In April 2019 the Health Professions Act was updated to require all Colleges under the Act to develop a patient relations program related to prevention of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct as follows:
Part 8.2 Patient Relations Program and Funding for Treatment and Counselling
Establishment of patient relations program
135.6 A college must establish a patient relations program.
Patient relations program
135.7(1) A patient relations program must include measures for preventing and addressing sexual abuse of and sexual misconduct towards patients by regulated members.
(2) The measures for preventing and addressing sexual abuse of and sexual misconduct towards patients by regulated members must include
(a) educational requirements for regulated members,
(b) educational guidelines for the conduct of regulated members towards patients,
(c) training requirements for the college’s staff, council members and any members appointed under section 13 or 15,
(d) information for persons respecting the college’s complaints process, and
(e) assistance in directing persons to appropriate resources, persons or organizations that may be able to assist them.
(3) A patient relations program must perform any other functions prescribed in regulations.
Funding for treatment and counselling
135.9(1) A college must provide funding for the purposes of providing treatment or counselling for patients who meet the requirements set out in this section.
ACOT’s Patient Relations Program includes the following components:
- Training requirements for staff – training on trauma informed practice, requirements and principles was taken by selected staff in 2019. Additional training on trauma informed practice will be provided as needed to new staff and existing.
- Educational requirements for registrants – The Alberta Federation of Regulated Health Professions developed three modules for health care professionals on the prevention of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct/maintaining appropriate boundaries. All ACOT registrants are required to complete these three modules, which are located at: https://afrhp.org/bill21-protecting-patients/
- Training requirements for tribunal members – training on trauma informed practice, requirements and principles was taken by selected ACOT tribunal members in 2019. Additional training on trauma informed practice will be provided as needed to new and existing tribunal members.
- General information about the complaints process is posted on our website at https://acot.ca/complaints/complaints/
- Detailed information about sexual abuse and sexual misconduct complaints is posted on our website at https://acot.ca/complaints/misconduct-complaints/
- ACOT provides funding for patients/clients who allege an OT has sexually abused or engaged in sexual misconduct with them while they were a patient/client. Additional details regarding funding for counselling or therapy are available by contacting ACOT’s Complaints Director at 780-436-8381 extension 402.