Virtual Counselling Resources

During these unprecedented times we know that many Social Workers across Canada are considering alternative ways to continue providing services to clients such as video conference, Skype, Zoom, and telephone.

If you have not yet purchased liability insurance for your practice, click here to access CASW’s national liability insurance program offered through BMS – it is the only program in Canada for social workers with coverage specific to E-services.

CASW advises you to review the Standards of Practice on this subject put forward by your P rovincial Regulatory Body:

Province	Standards of Practice for E-Services	Additional Provincial Resources
British Columbia College of Social Workers	Standards of Practice : Technology and Social Work Practice	29-March-2020 – Registrants/Licensees from other Jurisdictions seeking to provide Electronic Social Work Services to clients in British Columbia The BC Provincial Health Services Authority - COVID-19 Virtual Health Toolkit
Alberta College of Social Workers	Standards of Practice - See section E.3 TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE	Virtual Social Work Practice ACSW Standards of Practice - March 2019
Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers	Standards of Practice For Registered Social Workers in Saskatchewan
Manitoba College of Social Workers	Electronic Social Work Practice	Standards of Practice Electronic Social Work Practice Information Sheet COVID-19 – Virtual Visit Solutions Telemental Health Informed Consent Temporary Authorization – Electronic Social Work Practice
Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers	Professional and Ethical: Communication Technology Practices and Policies for a Digital World Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice	Are you a registered social worker practising in Canada who is interested in practising electronically – by exclusive means – in Ontario? Q&A: Practising Electronically In Ontario Practising Electronically in Ontario Cross-Jurisdictional Practice Social Media and Practice: Protecting Privacy and Professionalism in a Virtual World Top 10 Considerations for Using Communication Technology in Practice “But How Do I Know If I’m Competent?” – Issues to Consider
Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec	Normes réglementaires pour les technologies et la pratique du travail social
New Brunswick Association of Social Workers	Standards for the Use of Technology in Social Work Practice	Letter of Guidance Re: Technology and Social Work Practice
Nova Scotia College of Social Workers	Information on Telepractice	Transitioning to telepractice Technology & Storage of Files Telepractice from outside NS
Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Social Workers	Electronic Social Work Practice	Electronic Social Work Practice E-Professionalism Electronic Social Work Practice Criteria For Registered Social Workers In Nl Electronic Social Work Practice Criteria for Registered Social Workers from other Canadian Jurisdictions
Prince Edward Island Social Work Registration Board	Private Practice Policy	Standards of Practice
Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Health and Social Services	Northwest Territories Standards of Practice For Social Workers

Additional Resources:

CASW Private Practice Portal – scroll to 3.3 Virtual Counselling.

CASW Social Media Use and Social Work Practice

BMS/CASW Covid 19 Practice Resources

Toolkit for e-Mental Health Implementation - Mental Health Commission of Canada

E-Mental Health in Canada: Transforming the Mental Health System Using Technology

Implementing Virtual Care in Mental Health Settings - available on the CAMH Digital Mental Health Certificate website and is a series of 10 brief, practical videos to support health care providers who are providing mental health care virtually.

NASW, ASWB, CSWE and CSWA Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice (2017): https://www.socialworkers.org/includes/newIncludes/homepage/PRA-BRO-33617.TechStandards_FINAL_POSTING.pdf

Social Work Today: Eye on Ethics https://www.socialworktoday.com/news/eoe_0420.shtml

Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (2019) Guidelines for uses of technology in counselling and psychotherapy https://www.ccpa-accp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/TISCGuidelines_Mar2019_EN.pdf

Public Service Health Care Plan - Temporary changes to accepted mental health practitioners - Social Workers included!

Extended Health - Coverage Updates for Social Work

Virtual Health Care Services – Ensuring Continuity of Care

Sunlife – Extending Coverage to include virtual services