CRPO record-keeping compliance
CRPO record-keeping compliance: intake, consent, and contingency planning
What Standard 5.1 requires
Every client interaction should be documented in an accurate, complete, and legible clinical record. That includes intake and consent documents alongside session notes and treatment plans. Records must be retained for at least 10 years from the last client interaction, or from the client's 18th birthday, whichever is later.
CRPO registrant count in Ontario exceeded 17,381 in 2025 — most solo practitioners are their own record custodian.
Successor custodian gap
Standard 6.4 requires a contingency plan for practice closure — including a designated successor custodian for client records. CRPO survey data suggests many practitioners have not completed this step: 76 of 173 respondents in one survey had not designated a successor custodian.
Hivi-X does not ship a built-in successor-custodian template in v1. Add those items to your own intake checklist, or start from the free lead-magnet PDF.
PHIPA custodian duties
Solo CRPO registrants in private practice are typically health information custodians under PHIPA. Reasonable safeguards may include encryption and access controls. Hivi-X provides Canadian hosting and encryption; you set retention, clinical record policies, and PHIPA compliance programs.
General information for Ontario psychotherapists and counselling practices only. Not legal, clinical, privacy, or psychotherapy advice. Not affiliated with or endorsed by CRPO or any college. Hivi-X is document-collection software — it is not a licensed psychotherapist, does not provide psychotherapy or clinical assessments, does not certify PHIPA or CRPO compliance, and does not replace your EMR or clinical record obligations. You remain the health information custodian under PHIPA. Consult qualified counsel and your professional liability insurer.
Sources: CRPO Clinical Records Standard 5.1 · CRPO Town Hall 2025 materials
Answers are general operational information only — not legal, tax, regulatory, clinical, privacy, immigration, or professional advice. Requirements vary by matter, client, and regulator.
Frequently asked questions
- How long do I keep psychotherapy records?
- CRPO requires clinical records retained for at least 10 years from the last client interaction, or from the client's 18th birthday, whichever is later. Hivi-X helps store electronic intake records but does not set your retention or destruction policy.
- What is a successor custodian?
- A successor custodian is the person designated to take custody of client records if you close practice, become incapacitated, or die (CRPO Standard 6.4). CRPO survey data suggests many practitioners have not completed this step.
- Is Hivi-X a CRPO-compliant clinical record system?
- No. Hivi-X is document-collection software for intake. It does not replace your EMR, automate amendment tracking, or manage secure destruction schedules.
Collect complete intake before session one
Hivi-X helps Ontario CRPO psychotherapists and counsellors collect informed consent, biopsychosocial forms, insurance cards, and telehealth consent with reusable checklists, a secure guest link (no account needed) or my-id.ca portal, self-hosted AI summaries, and exportable intake packages for Jane, Owl Practice, or your EMR.
More Psychotherapy guides
- Email is not document collection for psychotherapistsOntario CRPO practitioners lose clinical time when intake documents arrive by email and text. A checklist-first workflow keeps pre-session files organized.
- Missing documents cost therapists session timeIncomplete intake before session one burns billable clinical hours. Ontario psychotherapists lose time chasing consent, insurance, and questionnaires.
- Better client document collection for psychotherapistsChecklist-driven intake replaces email chase for Ontario CRPO practitioners — consent, insurance, and questionnaires in one therapist-controlled file.
- Stop chasing consent forms in emailInformed consent and telehealth consent should be on file before session one — not in password-protected PDF email threads.
- Practice management vs document collection for psychotherapyJane and Owl handle scheduling and charting. Hivi-X handles pre-session intake completeness — consent, insurance, and questionnaires with missing-item tracking.
- Ontario psychotherapy client intake checklistFree PDF checklist of intake documents Ontario CRPO practitioners typically collect — biopsychosocial history, consent, insurance, and telehealth.
- Therapy client intake forms in OntarioWhat intake forms CRPO practitioners collect before session one — biopsychosocial history, consent, insurance, and telehealth documentation.
- Informed consent document collectionHow Ontario psychotherapists collect informed consent and telehealth consent securely — CRPO expectations and checklist-driven collection.
- Clinical notes vs intake documentsIntake questionnaires and consent belong in a different workflow than session notes under CRPO Standard 5.1 — what Hivi-X handles vs your EMR.
- Biopsychosocial intake questionnaire workflowCollect and review biopsychosocial history before session one — checklist tracking for Ontario psychotherapists under PHIPA.
- Risk screening intake documentationDocument risk screening at intake — self-harm, harm to others, substance use — on the checklist before session one.
- Telehealth document collectionCollect telepsychotherapy consent, emergency contacts, and client location verification before the first video session.
- Couples therapy intake checklistDual consent, individual histories, and joint presenting problem — intake checklist for Ontario couples and family therapists.
- Insurance receipt supporting documentsCollect extended health policy details, session limits, and insurance cards at intake for Ontario psychotherapy billing.
- EAP referral document workflowCollect EAP referral letters, session caps, and employer authorization at intake for Ontario psychotherapists.
- New client onboarding for psychotherapistsFrom inquiry to session one — intake packet, consent, insurance review, and completeness check without email chase.
- PHIPA custodian duties for psychotherapistsSolo CRPO registrants are PHIPA health information custodians — how intake collection tools fit your privacy program.
- CRPO Standard 5.1 intake recordsWhat intake and consent documentation belongs in the clinical record under CRPO Standard 5.1 — and what Hivi-X collects.
- Successor custodian intake documentationCRPO Standard 6.4 successor custodian planning — document designation alongside intake checklists.
- Minor client guardian consent OntarioGuardian consent and capacity documentation for minor psychotherapy clients — checklist items for Ontario practitioners.
- Voice notes for psychotherapy intake callsRecord intake phone screens and summarize against checklist lines with self-hosted AI — no third-party AI providers.
- AI summaries for psychotherapy client filesSelf-hosted AI summarizes voice intake notes against checklist items — client data stays on Canadian infrastructure.
- Co-agent workflow for therapy practicesSupervised associates and admin staff review intake uploads on shared client files — Enterprise co-agent permissions.
- Exportable PDF package for EMR uploadGenerate checklist PDF intake summaries for Jane, Owl Practice, SimplePractice, or secure archive upload.
- Canadian-hosted document collection for psychotherapistsClient intake data on Canadian servers with AES-256-GCM at rest and self-hosted AI — relevant to PHIPA custodians.
- Secure client portal for psychotherapy documentsClients upload intake documents via secure guest link (no account needed) or the authenticated my-id.ca portal.
- Small group practice intake standardizationShared intake templates and co-agent review for 2–4 clinician Ontario psychotherapy practices.
- Solo psychotherapist intake workflowLightweight checklist intake for solo RPs and RP (Qualifying) without dedicated admin — from $39 CAD/mo.
- Jane App vs document collection for psychotherapyJane excels at scheduling and charting. Hivi-X fills the gap for pre-session intake completeness with missing-item tracking.