Legislative Issues In Ontario

Despite the best effort of ARCH, COPHO, OAH and the NGH who called for adjustments to Bill 171 - Bill 171, The Health System Improvement Act received Third Reading and Royal Assent in June of 2007. The part of the Act referred to as Schedule Q, The Psychotherapy Act, which was of great concern, remained unchanged and could have an effect on the practice of Hypnotherapy in the Province.

Ms. Marilyn Wang, Director of the Health Professions Regulatory and Policy Branch in responding to ARCH's concerns about the regulatory powers of the coming new College of Psychotherapy states:

"Should hypnotherapy be considered to be within the scope of practice of psychotherapy, the College will have the authority under the RHPA to make regulations or develop standards of practice or guidelines as to how its own members perform hypnotherapy. However, nothing within the Act will prevent individuals who are not members of the College from continuing to provide hypnotherapy services as long as the providers are not performing the new controlled act or holding themselves out as individuals who are qualified to practice psychotherapy in Ontario."

The meaning is clear, we will have to wait for the establishment of the College of Psychotherapy and continue lobbying for self-regulation and/or inclusion in the College itself.

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