Dear Parents,

We would like to welcome you and your child to the Toronto Children’s Therapy Centre services. This letter is to provide you with information on the following:

          • Who We Are: Vision, Mission and Philosophy
          • Fees, Payment Options & Receipts
          • Attendance Policies
          • COVID-19 Protocols
          • Consent for Service
          • Documentation
          • Privacy
          • Contact Information

WHO WE ARE

The Toronto Children’s Therapy Centre (TCTC) is a pediatric private practice owned and operated by Lizette Alexander, occupational therapist and Annemarie Weeda, speech-language pathologist.

All of our therapists are self-employed and members in good standing with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO), the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO), the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO), or the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). Service is provided in accordance with the highest professional standards established by our regulatory bodies.

We are embarking on a journey towards neurodiversity-affirming practice and recognize our privilege and responsibility in working with neurodivergent clients and their families. We are guided in our journey by the lived experiences and expertise of the neurodivergent community and are committed to centering their voices while we transform the care we provide.

Vision

Create playful and positive learning experiences that will capture and leverage your child’s unique strengths.

 Mission

Our mission is to support children in their development and enable them to achieve their personal best at home, at school and in their communities.

 Philosophy

We believe that every child can learn when we tap into their unique learning style.

We believe that learning should be a positive and enjoyable experience.

We believe that positive experiences lead to a positive sense of self.

We believe in supporting clients and their families in becoming the best version of themselves through collaboration, co-creation, self-efficacy and advocacy.

We believe in equitable, affirming and equipped environments as the foundation for prosperity!

  

FEES, PAYMENT OPTIONS & RECEIPTS

Rates for service are competitive and within the guidelines recommended by our professional associations.

  • Fees:  Please visit our website to review the most current fee schedule listed under each profession.
  • Payment Options:   Payment for all services is due immediately after each session and can be made by e-transfer or credit card.
  • Receipts:   After payment has been received, a receipt will be sent to the email address we have on file. Receipts will contain all information necessary for tax, insurance, or reimbursement purposes.   Parents should be aware that Toronto Children’s Therapy Centre cannot guarantee e-mail security, and there is a risk of having e-mail intercepted by a third party. Therefore, please inform your therapist if you would prefer to receive your receipt in person or by mail.

 ATTENDANCE POLICIES

Consistent attendance is essential to your child’s progress with therapy. The same appointment time and day will be reserved for your child each week. You and your therapist will decide together how many sessions will work best for your child and your family. We do request the following in order to ensure the best service for all our families:

Single cancellation:    Should you need to cancel your scheduled appointment, please inform your therapist at least 24 hours in advance. Except in cases of emergency or sudden illness, all cancellations with less than 24-hour’s notice will be charged at 50% of the service fee. If frequent cancellations occur, the therapist reserves the option to discontinue service and offer the appointment time another child.

Vacations:  Please inform your therapist well in advance of any scheduled vacations. Your child’s reserved appointment time can be held for up to two weeks.

Discontinuing service:  We value an open dialogue and are here to support you through decisions that are best for you and your child. We understand that sometimes therapy, or a certain therapist is not a good fit; that is okay. Your therapist will maintain ongoing communication with you about your child’s progress and together you can decide when to discontinue therapy. We honor you and your child’s autonomy in making this decision.  We do request that you inform your therapist if you decide to discontinue service at any point.   and wish that you inform your therapist if you decide to discontinue service at any point.  Missed appointments without informing your therapists will be billed as late cancellations at 50% of the service fees. After two missed sessions, we will offer the appointment to the next family on the waitlist.

CONSENT FOR SERVICE

Informed consent is everyone’s right under the Health Care Consent Act, 1996. Your TCTC therapist will discuss the following information with you (parent/substitute decision-maker) and/or your child:

  • Purpose and nature of the proposed service
  • Expected benefits and relevant risks of proceeding with the service
  • Likely consequences of not proceeding with the service
  • Possible alternatives to the proposed service
  • Financial arrangements regarding payment for the service
  • The right of the client to withdraw consent for service at any time

DOCUMENTATION

As per the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) and standards dictated by our professional regulatory bodies, the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO), the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO), the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO), and the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), your therapist will collect, use and disclose personal information only as necessary and will maintain a paper and/or electronic record. The record may include documentation of the following personal information: contact information, identifying information, referral source, medical, educational and developmental history, information about other services provided to the child, assessment procedures and results, treatment plan and progress, recommendations or advice provided, information about referrals to other providers, consents obtained, services declined, reports shared or received, attendance, discharge information, information about any adverse outcomes, information about any legal requirements to share the child’s personal records, and financial records related to the services provided.

Retention of Personal Information:

The TCTC therapists value the importance of protecting your personal information, and will take the following steps to protect all the personal information shared with us:

  • Paper information is held under supervision of the treating therapist or is secured in a locked and restricted area.
  • Electronic hardware (e.g. laptop) is under supervision of the treating therapist or secured in a locked and restricted area. Our computers are password protected and encrypted.
  • Paper information is transmitted through sealed and addressed envelopes, marked “Confidential”.
  • Electronic records are stored and transmitted via a secure web server with security measures that meet the standards recommended by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC).

Destruction of Personal Information:

Ontario government legislation, COTO, CASLPO, CPO, and OCSWSSW dictate how and when we can dispose of the personal information in our possession.

  • Records for adults are kept for at least 10 years following the last professional contact with the client.
  • Records for children are kept for at least 10 years after their 18th birthday.
  • TCTC will destroy the records within 3 months of that time after the 10-year period.
  • Paper files are destroyed by shredding.
  • Electronic information will be deleted and when the hardware is discarded it will be physically destroyed.

Access to Personal Information:

You have the right to access and review the personal information and records collected and created by your TCTC therapist. The request can be made in writing or verbally to your therapist or the TCTC information officer. We will help you to understand the information, such as short forms and technical language, contained in the record. TCTC reserves the right to charge a nominal fee to cover the costs associated with such requests, e.g., time locating requested records, time spent reviewing with you, cost of printing and mailing. You will be informed in advance if the fee is expected to exceed $25.

Requesting a Correction:

You have the right to request a correction to your personal health information. TCTC will respond to your request in writing within 30 days. We may require documentation from you in order to support the correction. Any factual errors or omissions will be corrected, however the therapist’s professional opinion and observations made in good faith may not be changed. If the correction will have an effect on the care provided, a copy of the corrected version will be forwarded to anyone with whom the original had previously been shared. Whether the correction is made or not, it will be documented in the record that a correction was requested. If you disagree with our decision not to correct the record, you may make a complaint to to the therapist’s respective regulatory college.

PRIVACY

In accordance with PHIPA, the TCTC therapists are committed to protecting the privacy of all personal and medical information that is collected. We will store, use and disclose personal information responsibly and according to the extent necessary for the services we provide. We will be open and transparent regarding the manner and procedure we use to handle personal information within our possession.

Disclosing Personal Information:

With your express consent, the TCTC therapists can share personal health information with your child’s pediatrician, family physician, school or others involved in your child’s care whom you designate. You may withdraw your consent to share information at any time by informing your therapist. However, the withdrawal of consent will not be retroactive.

Occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, physiotherapists and social workers in Ontario do not have to obtain consent to share personal health information in the following situations:

  • If a family submits a health benefit claim to their private insurance company and we are contacted by the insurance to verify the claim, the TCTC therapists can confirm the following information for the insurance company: the name of the patient, service provided, date of service, the name of the person who provided the service and the fee charged for the service. Express consent would be obtained before providing the insurance company with any additional information.
  • If we suspect child abuse or neglect.
  • If we suspect sexual abuse by another regulated health care provider.
  • If we believe our client presents a serious danger of physical harm to themselves or to another person.
  • If there is an emergency situation such as a medical emergency.
  • If we are legally required to disclose information by a subpoena, warrant or court order.
  • If we are selected for an assessment of our practice as part of the Quality Assurance process by our regulatory bodies: COTO, CASLPO, CPO, and OCSWSSW.

External consultants, such as our accountant, may need to review some of our records in order to perform their job. Any external consultants working with TCTC must also be accountable to PHIPA.

Email and Text Communication:

Any personal information collected via e-mail or text is only used for its stated purpose, for example, requesting TCTC to contact you via telephone or email or re-scheduling an appointment. It is possible for messages sent by email or text to be intercepted. TCTC does not guarantee the security or confidentiality of email or text communication. Your continued use of email or text to communicate about your child confirms that you accept this risk. Alternately, you may contact us by phone in order to exchange personal information.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have questions or concerns about how your personal health information has been collected, used or disclosed, please speak with your TCTC therapist or contact the TCTC Chief Information Officer:

Annemarie Weeda, M.Sc., reg. CASLPO

658 Danforth Avenue, Suite 306

Toronto, ON M4J 5B9

647-235-9886

If you have a question or concern about the professionalism or competence of our therapists; please contact:

Lizette Alexander, OT Reg. (Ont)

658 Danforth Avenue, Suite 203

Toronto, ON M4J 5B9

647-236-4263

You have the right to share your concerns or make a complaint about your therapist with their regulatory body: College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario 20 Bay Street, Suite 900, PO Box 78

Toronto, Ontario M5J 2N8

Phone: 416-214-1177 or toll free: 800-890-6570

Fax: 416-214-1173

Email: info@coto.org

Website: www.coto.org

College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario

3080 Yonge Street, Suite 5060 Toronto, Ontario M4N 3N1

Phone: 416-975-5347 or toll free: 800-993-9459 Fax: 416-975-8394 Email: caslpo@caslpo.com

Website: www.caslpo.com

College of Physiotherapists of Ontario

375 University Avenue, Suite 800 Toronto, Ontario M5G 2J5 Phone: 416-591-3828 ext. 201 or toll free: 800-583-5885 Fax: 416-591-3834 Email: info@collegept.org

Website: www.collegept.org

 

You have the right to share your privacy concerns or make a complaint in writing with:

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400

Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8

Telephone: 416-326-3333 or 1-800-387-0073

Website: www.ipc.on.ca