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The laws and standards, on one page
Which Ontario law governs what, the controlled act, CRPO's six standards and the Code of Ethics.
Study aid, not legal advice.Last verified against the official sources linked below on .
Which law, for what
| Law | What it governs | A key duty |
|---|---|---|
| RHPA, 1991, and its Code (Schedule 2) | The controlled acts; how colleges register, investigate and discipline | Report a regulated professional's sexual abuse of a patient (Code s. 85.1) |
| Psychotherapy Act, 2007 | CRPO, the scope of practice, the authorized act, the protected titles | Protects "psychotherapist", "registered psychotherapist" and "registered mental health therapist" (s. 8 (1)) |
| O. Reg. 317/12 | Professional misconduct for RPs | Report another RP's unsafe practice to CRPO (s. 1, para. 39) |
| PHIPA, 2004 | Personal health information: collection, use, disclosure, access, correction | Consent or legal authority for every disclosure; access within 30 days (s. 54 (2)) |
| HCCA, 1996 | Consent to treatment, capacity, substitute decision-makers | Capacity is for this decision, now, at any age (s. 4) |
| CYFSA, 2017 | Child protection | Reasonable grounds to suspect, under 16: report to a children's aid society yourself, immediately (s. 125) |
| FLTCA, 2021; RHA, 2010 | Long-term care homes; retirement homes | Anyone reports suspected harm to a resident, immediately (s. 28; s. 75) |
| Children's Law Reform Act | Parents' decisions for a child | Either parent may act, except a separated parent the child does not live with, until a separation agreement or order (s. 20 (3), (4)) |
The controlled act: all five, or it is not the act
- Treating
- by means of psychotherapy technique
- delivered through a therapeutic relationship
- a serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or memory
- that may seriously impair judgement, insight, behaviour, communication or social functioning
CRPO's six standards
- Professional Conduct: College, titles, reporting, controlled acts, conflicts, dual relationships, abuse, referrals
- Competence: consultation, supervision, referral
- Client-Therapist Relationship: confidentiality, consent, electronic practice, unnecessary treatment, complaints, identity
- Clinical Supervision: providing it, practising with it
- Record-keeping and Documentation: records, reports, documents, storage
- Business Practices: fees, advertising, ending services, closing a practice
The Code of Ethics: seven principles
- Autonomy and Dignity of All Persons: privacy, rights, diversity, boundaries.
- Excellence in Professional Practice: clients' best interests, competently.
- Integrity: inform openly, challenge biases, consult.
- Justice: fairness, against oppression and discrimination.
- Responsible Citizenship: mindful of your role; consult on conflicts of interest.
- Responsible Research: only with benefit, safety and informed consent.
- Support for Colleagues: respect, supervise responsibly, collaborate.
The standards are not statutes, but contravening one is professional misconduct (O. Reg. 317/12, para. 1).