Canadian Psychological Association / Council of Professional Associations of Psychologists co-hosted webinar on the current state of COVID-19 Telepsychology & Business Interruption Insurance. Dr. Karen Cohen of the CPA and Dr. Judi Malone of CPAP moderate this presentation by BMS and Gowling.

https://youtu.be/RtG63Jx717E

The CPA has produced a series of Fact Sheets in response to the coronavirus pandemic:

BMS has provided a paper on ensuring the continuity of care via virtual health care service during the CORONA-19 outbreak.

“In the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), health professionals are exercising all efforts possible to ensure that there is no disruption in service or breakdown in patient care. The Ministry of Health in Ontario has released health-sector specific guidelines to assist health facilities minimize the risk of infection within their respective practices.

Current public health directives advise against direct patient care in non-urgent situations. In these circumstances, health professionals may consider the delivery of health care via tele-practice.” …

Read the full position paper here: https://cpa.ca/docs/File/Insurance/COVID-19_Telehealth Resource_2020 (PSY).pdf

As the impact of COVID-19 is being felt worldwide, we recognize the pressure this evolving crisis is placing on educators, teachers, supervisors and practitioners of psychology throughout Canada. On behalf of the CPA, we extend our gratitude for the leadership roles so many of you are playing in your communities and your efforts to address the needs of your colleagues, students and patients.

To support your efforts, and to inform the public, we have compiled and created a variety of resources. We and are also working with our partners and other associations to advocate for, not only on behalf of our members, but also for members of the Canadian public.

more …

BMS has provided a position statement document as it relates to COVID-19 and insurance coverage within the CPA/CPAP program member policies.

“We continue to work collaboratively with our various stakeholders and partners including your Association to keep you informed during this evolving and unprecedented time.
This letter addresses specific aspects of policies purchased by CPA/CPAP members, including Business Interruption, Commercial General Liability and Professional Liability.” …

Read the full paper here: https://cpa.ca/docs/File/Insurance/COVID-19_Position Statement_CPA CPAP March 19 2020.pdf

As part of the CPA’s response to the COVID-19 situation, we are proposing  alternatives to in-person workshop delivery. We urge Sponsors and Providers of programs approved for CE credit to consider live virtual meetings or webinars. Another possibility is a recorded workshop, in which case a few additional steps must be taken. For details go to the Continuing Education Approval Programme  https://cpa.ca/professionaldevelopment/approval/. 

The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued the following news release: Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19. The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people and communities. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. More …

The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) is monitoring COVID-19 and its impact on travel, tourism, meeting and events industries. At present, the CPA continues to plan for its upcoming 81^st annual national convention scheduled for May 28-30, 2020 in Montreal.

However, we will always treat the health and safety of CPA convention delegates as our number one priority and will respect the advice of government agencies and health authorities as concerns public safety when it comes to meetings and travel. 

We are monitoring the situation closely and plan to take a decision about whether or not to proceed with the convention by the middle of April.  If we make the difficult decision to cancel the convention, we will send out a communication to members and accepted delegates.  In that circumstance, the CPA will refund the registration fee for all individuals who had already registered.   While we will not be able to reimburse individuals for any hotel or travel cancellation fees they may incur, we will work with the hotel to mitigate these as much as possible.

If your institution has implemented a travel restriction, please let us know at convention@cpa.ca

The deadline for the PFC-CPA awards is fast approaching. Get your submissions in before March 31^st https://psychologyfoundation.org/Content/Supporters/Grants.aspx.

 The Dr. Bea Wicket Award recognizes a program that will be offered within elementary or secondary school settings.
The Dr. Harvey and Grace Booker Education Fund provides students with opportunities for travel grants to attend provincial or national psychology conferences and workshops.
The Jean Pettifor and Dick Pettifor Scholarship Fund supports graduate student research projects in the area of professional ethics. Konrad Czechowski was the recipient of the Jean Pettifor and Dick Pettifor award in 2019 for his work to include transgender and non-binary people in scientific studies. Read more about Konrad and his work.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is seeking applications from priority populations who are interested in conducting community-based research on the relationship between cannabis and mental health. 

Deadline to apply is Thursday, April 23, 2020. https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/sites/default/files/2020-02/CBR_RFP_poster_eng.pdf

Webinar – March 4, 2020

Information session: Community Based Research – Request for Proposals. Register here.