Standard 6.3: Discontinuing Services

It is a registrant’s professional obligation to ensure that they act in the best interests of clients at all times, including when discontinuing services. Once a registrant begins working with a client, the relationship should continue as long as the client is benefiting from therapy or wishes to continue receiving services. Registrants shall not unilaterally discontinue services to clients without good reason. There are several legitimate reasons for discontinuing services to clients, including:

• the registrant lacks the necessary competence to continue working with a client;
• the registrant believes the client will not benefit from continued therapy;
• the registrant would be at risk of serious harm if they were to continue working with the client, e.g., the client threatens or assaults the registrant;
• the registrant is closing their practice or reducing their hours;
• the registrant is changing the client population they serve or the therapy modalities they use;
• when by prior agreement a fixed number of sessions is to be provided; and
• when the client has not met their obligation to pay fees as agreed (see Standard 6.1, Fees).

In all cases, the registrant makes reasonable efforts to inform the client of the reason for discontinuing services, and refers the client to another service provider, as appropriate. The registrant also documents the reason for discontinuing services.

Registrants shall not decline to provide services, or discontinue services for personal reasons if, for example, the therapist does not agree with the client’s political views.

Registrants must not refuse to work with a client or discontinue therapy because of a client’s disability. The Human Rights Code requires that persons with disabilities be accommodated, unless this causes undue hardship for the therapist. Registrants are required to make reasonable efforts to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities. A decision to end therapy shall always be made in good faith. For example, a therapist must not tell a client that they are ending the therapeutic relationship because the therapist lacks the competence to work with the client, when the real reason lies elsewhere. To avoid confusion and concerns about discrimination, the therapist shall always clearly communicate the reasons for ending the therapeutic relationship and document the discussion in the client’s file.

RPs are permitted to discontinue care of a client if they or their staff feel threatened by a client’s behaviour or have been subjected to ongoing abuse or directly threatened by a client.

Disagreements with clients over treatment plans, incompatibilities in personality, and general use of foul language are not considered abusive behaviour and would not meet the standard for appropriate discontinuation of service under the Practice Standards.

RPs must be aware that when discontinuing service to a client due to an irreconcilable conflict of interest, they must uphold all relevant confidentiality standards and laws.

For example, if the conflict exists because the registrant realizes two of their individual clients are talking about each other in session, the RP will not be able to fully explain the reason if they need to discontinue care with one or both of them. RPs are expected to note an existing or emergent conflict of interest without providing any details that could identify another client receiving services.