Self-Reporting for Registrants

(Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists)

The Regulated Health Professionals Act, 1991 requires all Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists to self-report the following information to CASLPO:

Findings of Guilt

Being found guilty of any offence, be it in Ontario or any jurisdiction in or outside of Canada.

Charges & Bail Conditions

Being charged with any offence and bail/conditions of release (imposed or agreed to), be it in Ontario or any jurisdiction in or outside of Canada.

Professional Negligence & Malpractice

Any finding of professional negligence or malpractice.

Professional Membership, Professional Misconduct, & Incompetence

Registration with another regulatory body, regardless of whether the registration is within Ontario or relates to health care.

Further, any current investigations and/or findings against an AUD or SLP for professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity must also be reported to CASLPO. (Note: Registrants do not have to report current CASLPO investigations and/or CASLPO findings.)

How To Make A Self Report?

Registrants who are obligated to make a report to CASLPO based upon the above categories must include:

Your name;
The description of the offence or finding;
Date on which the finding or charge was made;
Name and location of the body who made the finding; and,
Status of any appeal (if applicable).

Such reports should be made to the Registrar and should be made as soon as reasonably possible after the finding, charge, or registration has been made.

To assist in making your report, please complete the Mandatory Report – Form.

Registrants are reminded that self reporting is mandatory and a failure to report could result in referral to the Discipline Committee. The above reporting obligations are in addition to the mandatory reporting requirements in case of sexual abuse. Please refer to the September 2018 ex.press Article (Self-Reporting: What you need to know) and September 2017 ex.press Article (The Obligation to Make Mandatory Reports).

Questions? Please contact the Director of Professional Conduct by telephone, email or mail at:

The Director of Professional Conduct
College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario,
175 Bloor Street East, North Tower, Suite 601
Toronto ON M4W 3R8

Telephone: 416.975.5347 or 1.800.993.9459 ext. 221
Email: [email protected]

Other Reporting

Children in need of protection

Anyone who suspects that a child is or may be at risk of harm (e.g., from abuse or neglect) is required to file an immediate report to a Children’s Aid Society under section 125 of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017. This legal obligation is placed on everyone, including health care professionals like Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists. The Duty to Report does not require that the reporter has evidence or proof of the harm; rather there should be reasonable grounds to believe that the child is at risk of harm and/or has been harmed. “Reasonable grounds” refers to information that an ‘average’ person would rely upon to conclude that a child is (or may be) in need of protection from harm and/or neglect. Further, if the child is in immediate danger, the police should be contacted.

Reporting is required for children under the age of 16, however a person may file a report for a 16 or 17-year-old if any of the Act’s listed harms or abuses exist. Please refer to section 125 for the enumerated list.

For more information, please refer to the province of Ontario’s page: https://www.ontario.ca/page/report-child-abuse-and-neglect

Reporting of sexual abuse by regulated health professionals

All regulated health professionals are required to file a report (referred to as a “Mandatory Report”) if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a regulated health professional has sexually abused (or is abusing) a patient. If the patient is a child, the reporter is also required to file an immediate report with a Children’s Aid Society.

“Reasonable grounds” refers to information that an ‘average’ person would rely upon to conclude that sexual abuse of a patient has occurred. The Mandatory Report must be filed with the Registrar of the College that regulates the suspected regulated health professionals. For example:

if an audiologist or speech-language pathologist has reasonable grounds to believe that another audiologist or speech-language pathologist has engaged in a sexual relationship with a patient, they would be required to file a report with the Registrar at CASLPO.
if a speech-language pathologist or audiologist has reasonable grounds to believe that a regulated health professional from another College has engaged in a sexual relationship with a patient, the speech-language pathologist or audiologist would be required to file a report with the Registrar of the relevant health College. For a list of health Colleges, please see: https://regulatedhealthprofessions.on.ca/professionscolleges.html

Mandatory Reports must be filed within 30 days unless there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the regulated health professional will continue to sexually abuse the patient or will sexually abuse other patients. In these cases, the Mandatory Report should be filed immediately.

A Mandatory Report is not required if the name of the regulated health professional alleged to have engaged in sexual abuse is unknown.

The Mandatory Report must contain:

the Reporter’s name and contact information,
name of the health care professional who is (or suspected to be) engaged in the sexual abuse;
an explanation of the sexual abuse; and
if available, the name of any related patient(s) (Note: The name of a patient who may have been sexually abused cannot be released without their written consent).

Some health Colleges have a form that can be used to assist in filing reports. Please contact the relevant health College directly for more information.

For more information, please contact CASLPO’s Practice Advice team.