OPA Psychotherapy Initiative

Many of our members have expressed concern about the provincial government's proposed limits on physician-delivered psychotherapy through OHIP and wish to help. There have also been requests about accessing more information for the evidence supporting the value of long-term/intensive psychotherapy. Below are pertinent resources.
Advocacy
Physicians
If you feel comfortable connecting with politicians, you can contact your local conservative Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) and/or the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Contact information for MPPs can be found at: https://www.ola.org/en/members/current. Minister Christine Elliott can be reached at: christine.elliott@pc.ola.org. Here is a template for e-mailing MPPs/other politicians.
Patients
Patients who have heard about the proposal may ask you questions. Here is a summary of information that patients may find useful. What and how to discuss this matter with patients depends on your clinical judgement with each individual patient. A Web site where interested patients can sign up to receive further updates and ideas is: https://mailchi.mp/saveohippsychotherapy.com/2019. Those interested in e-mailing MPPs/other politicians can consider this template.
Education
Canadian Resources
- Saving OHIP Psychotherapy Web site (2019 onwards)
-
Ontario Medical Association Committee to Preserve Publicly-Funded, Physician-Delivered Psychotherapy:
a) synopsis (2019)
b) brief literature summary (2019)
American Resources
Dr. Renata M. Villela, MD, FRCPC
Psychotherapy Initiative Lead
Ontario Psychiatric Association