Sexual abuse initiative
Proposed enhancements for
program that funds therapy
T
RHPA
Council has directed that the Colhe College’s Patient RelaProvisions
lege seek amendments to the legislations Program is just one
tion, including expanding the eligibility
of the important ways in
criteria to allow persons other than patients
which the College supports
to access the funding in certain circumstances
survivors of sexual abuse, and advances its
and increasing the maximum amount of
goal of preventing sexual abuse of patients.
funding that can be granted to patients.
Providing patients who have been sexually
Currently, the legislation states that only
abused with funding for therapy/counselpatients who are sexually abused by their phyling is one of the main components of this
sicians are eligible for funding. Council has
program.
directed the College to seek an amendment
This program, including the applications
which would expand the eligibility criteria for
for funding, is administered by the College’s
funding to include sexual abuse that occurs
Patient Relations Committee (PRC). Rebetween physicians acting in a professional
quirements for the funding program are set
capacity and persons over whom physicians
out in legislation.
occupied positions of trust or power (“nonIn the last five years, the PRC has paid out
patients”). It is proposed that this includes:
an average of $51,000 per year to therapists/
former patients, persons closely associated
counsellors of eligible applicants. The majorwith patients (as defined in the College’s
ity of the therapy/counselling is paid via the
Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries and
College’s general revenue – approximately
Preventing Sexual Abuse policy), and per93%. In cases where there is a Discipline
sons in an employment relationship with the
Committee finding, the Committee can order
physician.
a physician to post a letter of credit to make
This proposed change is based on the notion
the physician responsible for paying for the
that a power imbalance can exist not only
therapy/counselling which is to be used by
between physicians and patients, but also bethe eligible applicant. However, if the Comtween physicians and non-patients in certain
mittee does order a letter of credit, the physicircumstances where physicians are acting in a
cian may not always comply.
professional capacity and occupy a position of
A person can be eligible for funding
trust or power over the person. Should sexual
whether or not there is a Discipline Commitabuse occur between physicians and non-patee finding. In fact HXZ