Open Letters & Responses
In July 2020, over 500 mental health professionals demanded that Ontario’s health regulators and politicians take action to end police involvement in mental health wellness checks. Read the open letters and see the responses that we received.
Letter to Ontario’s Health Profession Regulators
On July 2nd, 2020, over 200 doctors, psychiatrists, nurses, psychotherapists, social workers and occupational therapists signed an open letter demanding that our regulatory colleges take steps to warn mental health professionals about the danger of police involvement in wellness checks. This letter also demanded that these health regulators, who are charged with protecting the public interest, advise the Premier and Deputy Premier & Minister of Health that police involvement in mental health calls represents a public health crisis. We asked the colleges to recommend that funding be redirected from policing to community-based initiatives that would provide trauma-informed crisis intervention and mobile mental health supports that reduce harm and seek to prevent loss of life. Given the facts and the urgency of this situation, we demanded action within five days. In the days and weeks that followed, the number of co-signatories on the open letter climbed to over 500 regulated healthcare professionals working in mental health.
Letter to Ontario’s Premier and Deputy Premier & Minister of Health
When our regulatory colleges failed to meet the deadline, we escalated our demands to the Premier of Ontario and Deputy Premier & Minister of Health on July 8, 2020. The regulatory colleges are formed under Provincial legislation to protect the public interest. Under that same legislation, the Minister of Health is responsible for ensuring the colleges are effective in this job. Once again, we demanded action in five days. We received no response from the Premier, the Deputy Premier & Minister of Health, or any of the other Provincial Cabinet Ministers copied on that letter.
How Ontario’s Health Profession Regulators Have Responded
Each of the regulatory colleges named in our July 2nd open letter has made a response. Some have responded publicly and some only privately.
On July 13th, 2020, the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Support Workers (OCSWSSW) delivered a private email response on behalf of five colleges whose members are authorized to perform psychotherapy in Ontario:
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO)
College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO)
College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO)
College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO).
This response was not co-signed by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).
In summary, the response:
Acknowledged that profound societal, political and institutional changes are required to address systemic racism
Highlighted the colleges’ role in setting entry-to-practice requirements for health professionals, setting and maintaining standards of practice, ensuring ongoing competence of professionals through quality assurance and rigorous complaints and disciplinary processes
Stated that the colleges do not and will not advocate for health professionals or individual practitioners
Noted that their practice guidelines assist registered practitioners with ethical decision-making and encourage us to “consider the broad range of options available in crisis situations”
Stated that the colleges are reflecting on their role and steps they can take to “work on issues of diversity, including and anti-racist practice,” and expressed a desire to work with their members to “facilitate” positive change
Welcomed specific suggestions about how to address these serious issues
Responses by Regulatory College
Response from CPSO
As of October 2023 - no public response or statement that we are aware of
Co-signed the private response to our letter on July 13th, 2020, delivered by OCSWSSW
Response from College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO)
As of October 2023 - no public response or statement that we are aware of
Co-signed the private response to our letter on July 13th, 2020, delivered by OCSWSSW
Response from College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO)
Issued a public statement on July 6th, 2020, that:
Expressed sadness and concern about anti-Black racism and violent events occurring around the world
Acknowledged that discrimination and systemic racism exist in our communities
Admitted that as a College and as a profession, it is important to continue to learn how to “understand and address systemic - and any other form of - racism”
Reaffirmed the College’s commitment to ensuring that services provided by occupational therapists are free of discrimination
Invited anyone concerned that a COTO member’s behaviour is discriminatory or prejudiced to contact the College
Response from College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO)
Issued a public statement, A Commitment to Anti-Racism, on July 8th, 2020, that:
Expressed a belief that systemic racism and prejudice should not be tolerated within the profession of psychologists or in the communities where psychologists live and work
Acknowledged the pain and anger being felt by Black and Indigenous communities as a result of current events
Highlighted the section of the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists (Fourth Edition, 2017) that directs members to:
“. . . acknowledge that all human beings have a moral right to have their innate worth as human beings appreciated and that this inherent worth is not dependent on a human being’s culture, nationality, ethnicity, colour, race, religion, sex, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental abilities, age, socio-economic status, or any other preference or personal characteristic, condition, or status. As such, psychologists do not engage in unjust discrimination based on such factors and promote non-discrimination in all of their activities.”
Urged its members to reflect on and identify any regulatory practices that may reflect systemic prejudice or discrimination
Response from College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)
Responded privately to our open letter on July 10th, 2020. Read this response.
Issued a public statement on July 13th, 2020, that:
Expressed regret that their initial statement acknowledging Black Lives Matter made reference only to Black Americans who have been killed, and failed to name Black, Indigenous and racialized Ontarians who have died during encounters with police during wellness checks.
Clarified that its members have no explicit legal or ethical obligation to involve emergency services in wellness checks
Noted that it has been re-examining its role in contributing to stopping systemic racism that affects Black and Indigenous people, other people of colour, and other “equity-seeking groups”
Described a series of committees, work plans, and intentions to conduct consultations to improve its Professional Practice Standards
Invited members from "equity-seeking groups" to join the college's efforts to educate itself and its membership
Response from Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Support Workers (OCSWSSW)
Released a public statement to its members on July 15, 2020 that:
Acknowledged and shared our concern about police use of force during mental health checks – and acknowledge that these incidents disproportionately affect Indigenous, Black and racialized communities
Repeated the position that our demands are “advocacy” and thus outside of the College’s mandate
Discussed the College’s “commitment to moving forward on the challenging and very important issues of diversity, inclusion and equity”
Clarified that members do not have an obligation to involve police
Directed the College’s members to its Ethical Decision-Making Tool .