Policies and Procedures | Counselling Oakville

POLICIES & PROCEDURES

When you attend therapy at RESTORE, you will be provided with an informed consent form that helps outline our services, the clinician's responsibility to you, fees, confidentiality, and the risks and benefits of seeking therapy.

Below you will find guidelines of RESTORE policies and procedures to ensure a high professional standard, many of which, are in alignment with the College of Social Work guidelines, Code of Ethics and laws pertaining to our professional responsibilities and your personal and private information. Scroll down further, for a summary of fees/cancellation policies and practices that may be helpful to review.

Here are some key guidelines, of which, I am bound to follow, in accordance with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) Code of Ethics:

A social worker or social service worker shall maintain the best interest of the client as the primary professional obligation;
A social worker or social service worker shall carry out her or his professional duties and obligations with integrity and objectivity;
A social worker or social service worker shall have and maintain competence in the provision of a social work or social service work service to a client;
A social worker or social service worker shall not exploit the relationship with a client for personal benefit, gain or gratification;
A social worker or social service worker shall protect the confidentiality of all professionally acquired information. He or she shall disclose such information only when required or allowed by law to do so, or when clients have consented to disclosure;
A social worker or social service worker shall promote excellence in his or her respective profession;

Gathering of Personal Information:

During the course of service, RESTORE clinicians gather information to enable identifying and delivering relevant services and supports. We use written and electronic formats for this purpose. As part of our practice, we often gather information, directly from the client, however, we habitually collect personal information from other service providers and professionals whom have been involved in your care. This is done with your written permission, using an internal Consent to Release Information Form, or when necessary, a Consent to Disclose Personal Health Information form as required under the Personal Health and Information Privacy Act (PHIPA).

Confidentiality:

We maintain confidentiality of your information, including personal identifying information, the type of service and details gathered during the course of service. However there are legally binding limits to confidentiality, including:

In an urgent situation to prevent harm to yourself or others
Under the Duty to Report, of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act (2017), to report any suspected child abuse or neglect
Complying with an Order of the Court
Mandatory reporting of a regulated health professional who has engaged in sexual abuse of a client
Compliance with OCSWSSW regulations whom conducts random audits, to ensure maintenance of professional standards, in the public interest
Compliance with insurance companies, EAP services or other payers of service to fulfill their requirements related to your entitlement to services rendered. These sometimes include random audits of submissions for payment by you.

If you are engaged in Family Reunification Therapy, please refer to the Informed Consent Form, provided to you or your counsel, for specific limitations which are sometimes imposed by the court. As well, by virtue of the type of service, there are often limits to confidentiality as often, reports are requested by involved parties, the court or legal counsel of the parties engaged in this service.

Electronic Provision of Services:

We offer virtual services using a platform which meets privacy regulations, governed under PHIPA and PIPEDA. Despite undertaking these precautions, electronic provision of services may be susceptible to security breaches. As well, it is the responsibility of the client to ensure that they are in a location to receive the virtual session which offers them confidentiality. It is important to remember that use of an employer provided device is subject to the employer's policies regarding an employees use of the device and may limit your confidentiality.

Maintaining Records:

We are required to keep records of my services for a minimum period of 7 years and are the property of the practice. You are able to access your own personal record, however, your explicit written consent would be required for RESTORE to share information or your record with any other professional or person.

If you are engaged in family therapy, the consent of all parties would be required in order to release the full record, in the absence of this, only records for which we have written consent, shall be released, other information including identifying information will be redacted from the record. Sometimes given the nature of the service, and without express written consent of all parties, the record will be severely limited.

Children, if they are competent and of age to consent to their own service, shall also be required to give consent to release of their own record. Custodial parents/guardians may not access their child’s records.

Cancellation

Please provide a notice of 48 hours, if you are unable to attend a scheduled appointment. In the absence of this notice, you will be billed for the missed appointment at the full rate.

If you are engaging in Family Reunification Therapy, please refer to the agreement provided to you, which outlines specific terms related to a cancelled appointment.

Termination of Service
At times the therapeutic relationship may be terminated by you or by your clinician. There are varying reasons that this may happen, including a lack of financial resources, difficulty committing to the therapy, incompatibility between the client and therapist, to name a few. You have the right to end the therapy at any time. You are encouraged to share your reasons for terminating services, so that you may be provided with other resources which may help you on your journey. Sometimes, during the course of service, issues or concerns arise or are identified which are beyond the scope of my practice or expertise and it may be necessary to refer you to a professional that will be better suited to meet your needs.

Fees/Payment

Please contact us directly for specific information regarding fees, but for therapy, fees range from $80/hour to $200/hour depending on the service being provided and the clinician's fee. Other services including separation and divorce services range from $200/hr to $250/hour. Payments are accepted in cash, email transfer or credit card. Cash payments are accepted at the end of the appointment and email transfers are to be paid prior to the start of the session. Receipts are provided.

Health Service Provider Coverage
Services provided by Registered Social Workers (RSW) or Registered Social Service Workers (RSSW) are not covered by OHIP, however, health benefits or insurance plans may cover these services. It is advisable to confirm your coverage for you or your family, including benefit maximums, annually or otherwise. There is no direct billing, you are expected to pay for the session and then submit the receipt to your insurance/benefit carrier.