2019 Committee Reports

The College has several statutory and non-statutory committees on which Council members and some non-Council members serve:

Executive Committee

Shelley Hale, RSSW, President
Lisa Seburn, RSW, Vice-President
Déirdre Smith, Public Member, Vice-President
Mukesh Kowlessar, RSSW
Toula Kourgiantakis, RSW
Richard (Rick) Lamb, Public Member

The Executive Committee provides leadership to Council and facilitates its efficient and effective functioning. The Committee is authorized to exercise any power or perform any duty of the Council between meetings of Council, other than the power to make, amend or revoke a regulation or bylaw. In addition to acting on behalf of Council, the Committee receives and reviews reports from the investigation of mandatory reports concerning the conduct or actions of College members and makes referrals to the Discipline and Fitness to Practise Committees of the College. The Committee’s statutory mandate also includes the approval of the Registrar’s appointment of investigators.

In 2019, the Executive Committee oversaw the planning process for the 2020-2023 Strategic Plan, and considered and forwarded to Council many matters that are described in the achievements described elsewhere in this Report.

Mandatory Report Statistics

In 2019, the Executive Committee:

  • Considered 15 reports and closed 16 reports investigations.
  • Issued 13 written decisions and reasons.
  • Made three referrals to the Discipline Committee.

Discipline Committee

Chair: Frances Keogh, RSW

As part of its duty to serve and protect the public interest, the College is required to have a Discipline Committee. The duties of the Committee are to:

  • Hear and determine allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence on the part of a College member, directed or referred to it by the Complaints Committee, the Council, or the Executive Committee.
  • Perform any other duties assigned to it by Council.

In 2019, the Discipline Committee:

  • Received four referrals.
  • Held 11 hearings and four pre-hearing conferences.
  • Issued eight decisions and reasons.

Fitness to Practise Committee

Chair: Frances Keogh, RSW

As part of its duty to serve and protect the public interest, the College is required to have a Fitness to Practise Committee. The duties of the Committee are to:

  • Hear and determine allegations of incapacity on the part of a member of the College, as directed or referred to it by the Complaints Committee, the Council, or the Executive Committee.
  • Perform any other duties assigned to it by the Council.

No Fitness to Practise hearings or pre-hearing conferences were held in 2019.

Complaints Committee

Chair: Sue-Ellen Merritt, RSSW

As part of its duty to serve and protect the public interest, the College is required to have a formal complaints process, which gives members of the public the ability to have their complaint about a College member’s conduct or actions submitted to the College’s Complaints Committee. This complaints process is designed to identify and address concerns about professional misconduct, incompetence and/or incapacity of College members. The process is also designed to ensure fairness to both the individual making the complaint and the member who is the subject of the complaint.

In 2019, the Complaints Committee:

  • Considered 55 new complaint investigations.
  • Closed 71 complaint investigations.
  • Issued 70 written decisions and reasons.
  • Delivered four personal attendance cautions.
  • Made one referral to the Discipline Committee.

Registration Appeals Committee

Chair: Judy Gardner, RSSW

As part of its duty to serve and protect the public interest, the College is required to have a Registration Appeals Committee. The Committee reviews matters related to the registration of applicants in the College. If the Registrar proposes to refuse a certificate of registration to an applicant or proposes to place a term, condition or to issue a limitation on a member’s certificate of registration, to which the person does not consent, the applicant is given notice of the Registrar’s proposal, with written reasons for it. The applicant is notified that he or she has 60 days to request a review of the Registrar’s proposal. If the applicant requests a review, the Committee shall conduct the review.

In 2019, the Registration Appeals Committee:

  • Received six requests for review (three social work, three social service work).
  • Considered seven requests for review (four social work, three social service work), of which four decisions with reasons were issued and three decisions were approved in principle.

Election Committee

Chair: Lisa Seburn, RSW

The mandate of the Election Committee is to:

  • Set the date for each election.
  • Determine the procedures to be followed in carrying out an election and a recount procedure which are not specified in the bylaws.
  • Determine disputes as to whether a member is eligible to nominate a candidate to stand for election or to vote.
  • Determine if questionable ballots and/or envelopes are acceptable.
  • Carry out the functions set out in the bylaws.

In 2019:

  • The Election Committee reviewed election documents, questionable nominations and ballots, and participated in a training program with scrutineers.
  • An election was conducted for social workers and social service workers in Electoral District Nos. 1, 2 and 5; the election process was once again available online, including the call for nominations and the voting process.
  • The Committee congratulated Lisa Seburn, RSW, Angèle Desormeau, RSSW, Kenta Asakura, RSW, Shelley Hale, RSSW, Frances Keogh, RSW, and Mukesh Kowlessar, RSSW, who were elected to three-year terms beginning September 2019.

Standards of Practice Committee

Chair: Angèle Desormeau, RSSW

The mandate of the Standards of Practice Committee is to:

  • Consider and review the Standards of Practice of the College and guidelines which relate to the Standards of Practice of the College.
  • Recommend to Council a process for consulting the members of the College in connection with the Standards of Practice of the College and guidelines which relate to the Standards of Practice of the College.
  • Implement, or cause to be implemented, in accordance with Council's direction, a consultation process in connection with the Standards of Practice of the College and guidelines which relate to the Standards of Practice of the College.
  • Recommend, for the approval of Council, changes to the Standards of Practice of the College and adoption of guidelines which relate to the Standards of Practice of the College.
  • Recommend, for the approval of the Registrar or Council, printed and other material which they consider appropriate in order to communicate standards of practice and guidelines to members of the College.
  • Perform such other duties as may from time to time be determined by Council.

In 2019:

  • Council directed the Standards of Practice Committee to explore the development of resources to support members who provide Naloxone interventions in their practice setting. The Committee will oversee the process of drafting amendments to the Practice Guidelines for Medication Practices in order to provide guidance to members on the use of Naloxone in practice; it also recommended that staff develop Practice Notes to provide further practice support on this issue.

Finance Committee

Chair: Mukesh Kowlessar, RSSW

The Finance Committee makes recommendations to Council on matters related to the College’s financial planning, financial management and asset management including:

  • The annual operating budget
  • Internal financial controls
  • Financial policies and fiscal plans
  • Policies for the investment of funds

In 2019:

  • The Committee regularly reviewed the College's financial statements and the statements of the College's current financial portfolio. The Committee recommended to Council revisions to the College's Long-Term Investment Policy regarding ethical investing.
  • The Committee reviewed policies related to the management of College finances.
  • At the recommendation of the Committee, the College's auditor provided an orientation to Council at the September 2019 Council meeting on the College's finances and the Council's fiduciary responsibilities.
  • The Committee directed the process for the development of the 2020 annual budget and work plan, considered cash flow projections and recommended a $30 increase in general membership fees for 2020.
  • The Chair of the Finance Committee presented the 2020 draft budget and work plan to Council; it was approved at the December 2019 Council meeting.

Nominating Committee

Chair: Donald Panton, RSW

The Nominating Committee makes recommendations to Council on the appointment of members and chairs to each of the statutory committees and non-statutory committees established in the bylaws of the College.

In 2019:

  • The Committee held an orientation meeting in July to review the statutory requirements regarding membership on the statutory committees and the requirements of Committee membership for those non-statutory committees set out in bylaw.
  • The Committee met in September to review the information provided by Council members and non-Council members in their appointment forms, respecting membership on the statutory and non-statutory committees, and made recommendations to Council on the appointment of members and chairs to each of the committees at the September 2019 Council meeting.

Governance Committee

Chair: Déirdre Smith, Public Member

The mandate of the Governance Committee is to:

  • Develop, maintain and review governance policies and procedures.
  • Make recommendations to Council regarding policies, procedures and changes.
  • Perform such duties as may from time to time be determined by Council.

In 2019, the Governance Committee:

  • Reviewed and recommended amendments to a number of Governance policies in accordance with the review cycle.
  • Continued to implement objectives from the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan approved by Council in May 2016.

Titles and Designations Committee

Chair: Andy Kusi-Appiah, Public Member

The Titles and Designations Committee considers appeals submitted by members (appellants) within 30 days after being notified by the College that the Registrar has determined that the appellant does not hold an earned doctorate in social work, as defined by subsection 47.3(2) of the Social Work and Social Service Work Act. The Committee delivers its decision in writing to the appellant and the Registrar. The decision of the Committee is final and binding and no further appeal is allowed.


Corporations Committee

Chair: Vinita Puri, RSW

The Corporations Committee considers appeals submitted by the corporation within 30 days after being notified of the matter by the College. The Committee delivers its decision either to the Registrar and/or to the appellant. The decision of the Corporations Committee is final and no further appeal is allowed.