).
Registration Regulation
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Education & training requirement: The words: …successfully completed a program of education and training “approved by the Council of the College” have been removed and details of program requirements have been added.
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Currency requirement:The currency requirement for grandparenting applicants (750 practice hours in Ontario within the three years prior to application) may include a range of professional activities, i.e. not limited to direct client contact hours; the same applies to the currency requirement for regular applicants, though, in this case, practice hours are only one option for establishing currency, and such hours need not have been completed in Ontario (clarification).
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Student category of membership: Changed to “Qualifying Member” and will include individuals who have completed their education/training (didactic) program and are working to acquire sufficient clinical experience (supervised practicum, client contact hours and/or clinical supervision hours) for registration. Qualifying members will be considered practitioners, not students, and will be registered and authorized to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy within their skill set and competencies. They may only practise with supervision. There will no student category of membership.
Professional Misconduct Regulation
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Use of specialty titles: The provision prohibiting the use of specialty titles conferred by external organizations has been modified to allow use of such titles under certain circumstances; namely, that the “term, title or designation” is conferred by a recognized credentialing body, is earned, and meets established standards. In addition, a new provision requires that the member’s regulated title be given prominence.
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E-practice: The requirement to comply with regulations in other jurisdictions has been removed, but members will need to be sure their professional liability insurance covers e-practice. In addition, provision # 40 was expanded to include contravening a law outside Ontario, if the purpose of the law is to protect or promote physical or mental health, or its contravention is relevant to the member’s suitability to practice.
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March 1 & 2, 2011 Meeting |
Regulation roadblock meets satisfactory outcome
Updated July 11, 2011
Registration Regulation meets roadblock
Last fall, the MOHLTC informed Registration Committee Chair, Pat DeYoung, and staff that it could not support a master’s level credential requirement for registered psychotherapists. In late November, Ministry staff took this a step further when they said they regarded any specific education credential as problematic. The Ministry urged the transitional Council to adopt a “competency-based” approach rather than relying on specific credentials.
In addition, Ministry staff indicated that the College would have the power to prescribe detailed coursework requirements and to approve education / training programs that meet those requirements.
This unexpected turn of events sent Registration Committee members back to the drawing board to draft detailed coursework-based requirements for the two membership categories, to accompany the Registration Regulation.
High minimum standards
At Council's January 13, 2011 meeting, Pat DeYoung explained the main advantage of this approach: that it would empower the College to approve training and education programs independently. Given the great diversity of programs, some of which reside outside the traditional college and university system, this approach would enable the College to establish a balance of quality and flexibility. Quality would be met through establishment of rigorous standards, while flexibility would be met in the College’s ability to evaluate and then recognize those programs that meet the standards.
‘No credentials’ draws fire
The ‘no credentials’ approach prompted vigorous – at times passionate – debate at Council. Some members felt this approach would devalue the profession, noting that most other regulated professions have academic credential requirements outlined in their regulations. Others expressed concern that competence might be adversely affected, possibly placing the public at risk.
A similar response was received from stakeholder groups. Letters expressing concern and defending the use of credentials were forwarded to Council and the Ministry.
Registration Regulation approved for stakeholder consultations
After review of feedback and intensive deliberation, Pat DeYoung responded to the concerns of Council members by presenting revisions to the Registration Regulation and explaining their effects during the March 2nd, 2011 Council meeting.
Signaling its satisfaction with the current articulation of the training and education requirements, the transitional Council unanimously approved the draft Registration Regulation for consultation with stakeholders and the public.
Revisions to education requirement
For both member categories, the current version of the Regulation states that “the applicant must have successfully completed an education and training program acceptable to the Council,” (sections 4.(1)1 & 5.(1)1). This new wording begs the question: which programs will be considered acceptable to Council?
It is clear that Council will have to develop a framework, including criteria and process, for assessing and recognizing programs of training and education.
Next steps
Along with the Professional Misconduct Regulation, the Registration Regulation will now undergo several rounds of public and stakeholder consultations before returning to Council for further consideration. The first round of consultations, which begins March 25th and runs to April 11th, 2011, includes presentations on both sets of Regulations in London, Sudbury, Ottawa and Toronto.
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Posted March 14, 2011
Quality Assurance Regulation gets ‘first reading’
Updated March 14, 2011
The third in our triumvirate of Regulations required for the establishment of the College, the draft Quality Assurance Regulation, was presented for discussion by Kevin VanDerZwet Stafford, Chair of the Professional Practice Committee. It is expected to be presented at Council in May for approval
Posted March 14, 2011
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Draft Regulations
For updated draft regulations and information about upcoming consultations click here.
Aboriginal Healing
Direct path to registration
Since last summer, when Banakonda Kennedy-Kish was appointed to the transitional Council, this welcome newcomer has helped her Council colleagues gain a better understanding of aboriginal healing traditions, and how indigenous healers might be included in the college.
Banakonda spoke eloquently about the need for a “direct path” to registration for aboriginal healers. She stressed that simply permitting aboriginal healers to practise by way of exemption under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), or by virtue of the “substantially equivalent” provision in our own Registration Regulation, was not good enough. She was persuasive. As a result, the Registration Committee, with full support of the Professional Practice Committee, included a specific clause in the Registration Regulation related to aboriginal healing, for both categories of membership.
The education requirement for both categories of members now includes a clause recognizing: “[programs] in aboriginal healing that lead to the development of the competencies listed in Schedule A” [or Schedule B, depending on the category of membership]. Schedules A and B will comprise the competency profiles now under development.
This new provision will be considered by stakeholders for the first time in the upcoming round of formal consultations. Council will be keenly interested in stakeholder feedback on this important addition to the regulation.
Posted July 11, 2011
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