The Ontario College of Certified Social Workers (OCCSW), now the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), was established by OASW as a voluntary regulatory body in mid-1980s, as a first step to obtaining regulation under provincial legislation. In the early 1990s, the Association and OCCSW formally separated to signal an arms-length relationship between the professional association and the College, and to mirror the existing provincial model of regulation.
Successful lobbying led to the inclusion of social workers in regulations under this Act.
Successful lobbying led to the inclusion of social workers in regulations under this Act.
Persistent advocacy over two decades led to the provincial regulation of the social work profession.
In 2006, as a result of successful lobbying by OASW and provincial social work associations across Canada, clinical social work services became exempt from the provincial goods and services tax (GST, now known as HST). The intent of the exemption was to create a more even playing field for social workers providing social work services directly to the public.
After a highly effective province-wide campaign that was spearheaded by OASW and involved social workers, employers and service associations in lobbying the Premier, the Minister of Health and MPPs, we secured the inclusion of the social work profession in this Act.
In 2010, changes to the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998 enabled social workers with a doctorate in social work to use the title "Doctor" when providing clinical services. Previously, this title was restricted to five professions under the Regulated Health Professions Act.
As of 2012, fees for clinical social work services can be claimed as a "medical" expense for the purpose of a tax deduction. OASW lobbied for many years for this change. The lack of a medical deduction for social workers was a disincentive, especially for physicians, to refer to our profession.
Following successful advocacy by OASW, the Ontario Government launched a $1-million, two-year pilot project that provided reimbursement for professional development activities for social workers and social services workers.
In 2017, OASW launched a successful grassroots advocacy campaign to pass the Controlled Act of Psychotherapy, ensuring access to the title of "Psychotherapist" for qualified social workers.