Online Assessment – Program Rollout
The College is eliminating the random selection process for registrants to participate in peer and practice reviews. Instead, all registrants will be required to complete an online, “open-book” assessment on a regular and recurring basis, approximately every five years. The online assessment will be used by the College to identify risks in practice and direct resources where they are most needed to help registrants provide safe and effective care.
As the cornerstone of the College’s quality assurance (QA) program, the online assessment is intended to provide evidence-based feedback that will encourage Registered Psychotherapists (RPs) to continue to think critically about their practice, their professional growth, and their obligations as regulated health professionals. It supports reflective practice and life-long learning, critical components of providing safe and effective care.
Pilot – November 22 to 26, 2022
To ensure the online assessment is an effective regulatory tool, we are aiming to recruit approximately 200 RPs to take the online assessment as part of a pilot.
The online assessment will consist of around 30 situational judgement questions (“cases”). Each case has five answer options. Participants will be asked to rank the five answers from the option most aligned with the Standards to the option least aligned with the Standards.
The assessment portal will be available 24-hours a day from November 22 to 26, 2022. Pilot participants will receive a unique code to access the portal. After logging in, participants will have three hours to complete the assessment.
The pilot assessment will help us validate the cases, test the platform, clarify instructions, and determine practical considerations, for example, how much time will be required to complete the assessment.
Pilot participants who successfully complete the pilot assessment, i.e., they achieve the final pass score, will continue with their 2-year PD cycle reporting requirements (the self-assessment and PD attestation). However, their QA Assessment results will be counted towards their assessment requirements, and they will not be included in another assessment until their next 5-year cycle is due.
Pilot participants whose assessments results indicate potential competency gaps will be provided with their results and feedback, and they will be returned to the candidate pool and assigned to a cohort as part of the five-year assessment cycle (i.e., they will be selected to participate in another assessment at some point in the next 5 years).
Program Launch – Spring and Fall 2023
The QA online assessment will become a mandatory component of the QA program in 2023.
Each year, there will be two assessment periods which will take place in May and October.
With the introduction of the online assessment, CRPO’s enhanced QA program will consist of the following main components:
- Self-assessment and professional development (PD)
Registrants will still be required to complete and submit a self-assessment and engage in a minimum of 40 hours of relevant learning activities during their 2-year PD cycle. An RP’s PD cycle is based on their year of registration. At the end of an RP’s PD cycle, they are required to report their PD activities.
- Peer and practice review
When selected, registrants will be required to complete the case-based assessment (CBA), an online, “open-book” assessment, approximately every five years. The assessment consists of a series of situational judgement scenarios that are based on the CRPO Professional Practice Standards. In addition, any registrant who fails to participate in required PD reporting or online assessment, may be required to engage in a peer and practice review (PPR) activity.
Registrants whose online CBA results identify competence deficits will participate in peer coaching activities
- Remediation
Registrants who require additional support to address identified learning needs may be required to engage in directed remediation by the Quality Assurance Committee. Directives from the QA Committee may include remediation or specified continuing education.
In certain circumstances, the Quality Assurance Committee may direct the Registrar to impose terms, conditions and limitations on a Registrant’s Certificate of Registration, for example:
- if a Registrant demonstrates egregious gaps in knowledge, skill or judgment, despite receiving peer-assisted guidance and reassessment opportunities; or
- if a Registrant does not successfully complete a program of specified continuing education or remediation.