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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 3 • FALL 2012 Opening a Private Pracce Deb Zelisko: Bringing Different Perspecves The Best of CASLPO TODAY! Publications Agreement Number 40025049 • ISSN 1713-8922 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLLEGE OF AUDIOLOGISTS AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS OF ONTARIO th THE A N N I V E R S A R Y O F

FANNI V E R S A R Y O · 2019. 12. 2. · GR O UP PU BLISHE R John D. Birkby SUBSC R IP T ION RATE S Institution: $60. 0,I nd ividua ls :$34.,Si g e copy: $13. Canadian subsc ribers

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  • VOLUME 10 ISSUE 3 • FALL 2012

    Opening a Private Prac ce

    Deb Zelisko: Bringing Different Perspec ves

    The Best of CASLPO TODAY!

    Publications Agreement Number 40025049 • ISSN 1713-8922

    OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLLEGE OF AUDIOLOGISTS AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS OF ONTARIO

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    A N NIVERSARY O F

  • CASLPO TODAY

    5 Registrar’s Message - Time for RenewalBy Brian O’Riordan, Registrar

    7 Council Highlights

    CASLPO NEWS9 2011 Annual Report

    2012-2013 Registra on Renewal Reminder – Deadline: October 1, 2012New Registra on Regula onsBy Colleen Myrie, Director of Registra on Services

    CASLPO Regional SeminarsBy Carol Bock, Deputy Registrar

    Interprofessional Collabora on: 2012 Launch of an Online Toolkit by FHRCO

    CASLPO Elec on Results

    Social Media: What the Professions ThinkBy Carol Bock, Deputy Registrar

    FEATURE18 Agatha Chris e – Helping to Unravel

    the Mystery of Alzheimer’s DiseaseBy Sherry HinmanOriginally Featured in Volume 8, Issue 2 - May 2010

    Winning in Life, Health, and SportOntario Audiologist Makes Hearing a Priority for Special Olympics AthletesBy Heather Angus-LeeOriginally Featured in Volume 6, Issue 2 - August 2008

    Research CornerBy Alexandra Carling-Rowland Director of Professional Prac ce and Quality Assurance

    DEPARTMENTS

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    OSLA UPDATE8 Changes Coming to the

    Home/Community Care Sector, October 1, 2012 – “Quality and Value in Home Care Project”By Mary Cook, Execu ve Director, OSLA

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    www.andrewjohnpublishing.com

    V O L U M E 1 0 I S S U E 3F A L L 2 0 1 2

    Official Publica on of The College of Audiologists And Speech-languagePathologists of Ontario

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    ANNIVERSARY

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    ANNIVERSARY

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    What Inspires a Clinician to Become a Peer Assessor?By Alexandra Carling-Rowland Director of Professional Prac ce and Quality Assurance

    Opening a Private Prac ceBy Alexandra Carling-Rowland Director of Professional Prac ce and Quality Assurance and Carol Bock Deputy Registrar

    Deb Zelisko: Bringing Different Perspec vesBy Sherry Hinman

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    www.caslpo.com

  • CASLPO NEWS

    Time for RenewalBy Brian O’Riordan, Registrar

    REGISTRAR’S MESSAGE

    As September approaches, the phrase “Back toSchool” is inevitably in the air. Those affected includeschool-age students and the SLPs and audiologistswho stand ready to assist any of them withcommunication disorders. University students returnto campus, including those enrolled in master’sprograms in speech-language pathology andaudiology at the University of Toronto, Western, theUniversity of Ottawa, and, for the first time this fall,Laurentian University in Sudbury. It is also back toschool time for the many dedicated professors and

    lecturers in SLP and audiology, who are also a crucial part of the membershipof the College.

    “Back to School” suggests a time of renewal for all of us, including membersof the College, who, as we go to publication, are receiving notices to renewtheir annual membership in the College.

    Here at the College, we are ever mindful of our responsibility to assistmembers in renewing their long-term commitments to the professions interms of continuing education and quality assurance in order that membersare constantly upgrading and polishing their skill levels as practitioners. Tothis end, CASLPO will soon be offering a series of E-learning modules overthe next year on such topics as: Consent to Treatment; Use of Social Media;Jurisprudence; and Evidence-Based Practice. As well, our Quality AssuranceCommittee is reviewing our entire QA process, with a view to introducingenhancements in the Self-Assessment and Peer Assessment processes. Wewill also continue with our Regional Education Seminars for membersthroughout the province. We will be visiting students enrolled in all theprovincial master’s programs to acquaint them with the principles andmeaning of self-regulation and the work of the College.

    The Council of the College will also meet this fall for a full-day educationalmodule focusing on matters of good governance and Council performanceself-assessment.

    The College has engaged an Information Technology (IT) advisor to assist usin revamping our website to make it more user-friendly and to integrate ourdatabase of information so that information gathered therein can be utilizedmore efficiently to assist in College administration.

    Our public awareness program will kick off in the fall with a special two-pageadvertorial spread in the “Back to School” issue of Today’s Parent.

    CASLPO College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of OntarioOrdre des audiologistes et des orthophonistes de l’Ontario

    A: 3080 Yonge St., Suite 5060, Box 71, Toronto, ON M4N 3N1T: 416-975-5347/1-800-993-9459F: 416-975-8394E: [email protected] | W: www.caslpo.com

    R E G I S T R A R

    Brian O'Riordan, BA, MA Ext: 215 | [email protected]

    D E P U T Y R E G I S T R A R

    Carol Bock, M.H.Sc., Reg. CASLPO ext 227 | [email protected]

    D I R E C T O R O F F I N A N C E A N D O P E R A T I O N S

    Gregory Katchin, MBA, CAExt: 217 | [email protected]

    D I R E C T O R O F R E G I S T R A T I O N S E R V I C E S

    Colleen Myrie, BAExt: 211 | [email protected]

    E X E C U T I V E A S S I S T A N T T O T H E R E G I S T R A R

    Carol LammersExt: 214 | [email protected]

    P R O G R A M A S S I S T A N T ( R E G I S T R A T I O N S E R V I C E S )

    Camille PrashadExt: 213 | [email protected]

    A D M I N I S T R A T I V E A S S I S T A N T ( C O R P O R A T E )

    Julie McFarlandExt: 210 | [email protected]

    M A N A G I N G E D I T O R

    Scott [email protected]

    A R T D I R E C T O R / D E S I G N E R

    Andrea Brierley905.522.0788 | [email protected]

    S A L E S A N D C I R C U L A T I O N C O O R D I N A T O R

    Brenda Robinson905.628.4309

    [email protected]

    A C C O U N T I N G

    Susan McClung

    C L A S S I F I E D A D V E R T I S I N G :

    Brenda Robinson905.628.4309

    [email protected]

    G R O U P P U B L I S H E R

    John D. Birkby

    S U B S C R I P T I O N R A T E SInstitution: $60.00, Individuals: $34.00, Single copy: $13.00Canadian subscribers add 13% HST

    US and International subscribers remit in US dollars

    CASLPO Today is published quarterly by Andrew John Publishing Inc. withoffices located at 115 King Street West, Suite 220 Dundas, ON L9H 1V1. Wewelcome editorial submissions but cannot assume responsibility or commit-ment for unsolicited material. Any editorial materials, including photographs,that are accepted from an unsolicited contributor will become the property ofAndrew John Publishing Inc. The publisher shall not be liable for any of theviews expressed by the authors of articles or letters published in CASLPOToday, nor shall theses opinions necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

    F E E D B A C K : We welcome your views and comments.Please send them to:115 King Street West, Suite 220 Dundas, ON L9H 1V1

    Copyright 2012 by Andrew John Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.Reprinting in whole or in part is forbidden without the express consent ofthe publisher.

    Publications Agreement Number 40025049 | ISSN 1713-8922Return undeliverable addresses to: Andrew John Publishing Inc. 115 KingStreet West, Suite 220 Dundas, ON L9H 1V1

    D I R E C T O R O F P R O F E S S I O N A L P R A C T I C E & Q U A L I T Y A S S U R A N C E

    Alexandra Carling-Rowland, PhDext. 226 | [email protected]

  • The College will be involved in presentations in September at the Councilof Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) conference and inOctober at the National Council of State Boards of Speech-LanguagePathology and Audiology (NCSB). We will also be attending the CanadianNetwork of National Associations of Regulators (CNNAR) conference inOttawa.

    Many members will be opening private practices this fall and this issue ofCASLPO Today contains some practical advice for those members on theregulatory compliance matters which they will need to address.

    Our Annual Report for 2011 is now available online, and information onhow to obtain a copy is provided in this issue.

    We hope that you are preparing this fall for a renewal of your commitmentto excellence in providing quality care to your patients/clients. In doingso, please know that the College is here to assist you as a registeredmember of a self-governing and self-regulated profession. I invite you tocontact us with any questions or comments and to make full use of all theCollege’s resources which you fund through your annual membership fees.

    REGISTRAR’S MESSAGE

    O F F I C E R S

    Vicky Papaioannou, Vice-President (AUD)Nancy Blake, Vice-President, SLPDeb Zelisko, Vice-President, AUD

    ____________________

    P R O F E S S I O N A L M E M B E R S

    D i s t r i c t 1 ( E a s t e r n O n t a r i o )

    Rosanne Lavallée-McNamee, AUDPaulina Finak, SLP

    D i s t r i c t 2 ( C e n t r a l O n t a r i o )

    Vicky Papaioannou, AUDMary Suddick, SLP

    D i s t r i c t 3 ( S o u t h w e s t e r n O n t a r i o )

    Debra Zelisko, AUDNancy Blake, SLP

    D i s t r i c t 4 ( N o r t h w e s t e r n O n t a r i o )

    Sandra (Sandi) Singbeil, SLP

    D i s t r i c t 5 ( N o r t h e a s t e r n O n t a r i o )

    Carolyn Moran, SLP

    D i s t r i c t 6 ( O n t a r i o - a t - L a r g e )

    Bob Kroll, SLP____________________

    A C A D E M I C M E M B E R S

    Josée Lagacé, AUDRandi Fisher, SLP

    ____________________

    P U B L I C M E M B E R S

    Ferne DezenhousePauline Faubert

    John KrawchenkoJosie Rose

    Estrella Tolentino

    C A S L P O C O U N C I L

  • CASLPO NEWS

    Council met on June 8th and reviewedthe following:

    1. B. O’Riordan provided an update onhis activities including:Recruitment of IT staff has been finalized and Baron French will beginhis 1-year contract with CASLPO on June 25th.

    Office security has been upgraded recently, after advice from Legal Counsel to do so.

    CASLPO/OSLA conference meetings continue. A memorandum of agreement is being finalized.

    B. O’Riordan has been elected as Vice-President of the Federation of Health Regulatory Colleges of Ontario (FHRCO).

    2. N. Blake & P. Faubert reported on their recent attendance at the CLEAReducation sessions held in Toronto.

    N. Blake suggested that informationprovided during the Executive Leadership 3-day conference be included in a future Council meetingas a learning opportunity; external consultants be invited to assist Council meetings; and discussions ofCouncil member roles and staff rolesbe pursued.

    P. Faubert appreciated the information provided on how important it is for Councils to understand their role and that the public interest must be the focus at all times.

    3. Council reviewed and approved the 2011 Annual Report.

    4. N. Blake updated Council on the status of the Peer Assessment Extension and Deferral Policy, and Council approved the document, with amendments.

    5. A. Carling-Rowland updated Councilon the status of the Practice Standards and Guidelines (PSG) on the Assessment of Adults by SLPs

    and Council approved this document.

    6. M. Drent provided an update on thestatus of the Use of Support Personnel by Audiologists Position Statement and Council approved thisdocument.

    7. B. O’Riordan and C. Bock updated Council on the status of the StrategicPlan thus far. Council agreed that anover-arching statement is a critical and needed component. Following abrief brain-storming session, it was decided that the overarching statement be “Rooted in Quality. Strong in Commitment. Working in the Public Interest.”

    8. C. Bock and N. Blake updated Councilon the Quality Assurance Regulation.Council agreed that the QA regulation, as amended, be approved.

    9. B. O’Riordan updated Council on theRegional Seminar, held in Windsor on May 22. Special thanks to R. Grant-Rennie, SLP, for assisting in thecoordination of this event.

    10. B. O’Riordan updated Council on therecent board of directors meeting ofthe Canadian Alliance of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Regulators (CAASPR), held in St. John’s, Newfoundland, which he andthe President attended. The meeting was very positive and collegial and there is a good workingrelationship with all our colleagues across the country.

    11. B. O’Riordan updated Council on theFHRCO Registrars' retreat in May anddistributed the 2011 FHRCO yearhighlights.

    12. B. O’Riordan and C. Myrie updated Council on the Ontario Fairness Commission Annual Review, noting nine items for follow-up for the Registration area.

    13. B. O’Riordan updated Council on therecent ADP consultations, noting

    hearing aid policy consultations willbegin over the summer.

    14. B. O’Riordan and G. Katchin updatedCouncil on the Auditor’s Report re: College of Denturists and the implications this may have for CASLPO. They noted that various Committees of Council will be reviewing the Denturist audit reportin light of our own best practices, policies and compliance standards, with a view to making any improvements internally.

    15. A. Carling-Rowland updated Councilon the DSM-V. V. Papaioannou thanked M. Suddick for bringing thisto CASLPO’s attention and A. Carling-Rowland for all the research undertaken and outreach to CASLPA,OSLA and ASHA.

    16. Council reviewed reports from the following committees: Executive, SLPPAC, Registration, Quality Assurance,ICRC, AUD PAC, Patient Relations, Finance, Initial Practice Period Task Force, SCERP Task Force.

    17. Staffing Matters – B. O’Riordan updated Council on several staffing issues including the review of COI issues, resignation of M. Drent, whois leaving for a position with the LawSociety of Upper Canada.

    Performance Appraisal of Registrar –V. Papaioannou reviewed the Regi-strar Performance Appraisal Processfor 2012. Council offered suggestionsfor the Process in the future. Councilprovided recommendations for topics for the September Council Meeting.

    18. Next Council meeting will be held onThurs, Sept 27 and Friday Sept 28, 2012.

    COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

  • On April 2, 2012, the CommunityProvider Associations Committee(CPAC) members received a clearmessage from both the minister’s staffand the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care that the health care systemis not immune to the unprecedentedchallenges that service providers arefacing in the home care sector. Withouta change in the way we currentlydeliver health care services, healthcosts will continue to rise. Ontario’sAction Plan for Health Care is directingour sector to reform the current homeand community care delivery model tosupport the evolution to a more client-centred, integrated model focused onachieving high quality outcomes andvalue for money.

    As a result, CPAC, whose members in-clude the Ontario Home Care Associa-tion, Ontario Community SupportAssociation, Ontario Association ofCommunity Care Access Centres (OAC-CAC) and the Alliance of ProfessionalAssociations of Community-BasedTherapy Services (APACTS), of whichOSLA is a member and active partici-pant, met to explore the opportunity todevelop a plan for moving forward withthe creation of new service contractsby October 1, 2012.

    As an initial step towards achieving thislong-term vision, starting on October 1,

    2012, a new, flexible 2-year contract willbe in place for service providers. Thisprocess will give CCACs and serviceproviders the flexibility to begin thephased implementation of one or morechanges in accordance with provincialdirection and local priorities. In view ofthis commitment, the changes that willbe implemented will therefore build onthe quality of care already beingdelivered; ensuring stability ismaintained throughout the transitionperiod for providers, CCACs and first andforemost for the clients/patients.

    The roadmap moving forwardrecognizes the magnitude of the workahead, and the collective efforts willfollow a phased approach:

    Phase 1 Readiness – April to September 2012.

    Phase 2Early Transitional – October 1, 2012 to March 2014 (initial flexibletwo-year contract period).

    Phase 3Late Transitional – April 2014 to March 2016 (renewed and revisedcontracts).

    Phase 4 Outcomes – 2016 and beyond.

    OSLA has participated at all four“Tables” to provide guidance to the

    government and OACCAC in the newdelivery model and each have specificproject deliverables.

    1. Contracts,2. Performance Indicators,3. Funding, and4. Education and Change

    Management Tables.

    OSLA also has representation, HeatherHeaman, at the main “SteeringCommittee” to coordinate all tabledeliverables.

    Initially, business is expected tocontinue as usual for most CCACs andservice providers as we begin todevelop and apply the parameters andsupports required to operationalizechanges, while at the same timeproviding continued care. Some CCACsand service providers may have morereadiness than others and willtherefore move at a measured pace toimplement the changes.

    OSLA wishes to thank our memberrepresentatives at the various tables,Heather Heaman, Sue McLean, andDebbie Jones-Snyders for theircommitment to this project.

    OSLA UPDATE

    Changes Coming to the Home/Community Care

    Sector, October 1, 2012 – “Quality and Value in

    Home Care Project”By Mary Cook, Executive Director, OSLA

  • transparent

    innovative

    accountable

    collaborative

    strategic

    protecting the public

    leading inregulation

    ethical

    Rooted in quality. Strong in commitment.COLLEGE OF AUDIOLOGISTS AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS OF ONTARIO

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    CASLPO NEWSCASLPO NEWS

    2011 ANNUAL REPORTCASLPO’s 2011 Annual Report is now available. To view or download a copy, please visit www.caslpo.com, and click on the“About the College” tab. A copy can also be obtained by contacting the CASLPO office.

  • 2012-2013 Registration Renewal Reminder –

    Deadline: October 1, 2012

    CASLPO NEWS

    Colleen Myrie, Director of Registration Services

    The College’s online renewalsystem is now available. You canrenew your registration online and

    pay your fees online using a credit card(Visa or MasterCard) through CASLPO’swebsite at www.caslpo.com. It’s a fastand easy way to renew your registrationand pay your fees.

    The deadline for renewal this year isMonday, October 1, 2012. Your renewalforms and fees must be received by theCollege office by mail or completedonline on or before October 1st.Renewals received after October 1st willincur a 20% late penalty.

    NEW REGISTRATION

    REQUIREMENTSThe College’s new RegistrationRegulation, Ontario Regulation 21/12came into force on February 17, 2012.Due to the new regulation and someother developments, you will see thefollowing on your 2012-2013Registration Renewal Application form:

    CITIZENSHIP/RESIDENCY STATUSMembers of the College have a duty toprovide the College with details of anychanges in the past 12 months to theircitizenship, residency status oremployment authorization under theImmigration and Refugee Protection Act(Canada), in order to engage in thepractice of the professions of audiologyor speech-language pathology.

    PRIVATE PRACTICEMembers are asked to indicate if theyprovide private speech-languagepathology or audiology services andwhich age groups that they provide

    services to.PATIENT CARE OR RELATED WORKGeneral members are required to meetthe following condition for patient careor related work:• Members must provide at least 750

    hours of patient care or related

    work in audiology or speech-language pathology during every three-year period that begins on the day that the member is issued ageneral certificate of registration. The period currently under review is from October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2012.

    QUALITY ASSURANCE A General Member must indicate ifhe/she has:• completed their Self-Assessment

    Tool;• written three Learning Goals for the

    current year; and• collected and documented

    Continuous Learning Activity Credits (CLAC).

    An Academic member must indicate ifhe/she has:• written three Learning Goals for the

    current year; and• collected and documented

    Continuous Learning Activity Credits (CLAC).

    CONDUCTMembers of the College have a duty toprovide the College with details of anyoffences, findings and proceedings thatrelate to the member. Informationregarding the following activities/current registration/licenses that youhold must be declared and full details

    provided:1. Have you been convicted of a

    criminal offence in Ontario or in another jurisdiction in or out of Canada?

    2. Have you been the subject of a finding of professional misconduct,incompetency or incapacity or other similar finding:a. in relation to the profession in

    Ontario or in another jurisdiction in or out of Canada,or

    b. in relation to another health profession in Ontario or in another jurisdiction in or out ofCanada?

    3. Are you currently the subject of a proceeding for professional misconduct, incompetency or incapacity:a. in relation to the profession in

    Ontario or in another jurisdiction in or out of Canada,or

    b. in relation to another health profession in Ontario in another jurisdiction in or out ofCanada?

    4. Have you been denied registration,licensure or similar status by a regulatory body in Ontario that is responsible for the regulation of another health profession or by a regulatory body in another jurisdiction in or out of Canada thatis responsible for the regulation of the profession or another health profession?

    5. Has your registration, licensure or similar status in Ontario in relation to another health profession or in any other jurisdiction in or out of

  • CASLPO NEWS

    Canada in relation to the professionor another health profession been revoked or suspended?

    DECLARATIONThe declaration for each class ofregistration has been updated. Membersare reminded that completion of theRegistration Renewal Form has legalconsequences. Any false or misleadingstatements will be considered to be anact of professional misconduct and maylead to discipline and other proceedings.

    HEALTH PROFESSIONS DATABASEThe Regulated Health Professions Act

    (RHPA) requires Colleges to collectinformation directly from members ofthe College for the purpose of ministryhealth human resources planning.Information for the Health ProfessionsDatabase is derived from yourcompleted renewal form. Membersmust take the time to answer eachquestion fully. Your answers to thesequestions will help the ministry developpolicies and programs that addresssupply and distribution, education,recruitment and retention for yourprofession.

    RESIGNATIONMembers who decide not to renewtheir certificate of registration for 2012-2013 must notify the College in writingby completing the Resignation Sectionof the paper version of CASLPO’s 2012-2013 Registration Renewal Applicationform and return it to the College beforeOctober 1, 2012. If you fail to renewyour registration and do not resign, your

    certificate of registration will besuspended for non-payment of theannual fee.

    NOTICE OF INTENTION TOSUSPENDCASLPO members have an obligation tocomplete their registration renewal onor before October 1st each year,whether or not a notice has beenreceived.

    On November 1st, a Notice of Intentionto Suspend will be mailed out tomembers who have not completed arenewal form and submitted an annualfee or provided the College with writtennotice of their wish to resign.

    Members who receive a Notice ofIntention to Suspend have 30 days tocomplete CASLPO’s Registration RenewalForm and pay all applicable fees.

    A member who has not completed theirRegistration Renewal Form and paid allapplicable fees or notified the Collegethat the member wishes to resign,within two months of the October 1stdeadline, will be suspended and thesuspension will be reflected on theonline public register. Employers ofsuspended members will also benotified.

    EMAIL RENEWAL REMINDER NOTICESThe College will send members renewalreminder notices by email. The Collegeencourages all members to maintain acurrent email address with the College

    to allow for greater efficiency andcommunication. Whenever you changeyour email address, please remember tonotify the College. A quick email to the College at [email protected],giving your new email address, yourname and your registration number willsuffice.

    TO CHANGE YOUR REGISTEREDNAMETo change your registered name, youmust provide the College with aphotocopy of a legal document thatsupports the change (i.e., marriagecertificate or evidence of legal namechange). Please fax this documentationto the College at 416-975-8394 or senda scanned attachment via email [email protected]. Please indicateon the fax cover page or in your emailmessage, how you would like your newname to appear on the register. Onlyname change requests received within15 days of the completion of your onlinerenewal will be reflected on your 2012-2013 registration card.

    QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RENEWALIf you have any questions about therenewal process, please contactColleen Myrie, Director of RegistrationServices at 416-975-5347 ext. 211 orGregory Katchin, Director of Finance at 416-975-5347 ext. 217, toll free inOntario at 1-800-993-9459 or by email at [email protected] [email protected].

  • CASLPO NEWS

    Brian O’Riordan (Registrar) and Iwere thrilled to visit Windsor thispast spring (May, 2012) to deliver ourregional seminar to over 25 membersfrom the region. We were fortunate tohave one of our members, Rose Grant-Rennie, initiate and graciously host thesession at the Windsor RegionalHospital. In addition, we were pleasedto have one of our peer assessors, TerriCooper, offer her knowledge andexperience. Topics covered includedthe Proposed Records Regulation,2011, consent, the quality assuranceprogram as well as new initiatives ofthe College, including the on-goingmember consultation regarding ourconduct regulations and our scopes ofpractice. Our post survey suggested

    the information was well received:100% would consider attendinganother regional seminar and over 90%would consider recommending aregional seminar to a colleague. Brianand I also learned a lot, as we usuallydo at our regional seminars, about ourmembers, their practice challenges andtheir views on upcoming Collegeinitiatives.

    We are planning more seminars for therest of 2012, with Barrie, Mississaugaand Sudbury as potential locations.Please stay tuned for exact dates andlocations that will be announcedthrough our email blasts and on ourwebsite, www.caslpo.com!

    CASLPO Regional SeminarsBy Carol Bock, Deputy Registrar

    Terri Cooper, Peer Assessor

    L to R Alexandria Giordano, Cathy Coppens, Sheila Devaney, Rose Grant-Rennie

  • CASLPO NEWS

    As Co-Chairs of the FHRCOInterprofessional CollaborationProject, Shenda Tanchak, Registrar forthe College of Physiotherapists ofOntario, and I are very excited thatFHRCO will soon launch the muchanticipated “IPC Toolkit.”

    The Federation of Health RegulatoryColleges of Ontario (FHRCO) comprisesall of Ontario’s 21 health regulatorycolleges, which govern over 260,000health professional, and fivetransitional councils for colleges thatare soon to regulate those professions’members. The Federation provides aforum for collaboration on regulatoryissues of mutual interest and benefitwhile it continues to advance itsmandate to maintain a strategic focuson regulatory matters and to promoteeffective communication andcooperation among its members. Moreinformation about the Federation isavailable at www.regulatedhealth-professions.on.ca.

    Building on the consensus achieved byColleges in the “InterprofessionalGuide on Orders, Directives andDelegation,” the Federation hassponsored a project to assistinterprofessional teams to coordinatecare within the expanded (andoverlapping) scopes and authoritiesestablished by the Regulated HealthProfessions Statute Law Amendment

    Act.

    Targeted for completion in 2012, atoolkit is being developed that willprovide a framework through whichinterprofessional teams will quickly

    and safely be able to resolve questionsof individual or professional roles andresponsibilities, including such issuesas record keeping, transfer of care andprovision of specific elements ofpatient care. The tools will bedesigned to be customizable to uniquepoint of care circumstances and toassist but not direct team members indecision-making. Their use will beoptional.

    The toolkit is a three-part, web-basedonline resource available to all healthcare professionals. It will be comprisedof a customizable checklist for use byinterprofessional teams, a set ofFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)and a comprehensive resource sectionoutlining all scopes of practice,authorized controlled acts, and links torelevant College policies or standardsfor each regulated health careprofession in Ontario.

    1. The checklist will be based onpatient/client-centred milestones:

    • The team (or team lead) will be prompted to identify critical review points (“milestones”) thatwill or may arise in the course of patient/client treatment or intervention. The checklist includes a drop down menu of possible milestones (e.g., intake, transfer, change in status, changein setting) to prompt the user to consider critical milestones.

    • Having identified milestones, as each arises, the team will be prompted to review a checklist of

    Interprofessional Collaboration:

    2012 Launch of an Online Toolkit

    by FHRCO

    Elections were held this spring forseats in Districts 2, 4, and 5. Thefollowing are the results:

    District 2Audiologist – Vicky Papaioannou, re-elected.Speech-Language Pathologist – MarySuddick, re-elected.

    District 4Sandra (Sandi) Singbeil, SLP,acclaimed.

    Distri ct 5Carolyn Moran, SLP, acclaimed.

    We thank all those who put theirnames forward as well as all thosemembers who voted in this election.

    Council also bid farewell to our twoacademic members on Council, LucDeNil, SLP and Jack Scott, audiologist.Replacing them for a three-year termare Randi Fisher, SLP, WesternUniversity and Josée Lagacé,audiologist, University of Ottawa.

    At its June meeting, Council held anelection for executive members toserve for a one-year term. Thefollowing are the results:

    President: Vicky Papaioannou (AUD)VP – AUD: Deb ZeliskoVP – SLP: Nancy BlakeExec. Members: Mary Suddick (SLP),Pauline Faubert (public), FerneDezenhouse (public)

    CASLPO Election

    Results

  • “critical questions.”• The checklist is designed to ensure

    that the team has considered aspects of patient/client care thatare known to contribute to patientsafety in an interprofessional model of care delivery (e.g., Whatare the needs? Are their controlledacts required? Who can do it? Who will do it? Has appropriate consent been obtained?).

    • Teams may use the checklist as a planning tool when developing medical directives or population health action plans. (e.g., “Has each of the relevant critical questions been considered at various points during implantationof the planned activity?”).

    • Teams may use the generic checklist to satisfy themselves that

    the questions have been addressed, without providing the answers to the questions (e.g., One of the critical questions is whether consent to treatment hasbeen obtained. In reviewing this item on the checklist, a team mayfeel that it has been satisfactorily addressed by virtue of having an established protocol for obtainingconsent.)

    2. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) will be an easily searchablesection that will address concernsregarding consent, privacy, accountability, team communication,etc. Each question will have a comprehensive, plain languageresponse and will also include linksto the relevant documents each

    Collage has pertaining to the question.

    3. The comprehensive resource for scopes of practice will be a point and click, searchable resource allowing the user to quickly identify the scopes of practice, professional activities, and the authorized controlled acts that areunder the purview of any specific profession.

    Expectations are that the tool will belaunched on the FHRCO website(www.regulatedhealthprofessions.on.ca)in the fall of 2012. Watch for additionalannouncements as we approachproject completion!

    CASLPO NEWS

    DID

    KNOW?

    Did you know ONE OF THE COLLEGE’S PRIORITy PROGRAMS IS “PRACTICEADvICE”?

    CASLPO receives over 100 calls and emails per month from members with questions regarding theapplication of legislation, regulations, and practice standards in their own practice environment.

    CASLPO devotes significant resources to this program because we believe that supporting membersso that they may provide quality practice is in the best interest of the public.

    We encourage you to contact our staff with any questions regarding your practice environmentand the application of practice standards. You will receive relevant information, guidance and

    support.

    We can be reached at [email protected], 416-975-5347 or 1-800-993-9459 .

  • CASLPO NEWS

    Congratulations!

    Council and staff of CASLPO took theopportunity at the December Councilmeeting to acknowledge andcelebrate the 10th anniversary ofCarol Lammers working as theExecutive Assistant to the Registrar.Carol began working for CASLPO in2001 as the Executive Assistant andhas been an integral part of all facetsof the College functions. Herknowledge, skill and dedication havebeen invaluable. Council and stafflook forward to many more years ofworking alongside Carol.

    You may recall recently being askedto participate in a CASLPO surveyregarding social media use. An emailwent out to all our members in mid-June explaining that CASLPO wasengaged in an interprofessionalcollaborative project with six otherregulated health colleges in Ontario todevelop an e-learning module on thetopic of social media. In an effort tocreate a highly useful and educationaltool, we surveyed our professionalsregarding their use of social media.This Social Media e-Learning project isnow well underway and you cananticipate a product announcement inearly spring, 2013. In the interim, wethought you may be interested in theresults of that survey.

    We had an impressive response,especially given the short turn-aroundtime provided (one week), of close to600 members providing detailed input(thank you all!). This interest in socialmedia is not surprising when youconsider how pervasive social media

    usage is in both personal andprofessional worlds. It is, of course,the professional use that is of mostinterest. A brief search of websitesreveals a wide-spread use of socialmedia amongst big and smallprofessional, educational and govern-mental organizations. For example, aTwitter and Facebook presence existsfor organizations such as the TorontoDistrict School Board, The OttawaHospital, Children’s Hospital ofEastern Ontario, Peel District SchoolBoard, the Ministry of Children andYouth Services, Ministry of Health andLong-Term Care and the Ministry ofEducation, not to mention, the vastmajority of private practice sites.Clearly, there is a culture that isfostering members and theiremployers to engage in the socialmedia world.

    Given this environment, it is notsurprising that 84% of our membersuse some form of social media forboth personal and professional use,

    Social Media: What the

    Professions ThinkBy Carol Bock, Deputy Registrar

    CASLPO President Vicky Papaioannou (left)

    present Carol Lammers with an award

    recognizing her 10 years of outstanding service to

    CASLPO.

  • although personal use far outweighs professional.Depending on the particular type of social medium,the degree of professional use varies but the topthree media used for professional purposes areYouTube, LinkedIn, and Google (in that order). The“other” category includes Facetime and Pinterest,primarily, and those were identified as personal use.

    When you reported through the survey the purposesof your professional use of social media, certaintrends appeared. The more common purposes werenot surprising: seeking information, professionaldevelopment and networking. All of which speak tothe very nature of social media. However, it wassurprising to see that the biggest professional usecame under “other.” We clearly did not anticipatesome other common social media uses. What wefound when we looked further was that many of youalso use the “cloud,” through products such asDropbox, for storing agendas, files, assessment andtreatment materials, etc. This appears to beparticularly useful for those who are not located inone space or use a variety of computers. In addition,frequently mentioned in the “other” category wasuse of YouTube for segments to view withpatients/clients that are related to the theraputicgoals (e.g., use of augmentative and alternativecommunication).

    There is no doubt that you are embracing the powerof social media for enhancing and facilitating yourpractice and providing improved quality of serviceto your pateints/clients. The survey results revealedthat over 75% of you felt social media was“somewhat beneficial” to “extremely beneficial” toyour patients/clients.

    However, you also appear to recognize that socialmedia is not simply a benevolent tool: there are risksinherent in the technology. When asked about yourconcerns with the use of social media, yourresponses reflected similar concerns identified byother regulatory bodies and pinpointed what our e-learning module needs to cover. The top concernsyou identified were confidentiality and privacy,maintaining professional boundaries, andprofessional image. You also you want the College todevelop guidelines.

    We will be incorporating into our e-learning module

    CASLPO NEWS

  • CASLPO NEWS

    what appear to be the commonconcerns articulated by our membersthrough the survey and variousfeedback over recent years. Specificallythe topic areas will include:

    • Communication and boundaries: when does personal use blur intoprofessional?

    • Patient/client Privacy: what are the safeguards?

    • Advertising: what are the principles?

    The module will explore theresponsible use of social media byregulatory health professionalsthrough provision of: basic informationabout social media and the relatedpractice standards; practice scenarios;reflection exercises; frequently askedquestions; references and glossary.

    Please keep your ear to the ground, orshould I say, your eye on the website,for announcements regarding thelaunch of the Social Media e-LearningModule.

    If you have any questions orcomments regarding the Social Mediae-Learning Module, please contactCarol Bock, Deputy Registrar [email protected].

    DID

    KNOW?

    Did you know THE DIFFERENCES bETWEEN A REGULATORy AGENCy AND AN ASSOCIATION?

    Regulator Association1 Acts in the interest of the public Acts in the interest of the profession2 Governed by a Council consisting Governed by a Board of Directors

    of professional members and government consisting of professionalsappointed public members

    3 Registers members based on legislated Accepts members based on criteria. Membership is mandatory in association-determined criteria. order to practice. Membership is voluntary.

    4 Requires members to participate in Provides members with opportunitieslegislated quality assurance programs for continuing education

    5 Sets standards of practice to ensure safe Provides competency enhancing and competent service for the public opportunities for members seeking

    to work to a “gold “ standard6 Engages the public in order to inform Engages the members in order

    them of the value of regulated to serve their professional needsprofessionals

    7 Required to have a complaints process in The provincial association is not requiredplace to respond to members who do to have a complaints process in placenot practice to the set standards

    8 Advocates for the public in order to Advocates for the profession in order to effectensure safe, effective and equitable service changes to service delivery, to developacross the province. specialty certificates, increase public

    awareness of professional services.9 Provides accessible information to the Provides accessible information to its

    public regarding the professions, the members regarding professional developmentregistry of members, expected practice opportunities, developments in the standards and the complaints process professional fields, political developments that

    affect the professions10 Accountable to the public, the Accountable to the members

    government and the members

  • Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple solvedmany a mystery under British crimewriter Agatha Christie’s pen, but thegrande dame of mystery novels herselfmay help unravel one of the greatestmysteries – Alzheimer’s disease.

    At a conference in March 2009,University of Toronto English professorIan Lancashire and computer scienceprofessor Graeme Hirst presented apaper entitled, “Vocabulary Changes inAgatha Christie’s Mysteries as anIndication of Dementia: A Case Study.”This paper describes the results of afascinating study in which the works ofAgatha Christie were analyzed andcompared for specific aspects ofwritten language. The results werenothing short of astounding.

    Regina Jokel, speech-language path-ologist, part-time scientist at Baycrestand assistant professor of speechpathology at the University of Toronto,

    was approached as a consultant to theresearch because of her expertise in dementia, through her course,Neurocognitive Communication Dis-orders.

    The researchers examined the first50,000 words within 14 of Christie’sworks, spanning her 53-year writingcareer. These 14 included her earliesttitles, The Mysterious Affair at Styles,published in 1920 when she was 30,and The Secret Adversary, publishedtwo years later at age 32, as well as herfinal three novels, which she wrote inher 80s: Nemesis (1971), Elephants CanRemember (1972), and Postern of Fate(1973), as well as nine others over herlifetime. Jokel says they examinedthree aspects of Christie’s writing:vocabulary richness, specificity ofwords, and amount of repetition.

    The first aspect, vocabulary richness,was based on the number of differentwords she used in each book. Theydiscovered a significant decline withage in the size of her vocabulary fromher earlier to her later works. In fact,the word types fell by one fifth, and bythe time she wrote Elephants CanRemember, when she was 81, hervocabulary had dropped by nearly31%.

    The second aspect they looked at wasthe frequency of use of indefiniteterms, such as “thing,” “anything,” or“something.” The analysis showed thatChristie’s use of vague terms increasedsignificantly with age, from 0.27% inher first book to 1.23% in her last. Thefinal aspect studied was the number of

    repeated phrases. Once again, theyfound a decline in her writing as sheaged, which they described as a declinein lexical richness. In their paper, theresearchers explained that, while bothindefinite words and repetitionsincrease with normal aging, they do sosignificantly more in the language ofpeople with Alzheimer’s disease.

    This analysis was not the first of itskind. In fact, it confirmed the results ofa 2004 study by Peter Garrard of theInstitute of Cognitive Neuroscience atUniversity College London. Garrardcarried out a similar study on the worksof British novelist Iris Murdoch, whohad been diagnosed with Alzheimer’sdisease at the age of 76, the yearfollowing the publication of her finalnovel. Believing that evidence ofMurdoch’s dementia was apparent inher writing prior to her diagnosis,Garrard and his colleagues comparedher early books with her final one.Using the same three aspects, theyfound very similar results to those inthe U of T study – her language hadbecome simpler with age, and hervocabulary had shrunk.

    Though Christie was never assessed for,or diagnosed with, Alzheimer’s diseaseor any other type of dementia, herlater works were described as“muddled and meandering,” and somebelieve her novel Elephants CanRemember might have been a sign ofher defensiveness over her decliningmental function. In their paper, theauthors say, “…her last novels reveal aninability to create a crime solvable byclue-detection according to the rules of

    Agatha Christie – Helping to Unravel the

    Mystery of Alzheimer’s DiseaseBy Sherry Hinman

    ORIGINALLY FEATURED IN

    VOLUME 8 ISSUE 2 - MAY 2010

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  • the genre that she helped to create.”

    Jokel says this research was only abeginning. “What was published wasthe first part of the research,” she says.But their findings only opened up ahost of other questions, which led tofurther research. “The second part isnot yet published so I can’t say toomuch about it.” She did say that theyfound some things they expected,some they didn’t expect, and somethey are still trying to reconcile. “Thevocabulary findings are well docu-mented, but many of the othermeasures had not been usedpreviously.”

    It is reasonable to question the degreeto which these findings are attributableto Alzheimer’s disease and are not justpart of the normal aging process. Jokelsays there are “several really goodstudies done on the written languageof Alzheimer’s. While some aspects oflanguage do decline with normal aging,vocabulary is something that ‘getsbetter with age,’ and this is especiallytrue of seasoned writers. With normalaging, we get a little less specific, andour retrieval is somewhat slower, butour vocabulary becomes richer.”

    Jokel points out that slower retrievaltime doesn’t affect written languagenearly as much as it does spokenlanguage. “Written language isforgiving,” she says. “We can slave overone word, and this is more acceptablethan in speech.”

    In a Macleans magazine article

    published in April 2009, Dr. MorrisFreedman, head, Division of Neurology,and Director, Behavioural NeurologyProgram at Baycrest, is quoted assaying “Because writing is a learned,not a natural skill, it breaks downearly.”

    Jokel agrees with this statement. “Wetend to lose skills acquired later,” shesays. “Writing is also one of the mostcomplex tasks; if one componentbreaks down, the person can’tcompensate. Impaired writing is one ofthe first language symptoms to benoticeable in someone withAlzheimer’s.”

    Jokel says it was fortunate to be able tocompare the findings about Murdoch,who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’sdisease, with their own about Christie,who was not. They are also comparingboth sets of results with a detailedanalysis of the works of P.D. James.James is an active, productive writerwhose books are still being publishedat the age of 89, and whose writingdoes not show any signs of decline.Interestingly, these three authors havemuch in common: all are female, olderwriters, in the mystery genre.

    While the findings are tantalizing, onemight ask how applicable they are tothe general public. After all, not manypeople are published authors; can theresults be extended in a useful way tothe rest of the world? Jokel observesthat many people, after they leaveschool, don’t write any more. But withthe Internet, there are many more who

    use written language to correspondthrough email, maintain a website, orblog about their experiences. So theremay be more opportunity for writingsamples. “People in their 60s and 70sare more computer savvy,” shereminds us.

    Jokel is unsure where the research willeventually lead. This will be up to “thefathers of the project,” as she refers tothem. Her own interest would be to doa similar analysis to distinguishbetween non-fluent progressiveaphasia, semantic dementia (fluentvariant of non-fluent progressiveaphasia) and Alzheimer’s disease. Shewould like to see the computer analysisthey used eventually become availableto clinicians working with an agingpopulation, and use it for earlydiagnosis of Alzheimer’s and otherdementias.

    But that is the future. For now, Jokelsays she is thrilled with how muchpublicity this research has garnered. “Ihave been doing research on languagefor the past 20 years and there’s beenvery little mention of it. This hasbrought language into focus inmagazines that do not usually talkabout it.”

    Sherry Hinman is a freelance writer and

    editor. She is also a professor in the

    Communicative Disorders Assistant

    Program, Durham College; worked

    clinically as an SLP for fourteen years;

    and served three years on the CASLPO

    Council.

  • At the Special Olympics, childrenand adults with intellectualdisabilities pull out all the stops tocompete for bronze, silver, and gold;they’re athletes who overcome greatodds to reach the podium.

    Those odds go beyond developmentaldisadvantages, though; health andwell-being can be a real challenge forSpecial Olympics athletes. They face a40% greater risk of having preventableconditions such as untreated orinadequately treated hearing, vision,dental, and podiatry problems as wellas obesity, and nutritional deficits.

    Poor awareness of, and access to,health care practitioners is a leadingfactor in these health risks. To addressthat problem, organizers for SpecialOlympics Ontario (SOO) have beenrunning the Healthy Athletes Programsince 2003 – featuring screening forhearing, eyes, feet, mouth/teeth,nutrition, and overall fitness.

    Originally, the screenings – offeredduring the Special Olympics games –weren’t as well-attended as organizerswanted. “The athletes viewed thescreenings as a fill-in activity betweencompetitions, so our Healthy Athletesvolunteers were not being fullyutilized,” says Linda Ashe, directororganizational development, SOO. Theprogram was adjusted so that in 2008,the Healthy Athletes program was heldtwo weeks before the games started –making the Special Olympics Ontariomodel “the first of its type globally,”says Ashe. The inaugural pre-gamesscreenings were held May 9 and 10.

    Winning in Life, Health, and Sport

    By Heather Angus-Lee

    ORIGINALLY FEATURED IN

    VOLUME 6 ISSUE 3 - AUGUST 2008

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    Ontario Audiologist Makes Hearing a Priority for Special

    Olympics Athletes

  • Almost 200 Health CareProfessionals Give Their TimeThis year, more than 180 health careprofessionals – doctors, dentists,audiologists, podiatrists, and nutritionists– from across Canada volunteered theirtime and knowledge to screen the 1,100athletes who attended the Healthy

    Athletes Expo at Durham College inOshawa, Ontario. The health careprofessionals were assisted by 170student volunteers from various collegesand universities.

    “The Expo concept is an excellentopportunity for the health care

    professionals to learn more aboutpeople with disabilities, the varioustypes of disabilities, and the range ofconcerns that the athletes haveregarding access to care,” says Ashe.“There is so much work to do in thisarea, and by engaging healthprofessionals through this fun and life-changing experience is seen as a majorstep to community inclusion andattitudinal change.”

    Most of the attending athletes, whoare between the ages of 5 and 77,typically don't participate beyond theSpecial Olympics local level. Theyattended the expo accompanied by afamily member, teacher, or grouphome worker.

    Healthy Hearing was the first programinstated in the Healthy Athletesprogram back in 2003 – in fact, it wasthe only screening offered that firstyear, says Ashe. She developed thehearing screening program with thehelp of speech pathologist PennyParnes of the Canadian HearingAssociation. The next year, SOO addedthe Eyes, Feet and Smiles programs,followed in 2006 by FUNfitness andHealth Promotion.

    Audiologist Joins to Gain

    valuable ExperienceEach of the Healthy Athletes programsrequires a clinical director – a role filledby audiologist Gayle Faiers for HealthyHearing. In 2007, she attended a train-the-trainer session, hosted by Ashe,where some 80 doctors and otherhealth care professionals from Canada,the United States, and Mexico learnedabout the Special Olympics and how tobring the Healthy Athletes program totheir area. “Following the training, Ivolunteered to supervise and screen togain valuable experience,” says Faiers. Kim Tillery, department chair at SUNYFredonia and trainer at the train-the-trainer course, came up from New York

  • to screen alongside Faiers at SOO thisyear. Faiers, who teaches audiology inthe Communicative Disorders Assistantprogram at Durham College, notes thatshe and Tillery were responsible for“the ordering of audiological equip-ment and supplies for the event,setting up the rooms for screening, thetraining and supervision of the studentvolunteers who screened the hearingof athletes – such as otoscopy, evoked otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE)screening, tympanometry and puretone screenings – as well as gatheringand analyzing data at the event forinclusion in the database.”

    High Fail Rates for Hearing

    ScreeningsFaiers describes the process of theHealthy Hearing screening: Athleteswere directed through the registrationdesks and four screening stations.Many Special Olympics athletes

    required only the first two stations,examining the ear canals for cerumenand the DPOAE screening of both ears.But if an athlete did not pass DPOAEs,he/she went to the third station(tympamometry) and then the fourthstation for two-frequency pure-toneaudiometry.

    In alignment with the findings ofprevious events, and with national andinternational Special Olympics, thehearing tests of the SOO athletesproduced high fail rates. Results of the2008 Healthy Hearing screeningsincluded:

    • 69.9% of athletes passed the overall hearing screening

    • 33.1% of athletes failed the hearing screening in one or both ears

    • 55.9% of athletes failed the middleear screening (tympanometry)

    • 54.1% of athletes had blocked or partially blocked ear canals in oneor both ears

    Supporting A Lifestyle of

    WellnessGeneral education about health – andsharing the screening results with theadult caregiver accompanying eachSpecial Olympics athlete – is a criticalpiece of the Healthy Athletes program.Those results include a Healthy Hearingreport indicating screening pass or fail,as well as a referral for medical and/oraudiological services if necessary. Aswell, the athletes’ parent/caregivergets an opportunity to talk about theirconcerns with the volunteer.

    This practice addresses another factorin the athletes’ dramatic health deficit:poorly supported lifestyles to promotewellness. For example, “someindividuals did not know how to accessaudiologists in their community” saysFaiers, “so I provided OSLA’sCommunication Health Information

    Line website and phone number”(www.osla.on.ca/chil/enrolment.asp). The Healthy Athletes Expo alsofeatured these health screenings:

    • Opening Eyes: Assessing athletes’vision and providing eyeglasses and protective goggles as necessary.

    • Special Smiles: Teaching the importance of oral health and providing mouth guards as necessary.

    • FUNfitness: Assessing the athletes’general flexibility and providing exercise routines and resources.

    • Fit Feet: Examining athletes’ nails,bones, and joints.

    • Health Promotion: Reinforcing good nutrition and healthy lifestylechoices.

    The Healthy Athletes Expo, funded inpart by the Ontario Trillium Foundation,acted as a spring board event for theSpecial Olympics Ontario 2008 SpringGames in Durham Region May 29 – 31.The games were led by the DurhamRegional Police Service, a long-timesupporter of Special Olympics Ontariothrough the Law Enforcement TorchRun. The athletes competed inswimming, 5 and 10 pin bowling,power-lifting, and basketball. Winnersfrom the Ontario Games go on tocompete at the National Games inLondon Ontario in 2010.

    “By all accounts, the expo was aresounding success. We were able togather excellent data on each healthdiscipline, and work with each athletewho needed follow-up assessment andcare,” says Ashe. As of this writing 422new athletes and their families joinedlocal SOO programs as a result of theHealthy Athletes Expo.

    Gratifying Work, Meeting Great

    AthletesGayle Faiers agrees that the expo

    (Left) Kate Gauldie one of the Clinical

    Directors of FunFitness with (Right)

    Special Olympics Ontario Director

    Organizational Development Linda Ashe.

  • achieved its goals – for her, personally,as well as for the SOO and theirathletes. ‟The Healthy HearingProgram is definitely one of the mostrewarding experiences that I’ve everhad the chance to do professionally.Not only have I had the opportunity towork with other audiologists,volunteers, and Special Olympics staff,but I have gotten to know some reallygreat athletes!”

    She notes that ‟most of the athleteswere excited about getting their

    hearing checked, although some wererather nervous. I was told by a teacherthat one of the athletes has never hadher hearing checked because shewould not go to the hearing clinic. Butshe was willing to let us screen hersince her friends were there having itdone at the Expo, too.”

    Those little moments of connectionand accomplishment are wonderful,Faiers says. ‟It’s gratifying knowing thatwe are helping the athletes byreminding them of the importance of

    hearing health care – and identifyingspecific athletes who need audiologicalevaluations to determine if a hearingloss exists and requires treatment.”Special Olympics Ontario is looking formore volunteer audiologists to join theHealthy Athletes team; if interested,Gayle Faiers can be reached [email protected].

    Heather Angus-Lee, an award-winningjournalist, writes frequently forCASLPO Today. She can be reached [email protected].

    DID

    KNOW?

    Did you know CASLPO IS GOvERNED by A COUNCIL. THE COMPOSITION OF THECOUNCIL IS MANDATED by THE Audiology And SPeeCH-lAnguAge PAtHologyACt, 1991, WHICH ExPLICITLy STATES THAT THE COUNCIL CONSISTS OF:

    • professionals (8 to 9), • public members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council (6 to 7) and • academic members (2).

    Currently, CASLPO has nine professional members who represent five electoral regions in theprovince of Ontario (6 SLPs and 3 Auds), two academic members (1 SLP and 1 Aud) and 5 publicmembers.

    The professional members are voted in by you, themembership, and serve a three year term. Each yearthere usually is two to four professional members ofCouncil positions that open for election. This year we hadopenings for four positions corresponding to twopositions in district 2 (Central Region), one position eachin districts 4 (North-Western Region) and 5 (North-Eastern Region).

  • Title: A-FROM in Action at theAphasia InstituteAuthors: Aura Kagan, PhDJournal: Seminars In Speech AndLanguage 2011;32(3).

    Aphasia centers are in an excellentposition to contribute to the broaddefinition of health by the World HealthOrganization: the ability to live life to itsfull potential. An expansion of thisdefinition by the World Health

    Organization International Classificationof Functioning, Disability and Health(ICF) forms the basis for a user-friendlyand ICF-compatible framework forplanning interventions that ensuremaximum real-life outcome and impactfor people with aphasia and theirfamilies. This article describes Livingwith Aphasia: Framework for OutcomeMeasurement and its practicalapplication to aphasia centers in theareas of direct service, outcome

    measurement, and advocacy andawareness. Examples will be drawnfrom the Aphasia Institute in Toronto. Acase will be made for all aphasia centersto use the ICF or an adaptation of it tofurther the work of this sector andstrengthen its credibility.

    KEYWORDS: Aphasia, aphasia centers,ICF, A-FROM, intervention measures

    FEATURE

    By Alexandra Carling-Rowland Ph.D. Reg. CASLPO,

    Director of Professional Practice and Quality Assurance

    Research Corner

    The first edition of Research Cornerwas very well received by themembership. For this edition we haveturned to our research colleaguesworking in research institutes andteaching hospitals who have had articlespublished in peer reviewed journals in2011 and 2012. It is hoped that by

    disseminating important clinical andtheoretical research findings we will helpyou, the members, to remain current inyour practice.

    The inclusion criteria for Research Corner are as follows:• The article appears in a Peer

    Reviewed Journal• The article concerns the practices

    of speech language pathology and audiology

    • The article is published in the current or previous year

    Abstracts can be forwarded to me atCASLPO at [email protected]

    Abstracts

    Title: Longitudinal Detection ofDementia through Lexical andSyntactic Changes in Writing: ACase Study of Three BritishNovelistsAuthors: Xuan Le, Ian Lancashire,Graeme Hirst, and Regina JokelJournal: Literary and LinguisticComputing 2011;26(4):435–461.

    We present a large-scale longitudinalstudy of lexical and syntactic changes inlanguage in Alzheimer’s disease using

    complete, fully parsed texts and a largenumber of measures, using as oursubjects the British novelists IrisMurdoch (who died with Alzheimer’s),Agatha Christie (who was suspected ofit), and P.D.James (who has agedhealthily). We avoid the limitations anddeficiencies of Garrard et al.’s, Theeffects of very early Alzheimer’s diseaseon the characteristics of writing by arenowned author (Brain 2005;128[2]:250–60.) earlier study of IrisMurdoch. Our results support the

    hypothesis that signs of dementia canbe found in diachronic analyses ofpatients’ writings, and in addition leadto new understanding of the work of theindividual authors whom we studied. Inparticular, we show that it is probablethat Agatha Christie indeed sufferedfrom the onset of Alzheimer’s whilewriting her last novels, and that IrisMurdoch exhibited a “trough” ofrelatively impoverished vocabulary andsyntax in her writing in her late 40s and50s that presaged her later dementia.

  • Title: Binaural Interactions Developin the Auditory Brainstem ofChildren Who Are Deaf: Effects ofPlace and Level of Bilateral ElectricalStimulationAuthors: Gordon KA, Salloum C, Toor GS,van Hoesel R, Papsin BC.Journal: The Journal of Neuroscience2012;32(12):4212–23.

    Bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) mightpromote development of binauralhearing required to localize soundsources and hear speech in noise forchildren who are deaf. These hearingskills improve in children implantedbilaterally but remain poorer than

    normal. We thus questioned whetherthe deaf and immature human auditorysystem is able to integrate inputdelivered from bilateral CIs. Usingelectrophysiological measures ofbrainstem activity that include theBinaural Difference (BD), a measure ofbinaural processing, we showed that aperiod of unilateral deprivation beforebilateral CI use prolonged responselatencies but that amplitudes were notsignificantly affected. Tonotopicorganization was retained to someextent as evidenced by an elimination ofthe BD with large mismatches in placeof stimulation between the two CIs.Smaller place mismatches did not affect

    BD latency or amplitude, indicating thatthe tonotopic organization of theauditory brainstem is underdevelopedand/or not well used by CI stimulation.Finally, BD amplitudes decreased whenthe intensity of bilateral stimulationbecame weighted to one side and thiscorresponded to a perceptual shift ofsound away from midline toward theside of increased intensity. In summary,bilateral CI stimulation is processed bythe developing human auditorybrainstem leading to perceptualchanges in sound location andpotentially improving hearing forchildren who are deaf.

  • Peer Assessors are the backbone of theQuality Assurance Program here atCASLPO. They are working speech-language pathologists and audiologistswho travel, sometimes great distances,across the province to meet withmembers who have been randomlyselected to participate in PeerAssessment.

    Quality assurance is mandatory for allregulated health professions. In orderto be self-regulated, every Collegemust have a quality assurance programconsisting of: continuing education andprofessional development; self, peerand practice assessment; and amechanism for the College to monitorparticipation and compliance.

    Great efforts have been made toensure that Peer Assessment is apositive learning process. Our PeerAssessors are practicing clinicians andthey come to the process with a strongsense of what is practical andreasonable. They may be your best“mentor.”

    What Do you Need To become A

    Peer Assessor?First and foremost, you need acommitment to quality professionalpractice and a belief in continuingeducation and professionaldevelopment. Secondly, all assessorsmust attend training sessions atCASLPO where they learn aboutCASLPO, self-regulation, the QualityAssurance program, and the intricaciesof a successful site visit. Thirdly, all

    assessors must have been PeerAssessed themselves. This means thatthey know what it is like first hand toprepare for a site visit, and how theprocess is time consuming anddemanding, but worthwhile. Each PeerAssessor is an experienced clinicianhaving practiced for at least six years.However, they are truly your peers,and, as working speech languagepathologists and audiologists, knowfirst-hand the challenges and obstaclesthat are faced while pursuing aprofession to the highest standards.Finally, they must commit to ongoingeducation themselves. Every year thegroup attends a full-day workshop atCASLPO where different elements ofthe Peer Assessment process arereviewed and new documentsintroduced.

    Who Are Our Peer Assessors?Currently we have 16 Peer Assessorsworking in the Quality Assuranceprogram, four audiologists and 12 SLPs.It is important that the group of PeerAssessors reflects the workingpractices of our membership, so wehave representation from all areas ofpractice: publically funded and private,pre-school, school age and adults. Weare fortunate to have two bilingualPeer Assessors who regularly assessFrench speaking members. The PeerAssessors come from all areas of theprovince: Windsor, London, Niagara,Waterloo, Guelph, Hamilton, Brantford,Mississauga, Toronto, Markham,Peterborough, Cornwall, Ottawa ,andThunder Bay.

    CASLPO’s Peer AssessorsSo, what inspired these busy cliniciansto become a Peer Assessor?

    We asked them, and here are some oftheir responses:

    “I became a peer assessor because the

    process intrigued me! I have remained a

    peer assessor because of the opportunity

    to interact with the variety of amazing

    individuals who practice in this field. It

    has also been my experience that the

    program is supportive of members.”

    “Getting to spend a day with SLPs in

    different areas of the province to learn

    about their programs, brainstorm

    together and sometimes commiserate

    together about similar practice

    challenges.”

    “Becoming part of the process seemed

    to me the best way to ensure that I was

    meeting College standards in my own

    practice. I also believed that being more

    involved with the College would help me

    in my role as practice leader for the

    speech-language pathology division of a

    private company.”

    “I like meeting other audiologists across

    Ontario that face the same daily

    challenges as I do. Sometimes, issues

    that affect all clinicians are brought to

    the attention of the College and changes

    can be made that benefit everyone.”

    “I enjoy meeting other colleagues the

    most, and always walk away with a

    renewed passion for being an SLP.”

    FEATURE

    What Inspires a Clinician to become a

    Peer Assessor? By Alexandra Carling-Rowland Ph.D., Reg.CASLPO

    Director of Professional Practice and Quality Assurance

  • “Before becoming a peer assessor, I did

    not realise how much the College is

    open to feedback from its members in

    terms of adapting, continually re-

    evaluating and improving the process as

    much as possible for us all as members.

    It has also made me appreciate that

    actually the peer assessment process is

    a way of guaranteeing that we as SLPs

    and AUDs are maintaining high

    standards, and it ensures that if we are

    complying, we really need have no

    worries about any complaints should

    they ever be made against us.”

    “Great opportunity to do something

    different in my role as an SLP and also

    to “demystify” the perception of the

    College and put a face on it.”

    “I was interested initially in the PA

    process as a means of ensuring that the

    College was observing the needs and

    challenges faced by those members

    who worked with young people and in

    education. In the early years of the PA

    process development I would like to

    think that I had some input into on-

    going changes and interpretations

    which applied to this population.”

    “The main reason was to embrace the

    opportunity to get involved with the

    profession outside of my day-to-day

    employment.”

    “I was selected for peer assessment in

    the first year. Of course I was extremely

    anxious and my peer assessor did a

    wonderful job guiding me through the

    process. I thought I might be able to do

    the same for others in the profession

    and therefore became a peer assessor. I

    have enjoyed meeting many peers over

    the years and feel my own practice has

    benefitted tremendously.”

    “I really enjoy travelling outside of my

    community to meet new people as I

    always learn something new in every PA

    experience either about what other SLPs

    are doing clinically, challenges they face,

    a new clinical idea or how I, myself, can

    improve.”

    “I highly value the perspective that the

    Quality Assurance program is an

    educational one. We all continue to

    learn, improving our clinical skills,

    caseload management skills and our

    services to our clients and their families.”

    “I became a peer assessor following my

    own peer assessment which was a very

    positive experience. I learned a lot

    through the process and felt becoming

    a peer assessor would be an excellent

    opportunity for further skill

    development and growth as well as

    allowing me an opportunity to

    contribute to the profession.”

    SummaryCASLPO would like to take thisopportunity to thank our PeerAssessors for their commitment toQuality Assurance. You might seethem at a site visit, but they are doingmuch work behind the scenes, notonly with individual Peer Assessments,but also with the ongoing evaluationof the Quality Assurance program.They are the face of the College, andthey carry out their task withobjectivity, sensitivity, creativity and asense of pragmatism and fairness. Wecould not run the program withoutthem – thank you.

    Back row left to right: Carol Bock, Deputy Registrar, William Krock SLP, Karen Fisher SLP, Dianne Height SLP, Karen Halvorson, SLP, Sandra

    Corte SLP, Juljia Adamonis Audiologist, Sarah Chapman Jay SLP, Dana Parker Audiologist, Tenley Baker SLP, Chris Allan Audiologist, Alex

    Carling-Rowland, Director of Professional Practice and Quality Assurance.

    Front Row: David Beattie SLP, Lisa Sylvester SLP, Joanne Winckel SLP, Terri Cooper SLP.

    Absent: Hish Husein Audiologist, Stephanie Muir Derbyshire SLP.

  • The face of speech-languagepathology (SLP) and audiology ischanging in response to external trendsin government policy, constraints inhealth care and education, and theaging population. More and more of ourmembers are contacting the College toinquire about opening a privatepractice, either part time or full time.This article has been written to providethe membership with informationconcerning regulation that addressesthe most common inquiries receivedhere at CASLPO.

    When working as a sole privatepractitioner you no longer have thestructure of employer’s or owner’spolicies and procedures which usuallyincorporate CAS LPO’s regulations andpractice standards. You have to ensurethat every element of your practiceabides by the legislation, regulations,and bylaws and follows the College’sProfessional Practice Standards. Pleaserefer to the following:

    1. Legislation such as the Audiology and Speech Language Pathology

    Act, the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), the Health Care Consent Act and Personal Health and Information Protection

    Act (PHIPA). These Acts, and others, can be found on the CASLPO website www.caslpo.com under Legislation and Regulations.

    2. The rules of the College, including regulations and bylaws which includes the Code of Ethics (By-law2011-8). These can also be found on the CASLPO website www.caslpo.com under Legislationand Regulations.

    3. College Standards of Practice, Practice Standards and Guidelines (PSGs) and Position Statements. These documents focus on specificareas of practice. Practice Standards can be found on our website www.caslpo.com

    Frequently Asked QuestionsArea of PracticeI am a SLP working for a school board,but I used to work with adults withaphasia. Can I offer services to bothpopulations?

    Consider not only your experience andarea of practice, but also the College’sCode of Ethics, bylaw 2011-08

    In the Code of Ethics, the section onProfessional Standards GoverningPractice states: “Audiologists andSpeech Language Pathologists shallpractice within the limits of theircompetence as determined by theireducation, training and professionalexperience.”

    You may offer services in any area ofspeech-language pathology as long as

    you currently have the appropriatecompetencies, which are developedthrough acquiring knowledge, skill, andjudgement in specific practice areas. Itis therefore prudent to develop LearningGoals for your Self-Assessment Tool(SAT) to further update your knowledgeregarding current best practice in theprovision of service to adults withacquired speech, language andcommunication disorders. Professional Liability InsuranceDo I need extra or special liabilityinsurance for private practice?No, but you must make sure that youhave sufficient Professional LiabilityInsurance. The Registration Regulation,2011 stipulates:

    4. Every certificate of registration is subject to the following conditions:

    2. The member shall maintain professional liability insurance in the amount and in the form as required by the bylaws. O. Reg. 21/12, s. 4.

    The professional liability insurance musthave a limit of at least $2,000,000 forany one incident and must not besubject to a deductible.

    Record KeepingI am an audiologist going into privatepractice with an ENT. Which of us isresponsible for the records?

    FEATURE

    Opening a Private

    PracticeBy Alexandra Carling-Rowland Ph.D. Reg.CASLPO

    Director of Professional Practice and Quality Assurance

    and Carol Bock M.H.Sc. Reg CASLPO

    Deputy Registrar

  • This is something that you need todetermine with the ENT at the outset ofyour professional relationship. Thereare a variety of options regarding whomaintains the record. One option is tohave a separate audiology record fromthe ENT record. If you are maintainingthe audiology records, you are then theHealth Information Custodian (HIC) andmust act accordingly. You areresponsible for the safe and confidentialstoring of the record according toPHIPA.

    Alternatively, the ENT can be the HICand the “keeper of the records.” If youarrange for the ENT to be responsiblefor maintaining audiology records, youshould inform him or her about ourProposed Records Regulation andensure as far as possible the following:

    1. A member shall, when working with others, take all reasonable steps to ensure that records are made, used, maintained, retained and disclosed in accordance with this Regulation.

    9. (1) The member shall maintain his or her records in a manner that ensures that a patient/client with a right to access his or her health record is able to exercise that right.

    Whatever is decided upon, it should bemade clear to the patient/client whereand how they would access their record,

    if they so choose. Also, the recordkeeping arrangement should bedocumented in an agreement.

    What Else You Need To Know about

    Records

    What records or charts do I need tokeep?Proposed Records Regulation, 2011outlines the requirements for collecting,documenting, storing, and maintainingrecords. The regulation also outlineswhat information you must collect anddocument, including financialinformation that needs to be in therecord.

    2. “A member shall ensure that his orher records are up to date and made, used, maintained, retained and disclosed in accordance with this Regulation.”

    5 (1) “Each member shall maintain a financial record for each patient/client, where the member bills for services and clinical products to the patient/client directly or indirectly through a third party.”

    How long do I need to keep the chartsor records?Information regarding record retentioncan also be found in the ProposedRecords Regulation, 2011. Essentially,the record must be retained for 10 yearspast the last contact or 10 years after

    the patient/client turns 18, whichever islonger. The regulation states:

    8. (1) Financial and patient/client health records shall be retained following the patient/client’s last contact for the following periods oftime:

    (a) For patients/clients who are 18 years of age or older at the time ofthe last contact: a period of at least10 years.

    (b) For patients/clients who are less than 18 years of age at the time of the last contact: period of at least 10 years following the date at which they would have become 18years of age.

    You will notice that the regulation usesthe word last “contact” and not lasttreatment session. If you havesignificant contact with the patient,client, parent or family member thatrequires documentation, then therecord must be kept for the outlinedtime following the contact. Examplescan include a parent calling youregarding a previous child client who isstuttering. You might provide them withtherapeutic suggestions and ask themto call you again if the behaviourpersists. The spouse of a previouspatient with apraxia may call you todiscuss a communication issue. Youbrainstorm the issue with her and askher to contact you again if a follow-up

  • appointment is needed. Both areexamples of “contact.”

    ConfidentialityWhat steps do I need to take to ensureconfidentiality and security?All patient/client health informationmust be stored according to therequirements outlined in PHIPA:

    12. (1) A health information custodian shall take steps that are reasonablein the circumstances to ensure thatpersonal health information in the custodian’s custody or control is protected against theft, loss and unauthorized use or disclosure andto ensure that the records containing the information are protected against unauthorized copying, modification or disposal. 2004, c. 3, Sched. A, s. 12 (1).

    The physical records should be kept in alocked filing cabinet. If you are providingservice on an itinerant basis, keep therecords in a locked box in the lockedtrunk of your car. At the end of the daythe locked box containing the client’scharts or records should be brought intoyour house/apartment and storedsecurely. Electronic records requiresecure storage, especially if you areusing and transporting a laptop.

    Please refer to CASLPO Today (vol 10,issue 2) “Practicing Securely in anInsecure World.”

    AdvertisingI know that I cannot hold myself out asa specialist, but can I includeinformation on my area of practice inadvertising?Yes. The statement below can be foundin the Proposed Advertising Regulation,1996.

    A member cannot make: C. “a reference to specialization in

    any area of practice or in any procedure or treatment unless themember holds a specialist

    certificate issued by the College, although nothing herein shall prohibit an advertisement that contains a reference to the member’s scope of practice, or statement that the member has additional training in a particular area of practice, or a statement that the member’s practice is restricted to a particular area of practice.”

    Can I advertise my services outsidetraditional venues such as the yellowPages and newspapers?Yes you may, as long as you follow theProposed Advertising Regulation, 1996.

    Your advertisement, wherever it isplaced should be written in a mannerthat is: tasteful, dignified, ethical andprofessional; understood by the generalpublic; and not false or misleading.

    Your advertisement must not containtestimonials of any kind, including thosefrom current clients/patients, formerclients/patients, or from family orfriends of clients/patients.

    Can I advertise using social media, forexample Google Maps or Facebook?Yes, as long as you abide by theProposed Advertising Regulation, 1996.

    CASLPO is recommending, however,that you exercise extreme caution whenconsidering the use of social media in aprofessional context. Regardless of themedium, members should consider theappropriateness of revealing anypersonal information to patients/clientsdue to the potential for the blurring ofprofessional and personal boundaries(see Position Statement: ProfessionalRelationships and boundaries). At aminimum, consider creating a separateFacebook or twitter account for yourprofessional presence and closelymonitor any ensuing links to otherinappropriate websites or pages orrequests to be a patient/client’s friend.We strongly recommend that you don’t

    use your personal accounts for workrelated matters.

    Can I advertise and provide adiscount?The Professional Misconduct Regulation,1991 lists the following as an act ofprofessional misconduct:

    “Charging a fee that exceeds the fee for services set out in the schedule of fees published by the Ontario Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, without the prior informed consent of the patient orclient. Charging a fee that exceeds the fee for services set out in the schedule of fees published by the Ontario Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, without the prior informed consent of the patient orclient.”

    However, there is no requirementregarding fees that may be lower thanthat which the association recommends.Consequently, you may offer discountedservices, such as the sort that are offeredthrough Groupon or other discountedonline gift certificates. You must alsoadhere to the Proposed AdvertisingRegulation, which stipulates that youmust not state anything that is false ormisleading. Therefore, the service musttruly be discounted. You must not tryand recoup the discounted fee by raisingfees for other services, for example. Alsoremember that your advertising shouldbe tasteful, dignified, ethical, andprofessional, as set out in the ProposedAdvertising Regulation.

    Can I include my area of practice on mybusiness cards?Yes, as long as you do not hold yourselfout as a specialist or an expert. Also,remember that if you have a Ph.D. or aclinical doctorate such as D.Aud, thatyou are not allowed to use the “doctor”title on your business cards, website,signage within your practice enviro-

    FEATURE

  • FEATURE

    nment, etc. although you may placeafter your name, the name of yourdegree followed by your profession.These restrictions do not apply in non-clinical settings, such as academia,where you may use the “doctor” title.For more information please review thePosition Statement on the Use of theTitle “Doctor.”

    Fees For ServiceI am new to private practice and I haveno idea how much I can charge for myservices?

    CASLPO does not determine how muchmembers should be charging forscreening, assessment, treatment,consulting or education. The OntarioAssociation of Speech-LanguagePathologists and Audiologists (OSLA)produces a “Suggested Fee Schedule forPrivate Practice.” The fees listed are therecommended maximum hourly rates.It is an act of professional misconductunder the Professional MisconductRegulation to charge excessive fees:

    (24) Charging a fee that is excessivein relation to the services charged for.(25) Charging a fee that exceeds the fee for services set out in the schedule of fees published by the Ontario Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, without the prior informed consent of the patient orclient.

    What should my fees include?You need to consider carefully what isincluded in your fees, determine a feeschedule and whether or not yoursession fees cover requests for extraservices such as writing additionalreports and making copies of the clientfile.

    Ask yourself the following questions:• How long do you need to prepare

    for the client and write up your chart note after the session?

    • Are you providing the client with an assessment report? This is not a requirement of CASLPO, but many private practitioners do provide one.

    • If providing service in the client’s home, are you charging for travel?

    • Does the client have multiple needs that may require you to communicate with other professionals, when you have consent to do so?

    • Is the client involved in a legal case,for example child custody or motorvehicle accident (MVA), which maynecessitate reports and copies of the patient/client file?

    When you have decided on a fee, aschedule and a policy for charging forextraneous services inform thepatient/client. Make sure that theinformation is clear, understood by thepatient/client and is documented in therecord.

    I live in a low socio-economic area;families here cannot afford therecommended fee schedule. Am Iallowed to offer a lower fee than isrecommended?Yes, as long as you abide by the rules ofthe College and practice in accordancewith CASLPO’s standards of practice. Youmay want to consider providing shortersessions, for example 40 or 45 minutes,and reduce your fee accordingly. Thereare also some charitable organizationswhich provide financial support forsome families with fees for service.

    Am I allowed to offer a free service, forexample a free hearing test or speechlanguage screening?Yes, but the service must be truly free;you cannot recoup the cost by elevatingyour fees in other areas. All speech-language pathologists and audiologistsmust abide by the Legal Standardsgoverning practice in the Code of Ethics:4.1.3 shall be honourable and

    truthful in all their professional relations;

    4.1.2 shall respect patients’/clients’ choice of practitioners;

    4.1.4 shall respect patients’/clients’ right to decline treatment

    If an individual walks into a hearingclinic to avail themselves of a freehearin