In a number of situations, occupational therapists, their employers or managers, facility operators, other regulated health care professionals, and their business partners or associates, have a legal obligation to make a mandatory report.

These reports are made to the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario or, as appropriate, to the College of another regulated health care professional. Learn about reporting obligations below.

To learn more about the steps involved, see Reporting Requirements and Processes.

Reporting obligations

Occupational therapists must report if:

• They believe a patient may have been or is being sexually abused by a fellow occupational therapist or another regulated health care professional.
  
  If the occupational therapist forms this suspicion while providing psychotherapy to an abusing practitioner, if able to, she or he must also provide an opinion concerning whether or not the abusing practitioner may sexually abuse patients/clients in the future and is required to further report if she or he ceases to provide psychotherapy to the abusing practitioner.

• They have been found guilty of any offence.

• They have been found to have engaged in professional malpractice or negligence.

Employers/managers, facility operators and associates/partners of regulated health care professionals must report if:

• An occupational therapist (or other regulated health care professional) has had their privileges or practice revoked or restricted, or has been suspended or terminated for reasons of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity.

• They receive notice of resignation or a voluntary restriction or relinquishing of privileges or practice from an OT or other regulated health care professional who is the subject of an investigation into allegations related to professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity.

• They receive notice of resignation or a voluntary restriction or relinquishing of privileges or practice from an OT or other regulated health care professional and they have reasonable grounds to believe that the resignation, relinquishment or restriction, is related to the OT’s or other regulated health care professional’s professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity.

• They dissolve a partnership, health profession corporation or association involving an OT (or other regulated health care professional) for reasons of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity.

Note: An associate/partner includes anyone who practices in any kind of business relationship with a regulated health professional.

Facility operators must also report if:

• They believe a patient may have been or is being sexually abused by an occupational therapist or other regulated health care professional.
• They have reason to believe that a regulated health care professional is incompetent or incapacitated.

Filing a report

Mandatory reports must be filed within 30 days after the occurrence happens.

However, reports must be made immediately if there are reasonable grounds to believe that:

• the professional will continue to sexually abuse the patient or other patients; or
  
  
• the incompetence or the incapacity of the professional is likely to expose patients to harm or injury, and there is urgent need for intervention.

Online Report Form

Use our online report form to file a mandatory report.

Online Report Form

Or send your mandatory report to:

Office of the Registrar

College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
20 Bay Street, Suite 900
PO Box 78
Toronto, Ontario M5J 2N8
Fax: 416-214-0586

You can also email [email protected]