BILL 171 UPDATE: JUNE 7, 2007

Bill 171, Health System Improvements Act, 2007, carried Third Reading on May 31, 2007 and received Royal Assent on June 4, 2007.  With respect to the Psychotherapy Act, 2007, only Sections 1, 2 and 12 came into force on Royal Assent.   Section 1 provides the name of the new College as being the College of Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario; Section 2 provides that the Health Professions Procedural Code is deemed to be part of the Psychotherapy Act; and Section 12  provides for a transition before the remainder of the provisions come into force (e.g. appointment of a transitional Council and Registrar; perform activities necessary for the implementation of the Act;  accept and process applications for the issuance of certificates of registration, charge application fees and issue certificates of registration, in accordance with a registration regulation to be made under the Act).

The provisions that are not yet in force include the new controlled act of psychotherapy and the amendment to the controlled act provision of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991,  which authorizes members of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) to perform the controlled act in compliance with the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998, its regulations and by-laws.  

It is not known how long it will be before the remainder of the provisions of the Psychotherapy Act come into force.   By way of comparison, the Social Work and Social Service Work Act received Royal Assent on December 18, 1998 and was fully proclaimed on August 15, 2000.

The OCSWSSW will keep abreast of the work of the transitional Council of the College of Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario during this period of transition.   The College will also develop a process in order to implement the steps necessary to regulate members of the OCSWSSW with respect to the new controlled act.  We will continue to keep members informed of these matters via the website, e-Bulletin and Perspective, the OCSWSSW newsletter.