Private Practice

Benefits and services geared to the needs of social workers in private practice include:

• Monitoring and responding to government legislation or organizational practices that have the potential to impact on practice, such as the recent consultations related to question of whether or not psychotherapy or psychotherapists should be regulated; and inability to sign treatment forms under the Insurance Act.
• Lobbying major insurance companies, large unions and employers to recognize social work counselling as a benefit in insurance policies and group health plans.
• Provision of updated information related to the status of a proposed amendment to the GST to exempt some professional services from this tax.
• Deep discount on comprehensive professional liability insurance. Two plans are offered with 2 million coverage in professional/general liability per claim and l million in abuse limitation. Free legal consultation on a toll-free line with the law firm of Bell Temple is included.
• Information to assist in establishing and running a private practice such as Generating Your Own Employment (Revised 2005); OASW Guidelines for Private Practice; A Legal Survival Guide for Social Workers (2005); Waiting Room Flyers to advise clients on issues related coverage of social workers under private health plans.
• Findasocialworker.ca enables members to market their practice to EAP providers and members of the public on our website.
• Virtual Networking Groups for members working in the automobile insurance disability and home care sectors.
• Group health plans and discounts on auto and home insurance.
• Discounts on educational materials and workshops offered by external organizations or providers to address continuing competency needs.