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Standards

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Standard for Consent, 2023

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Understanding Consent

Download PDF: (English | French) Should you sign a contract without understanding what’s in it? Or let a mechanic work on your car without getting an estimate and…

Standards

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Standard for Acupuncture, 2023

Practice Tools

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File

Consent Checklist

Q&As

Verbal Consent For Email

Q: Can I accept verbal consent from a client for email communication? A: Yes. There are multiple considerations when considering email communications with clients. The first is ensuring…

Case Studies

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Obtaining consent from a minor

Lowan, an occupational therapist (OT) working in a publicly funded youth mental health program, is contacted by 14-year-old Xander, who requests counselling services due to recent bullying he…

Spotlight on Practice

Spotlight on Practice: Types of Consent

Occupational therapists are required to obtain two types of consent for occupational therapy services, including assessment, treatment and consultation. This resource provides a quick review of knowledgeable and…

Q&As

Consent for Occupational Therapy Service in Schools 

Occupational therapists working in schools may be delivering service under different models of care depending on factors such as employer, location, and funding source. The College often receives…

Case Studies

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Obtaining consent and substitute decision-makers

Robert, an occupational therapist (OT) in private practice, receives a referral from a lawyer to assess a client named Louisa who sustained a head injury due to a…

Q&As

Obtaining Consent from Divorced or Separated Parents

Q: When an OT is obtaining informed consent for occupational therapy services provided to a child, are both parents required to give consent or is it sufficient for…

Case Studies

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Obtaining informed consent for an incapable client when an SDM is not available

Lily, an occupational therapist (OT), was notified by staff at a group home that her client, Davon required a new wheelchair cushion. The cushion had a leak and…

Forms

File

Candidate Eligibility & Consent Form

Case Studies

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Working with Children Whose Parents are Separated or Divorced

Vanessa is an occupational therapist (OT) who owns and operates a private pediatric practice. She received a referral to see Ethan, a 5-year-old boy who has autism spectrum…

Spotlight on Practice

Spotlight on Practice: Unwritten Standards

All regulated health professionals follow standards of practice. The Competencies for Occupational Therapists in Canada guide the practice of occupational therapists in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada. The…

Insights from Investigations

Pause Before You Post Client Photos

Occupational therapists in private practice have the added responsibility of managing their business practice. When promoting their practice, occupational therapists should be mindful about how and what they…

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Sociodemographic Data Collection FAQ

Annual registration renewal will open on April 1, 2026. Last year, COTO began asking occupational therapists to voluntarily share their racialized group data during Annual Renewal. A diverse…

Practice Guidance

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Guidance: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA)

Practice Guidance

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Guidance: Remote (Virtual) Services, 2024

Practice Guidance

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Guidance: Controlled Acts and Delegation, 2021

Practice Guidance

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Decision-Making Framework, 2021

Practice Guidance

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Determining Capacity Decision Tree

Use the Capacity Decision Tree to help determine who provides informed consent under the Health Care Consent Act, 1996. This decision tree does not contemplate all scenarios but…

Practice Guidance

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Guidance: Discretionary Reporting of Fitness to Drive, 2024

Practice Guidance

Guidance: Working Within Managed Resources, 2021

Practice Guidance

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Guidance: Working with Third Party Payers, 2024

Practice Guidance

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Guidance: Use of Social Media, 2021

Practice Guidance

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Guidance: Private Practice, 2024

Practice Guidance

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Guidance: Privacy Legislation and Occupational Therapy Practice, 2023

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Mandatory Reporting Requirements & Processes

In a number of situations, occupational therapists, their employers, facility operators offering privileges to them, and other regulated health care providers have a legal obligation to make a…

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Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question about how to use the List of Registered Occupational Therapists or what to expect when working with an occupational therapist? See answers to some of…

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Privacy

The legal powers and duties of the College are set out in: the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), the Health Professions Procedural Code (being schedule 2 of…