Dear College registrants,
In response to the rapid increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, the Ontario government is temporarily moving the province to a modified Step Two of its Roadmap to Reopen, effective January 5, 2022. These measures will be in place until at least January 26, 2022, subject to trends in public health and health system indicators.
As noted in this announcement, the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) has reinstated Directive #2 for hospitals and regulated health professionals, which instructs hospitals to pause all non-emergent and non-urgent surgeries and procedures in order to preserve critical care and human resource capacity.
The CMOH has also issued a reminder of Directive #6, which requires public hospitals, home and community care services providers organizations, Home and Community Care Supports Services organizations and ambulance services to develop, implement, monitor and maintain a COVID-19 vaccination policy for their employees, contractors, students, and volunteers.
Practice considerations
Given the rapid rise of COVID-19 cases and subsequent hospitalizations, the College encourages College registrants to provide services by electronic means wherever reasonably possible and to use their clinical judgement to determine where in-person care is required on a case-by-case basis. Registrants are encouraged to review this FAQ response and decision-making criteria for determining if in-person care is required.
Registrants should continue to ensure they are informed and following current government and public health guidance available at the following resources:
FAQ updates
The Operational Requirements document indicates that clinicians should evaluate each client to determine whether e-therapy is (or continues to be) beneficial or whether in-person services are necessary.
Registrants must rely on their professional judgement to determine if it is appropriate to provide in-person services to a client, taking into consideration the guidance available in the Electronic Practice Guideline.
CRPO continues to expect and support RPs to use their clinical judgement in deciding when it is appropriate to provide in-person therapy to clients.
As noted in Directive #2 for Health Care Providers from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), which has been reinstated as of January 5, 2022, health professionals are in the best position to determine which services should be in-person. Decision-making should be guided by the principles of proportionality, minimizing harm to patients (clients), equity and reciprocity.
The College encourages College registrants to provide services by electronic means wherever reasonably possible and to use their clinical judgement to determine where in-person care is required. If therapy is to be in-person, registrants must ensure that needed infection control measures are in place, as outlined in Operational Requirements: Health Sector Restart. Practical guidance on implementing these measures is provided in Developing a Return to In-Person Practice Plan.
CRPO’s guidance to Registered Psychotherapists (RPs) remains the same.
CRPO continues to advise that registrants are in the best position to determine when and if it is appropriate to resume in-person services.
RPs are expected to use their clinical judgement to determine where in-person care is essential. RPs who choose to provide in-person services with clients will only do so if they (or their employer) can implement appropriate infection prevention and control (IPAC) measures.
