Mandatory Reporting
As regulated health professionals, Registered Kinesiologists (R.Kins), as well as those who employ or work with them, have legal and professional obligations to report certain information to the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario (COKO). These requirements are in place to help reduce the risk of harm to the public.
Mandatory reporting plays an important role in public protection by ensuring that COKO is made aware of relevant concerns. These reports enable COKO to assess and, where appropriate, investigate potential instances of professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity.
Below is a brief summary of the different reporting obligations. For more detailed information, please refer to the Mandatory Reporting Guideline.
Mandatory Reporting and Self-Reporting Requirements
R.Kins are required to file a mandatory report or self-report to COKO if they:
- Have reasonable grounds to believe that a patient or client may have been, or is being, sexually abused by a kinesiologist. (Special rules apply to how this type of report must be made. R.Kins should consult the Mandatory Reporting Guideline or contact COKO for guidance.)
- End a partnership, health profession corporation, or professional association with a kinesiologist or another regulated health professional due to professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity
- Have been charged with or found guilty of an offence, or are subject to bail conditions or similar restrictions
- Are the subject of a finding of professional malpractice or negligence
- Are involved in a finding or proceeding by another regulatory body
All required reports must be submitted promptly at the time the matter arises.
Reporting Obligations for Employers and Facility Operators
Employers or facility operators are required to file a mandatory report to COKO if:
- They have reasonable grounds to believe that a patient or client may have been, or is being, sexually abused by a kinesiologist
- They have reason to believe that a kinesiologist is incompetent or incapacitated
- A kinesiologist or other regulated health professional has been terminated for reasons of professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity
- A kinesiologist voluntarily resigns, relinquishes, or restricts their practice, and there are reasonable grounds to believe this is related to their conduct, competence, or capacity
- A partnership, health profession corporation, or professional association involving a kinesiologist or other regulated health professional ends due to professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity
All mandatory reports must be submitted promptly at the time the concern or event arises.
Reporting to other organizations
R.Kins and employers of R.Kins may also have mandatory reporting obligations to other organizations, such as reporting child abuse and neglect or elder abuse, and warning authorities or appropriate parties when someone is in serious danger (duty to warn). Please also be aware of these reporting obligations.
Filing a report
Mandatory reports must be filed within 30 days of the finding or occurrence. However, reports must be made immediately if there are reasonable grounds to believe that:
- The professional will continue to sexually abuse the patient or other patients; or
- The incompetence or the incapacity of the professional is likely to expose patients to harm or injury, and there is urgent need for intervention.
To file a mandatory report, complete the Reporting Form and email the completed Report to COKO.
Related FAQ's
What does the College do with self-reports I make in the conduct section of the annual renewal form?
The College will review all reports of findings of guilt and assess whether there is a reasonable belief that the offence may be relevant to suitability to practise. If the College has reason to believe this, an investigation is initiated, which is reviewed by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee. If an investigation is initiated, you will be notified and provided the opportunity to respond. In other cases, the College may take informal action by contacting you and ensuring you understand your legal and ethical duties as a regulated health professional. For matters that do not raise concerns, the information will be kept on your file, but no further action will be taken.
Do I have to report minor traffic offences, such as parking tickets and speeding tickets?
Yes. The Health Professions Procedural Code makes it mandatory to report any and all findings of guilt to the regulator. The regulator acts in the public’s interest and is in the best possible position to assess which findings of guilt require further investigation. In almost all cases, minor infractions or non-serious offences will not be investigated by the College.
Why does the College care about findings of guilt that do not directly relate to my practice?
Regulated health professionals are in a position of trust and are expected to adhere to a high standard of ethical and safe behaviour, even outside of their practice. It is professional misconduct to be found guilty of an offence that is determined to be relevant to suitability to practise. Relevant to suitability does not only include behaviour while practising, but also includes conduct that may be seen as untrustworthy, unreliable or unethical, as this can diminish the confidence in you as a kinesiologist and in the profession as a whole.