'Certified PSW'?

Lately, as I browsed FB for blog materials, I have noticed PSWs mentioning their certification in their job posts. Considering PSWs as belonging to a non-regulated healthcare profession, this creates a little confusion.

Which regulated body is offering them certification? Is it HSCPOA?

Indeed, the Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority is an independent government oversight body that PSWs who obtain diplomas from business colleges register with. Yet registration is completely voluntary, which diminishes its status as a true regulatory body. There is consideration of making registration mandatory, but for now, it is not.

I reached out to Danielle Wyatt Turpin of Home Care Workers' Co-operative Inc for her take, and she agrees that registration to HSCPOA is not true certification if membership is voluntary. She added that PSWs may also be referring to their OPSWA (The Ontario Personal Support Worker Association) registration as proof of certification.

OPSWA is an independent organization that offers paid membership to PSWs. Members receive services such as 2-million-dollar liability insurance coverage, specialized courses and professional training, advocacy to the government on behalf of PSWs, and ongoing professional corporate discounts. Boasting over 60,000 members, the organization often refers to itself as the largest voice for PSWs.

In addition to not being a government outfit, Turpin questions OPSWA's legitimacy in claiming to be a representative body for PSWs, given controversies surrounding it and PSWs' dissatisfaction with the group. In our exchanges, Turpin wrote at length about the controversies and her negative run-ins with OPSWA's Ceo Miranda Romanowicz. I don’t desire to recite Turpin’s allegations here; I’ll just leave it at getting the distinct impression that the two ladies would not be engaging in annual Christmas gift exchanges any time soon:). In fairness, I also reached out to Miranda by email previously for her take on the controversies. She has not yet responded.

So, if there is no true PSW certification, where does this leave us? I don't think it’s just a problem of families hiring unaccountable workers. It’s also the bigger issue of a lack of transparency, with hiring families being led to believe something that simply isn't true.

Again, let's put all our cards on the table, and let the customer decide.