OCSWSSW 2022

In a professional discipline hearing, the panel found that the member committed repeated boundary violations and sexual misconduct against three vulnerable clients, including prolonged unwanted touching, sexualized comments, coercive conduct, and in one instance forced sexual contact.

The panel also found that the member failed to maintain proper clinical and financial records and issued false invoices in a child’s name to obtain insurance reimbursement for services actually provided to adult clients.

Relying in part on expert evidence on social work ethics, boundaries, documentation, and trauma-informed practice, the panel held that the conduct breached multiple provisions of the governing statute, the Professional Misconduct Regulation, and the Standards of Practice Handbook.

All allegations in both Notices of Hearing were proven on a balance of probabilities.

In a professional discipline hearing, the member admitted allegations arising from prolonged misuse of the titles "Doctor", "Dr.", "psychotherapist", and "registered psychotherapist" while providing or advertising healthcare services.

The Panel found professional misconduct proved on a balance of probabilities under the governing statute, regulation, and standards of practice, including misrepresentation of qualifications, misleading advertising, improper record-keeping, contraventions of title restrictions, and unprofessional conduct.

The Panel accepted a joint submission on penalty, emphasizing public protection, general and specific deterrence, and remediation.

The resulting order imposed a reprimand, a three-month suspension with one month remittable on compliance, remedial ethics and reflective conditions, publication, and $5,000 in costs.

In a professional discipline proceeding, the member admitted allegations arising from inaccurate, conflicting, and falsified client records created while providing social work services to motor vehicle accident claimants.

The Panel found professional misconduct established on the agreed facts, including failures to maintain systematic and accurate records, creation of false or misleading documents, and conduct reasonably regarded as dishonourable and unprofessional.

Applying the public-interest standard for joint penalty submissions, the Panel accepted a revised joint submission providing for a reprimand, a three-month suspension with a partially remittable component, supervision, an ethics course, publication, and costs.

The Panel treated the member’s prior caution for similar record-keeping concerns as an aggravating factor and her admissions and cooperation as mitigating.

In a professional discipline hearing subject to a publication ban, the member admitted boundary violations and sexual conduct with a vulnerable client following the provision of counselling-related social work services.

The Panel found professional misconduct under the governing statute and regulation, including sexual misconduct, failure to maintain proper boundaries, failure to prioritize the client's interests, and recordkeeping failures.

The Panel accepted a joint submission on penalty, holding that departure was unwarranted absent a risk to public confidence in the discipline process.

The member was reprimanded, her certificate of registration was revoked, reinstatement was barred for five years, publication was ordered, and costs of $3,000.00 were imposed.