Introduction
Each member of the College of Psychologists of Ontario is required to undertake a self-review every other year, through the completion of the Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan. Members with even numbered registration numbers complete the forms in even numbered years and those with odd numbered registration numbers complete the forms in the odd numbered years. As well, each year all members with Certificates Authorizing Supervised or Interim Autonomous Practice are required to complete the Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan. The Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan is to be completed by all members holding Certificates of Registration regardless of whether a member's status is Regular, Academic or Inactive. Since it is anticipated that Inactive members will be returning to Regular status, it is expected that these members will take steps to remain current in their areas of competence during the inactive period.
In 2010, members holding even-numbered registration numbers as well as all supervised practice members and interim autonomous practice members are required to complete the Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan.
Available On-Line
The Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan Booklet is available on this website. The single booklet contains both the Instructions and the Forms. As well, there is a Sample Form which provides examples of how the SAG may be used.
Submission to College Not Required
The Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan component of the Quality Assurance Program is founded upon principles of self-evaluation and continuous improvement. It is a tool to be completed and retained by each member and will not normally be submitted to the College. A member will be required to make the most recent Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan available to reviewers should the member be randomly selected to participate in the Peer Assisted Review component of the Quality Assurance Program.
Included with the Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan is a Declaration of Completion. This is to be signed and returned to the College. The Declaration asserts that: I have reviewed my practice in psychology and documented this in the Self Assessment Guide. I have created a Professional Development Plan to address the continued professional developmental objectives I have identified. I understand that I must retain the completed Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan in my files.
This Declaration of Completion is the College’s documentation that members are participating in the Quality Assurance Program. For those completing the Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan in 2009, the Declaration is to be signed and returned to the College by mail, fax, or e-mail by June 30, 2010.
Self Assessment Guide
The Self Assessment Guide is designed to assist members in evaluating their current level of knowledge and skill. The Guide provides separate sections for the following areas:
Legislation, Standards, Codes and Guidelines
Service to Clients
Teaching/Training and Research Activities
Supervisory Activities
Current Areas of Practice and/or Services Provided
Anticipated Areas of Future Practice
Professional Development Plan
Reflection on Professional Development Plan
Reference List of Areas of Practice and Service Provided
In reviewing the materials, members may find that some sections are not applicable to their work. These sections may be noted as Not Applicable (N/A). It is expected that all members will be engage in activities directed toward maintaining and enhancing their level of knowledge and skill in their field of work. Continuing education activities should be documented in the Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan.
Professional Development Plan
Following the completion of the self assessment, members create a Professional Development Plan to address items identified in the self-review. The plan may address both areas of current practice where continued development of knowledge or skill is desired, as well as areas of future practice a member may be considering.
The Professional Development Plan is a tool that individual members can use to plan, undertake and evaluate their personal continuing education program. The Professional Development Plan requires each member to design his or her own continuing education program, both in content and in methodology. The content of the program is dependent upon the member’s self-identified developmental objectives, and each member will design the program to suit his or her individual needs and learning style.
Confidentiality and Legislative Protection of Quality Assurance Material
The Regulated Health Professions Act (1994), the Personal Health Information Protection Act (2004) and the Quality of Care Information Protection Act (2004) provide for the protection of Quality Assurance information, held by a member that was completed for the purpose of complying with the requirements of the College’s Quality Assurance Program. A member’s Self Assessment Guide and Professional Development Plan is not admissible in evidence in a civil proceeding. This information could be required by the College however, to the extent permitted by legislation.
If you have any questions regarding the completion of this material or to discuss any extenuating circumstances that could make completion impossible by the deadline, please contact:
Rick Morris, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Deputy Registrar/Director, Professional Affairs
rmorris@cpo.on.ca