The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario |
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Enewsletter | December 2020 |
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In this issue…
- Holiday Greetings
- Message from the Registrar
- Standards for Assessment
- Registration Data and Indigenous Identity
- COVID-19 Updates
- PHIPA Update
- Reminder: Bylaw Consultation
- Nominations and Elections Webinar
- Practice: Q&A - Self-Reporting
- Practice: Case of the Month - Competency in Psychotherapy
- Upcoming QA Deadlines, PPA and Webinars
- Opportunity: QA Subcommittee
- Registration Reminders
- Opportunity: Participate in Research Opportunity
- Ontario Autism Program Update
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Happy Holidays
Best wishes from the College
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The College will be closed from December 25, 2020 to January 1, 2021, and will reopen on Tuesday, January 4, 2021 at 8:30am. |
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Message from the Registrar |
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As this challenging year comes to a close, we would like to thank all of you for your hard work and commitment to your clients and the communities you serve. The College is incredibly grateful for the resilience of our registrants during the pandemic.
We are all still learning and discovering new challenges every day and we will continue to work together as we move forward.
Although we see hope in the future now that the first vaccine has been approved by Health Canada, we also must remind ourselves that the pandemic is not over. We must persevere with our safety protocols and be vigilant.
Every year, but especially this year, we are so thankful for the dedication of our registrants.
In the coming year, let us continue to support each other and our colleagues in health care, and as always—protect the public.
Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday.
Elinor Larney, OT Reg. (Ont.)
Registrar
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Standards for Assessment
College has revised its Standards for Assessment
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The College has released the revised Standards for Assessments. The updated Standards for Assessments replace the Standards for Occupational Therapy Assessments.
To learn more, or if you have any questions, please contact Practice Resource Service at 1-800-900-6570 or 416 214-1177 ext. 240 or email practice@coto.org
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Indigenous Identity
Starting a conversation with OTs who identify as Indigenous
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In support of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, one of the steps the College would like to take is to help to increase the number of Indigenous occupational therapists in Ontario. To this end, the College would like to know how many Indigenous occupational therapists are practising in Ontario currently. This year, in the College’s annual renewal process, we added the voluntary self-identification question: Do you self-identify as Indigenous?
We understand some individuals may have misread the question and inadvertently answered yes. Before we report on this data, we would like to ensure it is a true indication of the presence of Indigenous occupational therapists in Ontario.
A further step we would like to take is to start a conversation with occupational therapists who identify as Indigenous and invite them to share their experiences working in occupational therapy. We invite occupational therapists who self-identified as Indigenous to reach out and let us know if they are interested in joining this conversation. To express your interest, please contact Registrar Elinor Larney directly at elarney@coto.org.
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COVID-19 Updates
Information on Vaccines, Reminders and Resources
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As the government begins to roll out vaccinations across Ontario, health care professionals are being prioritized based on the important work they are doing.
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As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, we must continue to be diligent with COVID-19 precautions. To reduce the virus's spread:
- continue to apply the infection prevention and control measures you use in practice to non-clinical interactions as well (lunchtime, carpooling, meetings with colleagues both inside and outside the organization)
- ensure appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The College has received questions and concerns from clients about appropriate PPE use by occupational therapists during this pandemic. Questions involve the type of PPE worn, masks not covering the nose, and different PPE needs in higher risk regions.
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Additional updates:
- Updated December 14, 2020: The College has revised our School Reopening Frequently Asked Questions. We updated our response to #2: Is the self-screener completed before school by the student (or their guardian) sufficient for commencing in person (at school) occupational therapy services?
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PHIPA Update
Legal Requirements for Maintaining an Electronic Health Record
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For those less familiar with this legislation, Part V.1 sets out a framework for regulating the provincial electronic health record (EHR) including the functions, duties and responsibilities of health information custodians who, collect, use and disclose personal health information through the EHR. Patients/clients also have the right to control how their health information will be shared for health care purposes through “consent directives.” These allow people to block access to some or all parts of their record.
Learn more about this PHIPA update and if and how it applies to you on our website. |
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Reminder: Bylaw Consultation
The public consultation closes January 11, 2021
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As part of our governance review project, the College is looking to revise its bylaws to ensure they are in line with governance best practices and align with our mandate to serve the public interest.
We want to hear from occupational therapists, stakeholders, and the public about the proposed changes. See our public consultation: surveymonkey.com/r/HSQVXM6
Review the changes and submit your feedback by January 11, 2021.
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2021 Elections
Nominations are open! Learn more in our elections webinar
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Nominations for the College's upcoming elections are now open. This year we have one Council seat up for election in each of Districts 3 (London, Windsor, and Perth areas), 5 (Sudbury, Parry Sound, and Muskoka areas) and 6 (Kenora, Rainy River, and Thunder Bay areas).
Call for nominations closes January 29, 2021. Eligible members should have received an email with instructions on how to run or nominate a candidate for Council. If you have not received your email, contact us at elections@coto.org.
If you were unable to attend our elections webinar with College Registrar Elinor Larney, it's now available on our YouTube channel.
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Q&A: Self-Reporting
Fatigue, Anxiety, and Self-Reporting for a Leave of Absence
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Question: These past 9 months have been tough. I’ve decided to take a short leave of absence from work because of fatigue and anxiety. Do I have to let the College know about this?
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Case of the Month
Competency in Psychotherapy
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Priya works in an organization that offers mental health services. To meet increased demand during the pandemic, Priya's organization is expanding their mental health services and adding more individual psychotherapy sessions and groups.
In a recent staff meeting Priya’s manager mentioned that she knows that OT’s can “do psychotherapy” and is planning on having Priya develop and facilitate some of these groups in the upcoming year. Priya is wondering if she is equipped to take on these new responsibilities. What should she do?
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QA Reminders
Self-Assessment and the 2020 PREP are due December 31, 2020
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Reminder: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the College has extended the due date for the 2020 Self-Assessment and the 2020 PREP to December 31, 2020.
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Peer and Practice Assessment
Delay in Notification – Coming in Early 2021
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Peer and Practice Assessment Registrant Selection Based on Risk Indicators
After a slight delay, the initial group of selection letters have now since been sent.
The College will be piloting the new risk-based selection process for registrants to participate in a peer and practice assessment on a rolling basis. Each month from December 2020 to April 2021 registrants will be notified by email if they will be participating in a peer and practice assessment.
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Upcoming QA Webinar
Reminder: Sign up for our Quality Assurance webinar on January 12, 2021
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Webinar: Demystifying the Quality Assurance Program: with special focus on the peer and practice assessment
Join Seema Sindwani, Manager, Quality Assurance, on January 12, 2021 from 12:15 pm-1:00 pm as she provides information about the College’s Quality Assurance program, including information about the new risk-based selection and peer and practice assessment process.
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Opportunity: QA Subcommittee
Seeking an OT to serve on our Quality Assurance Subcommittee
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The College is seeking an occupational therapist (OT) with community-based experience working with adults to serve on its Quality Assurance Subcommittee. As a member of the Quality Assurance Subcommittee you will help develop learning objectives, key messages, and case scenarios for the annual Prescribed Regulatory Education Program (PREP) for occupational therapists. |
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Registration Reminders
Important reminders for new applicants and OTs
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Are you a new applicant to the College? If you need to be registered during the December holiday period, please make sure you submit all outstanding registration requirements by December 22, 2020. The office is closed from December 25 – January 3, 2021 and will not be processing applications during that time.
Have you recently moved or changed employment?
Don’t forget to update your information by logging into your member profile. Registrants are required to inform the College of changes in their information within 30 days of the change occurring. |
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Opportunity: Research Project
Participate in this national study by the University of British Columbia
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The University of British Columbia’s Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy is seeking participants for its research project, “Strategies for increasing accessibility and equity in health and human service educational programs: national perspectives”.
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Ontario Autism Program Update
Information about the selection process for OAP service providers
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The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, Children with Special Needs Division has shared an update on the next steps the Ministry is taking
to implement the new Ontario Autism Program.
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Social Media
Connect with the College on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
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Are you following the College on social media? Join us and our 3000+ followers on our social media channels.
You can find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and connect with us on LinkedIn to get the latest updates and information, as well as helpful reminders and resources from the College. |
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Any changes to your profile information in the last 30 days? Make sure you update your profile. |
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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.
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