The Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO) is pleased to release its framework and staffing formula to hire psychosocial professionals working with people affected by cancer. CAPO is the first organization in Canada to have undertaken this type of extensive work.  With the challenges health care organizations are facing with recruitment and retention of staff, it is even more important than ever to have these types of tools available to administrators. The 10 point framework and calculator was developed for social work and can be adapted to other disciplines working in psychosocial oncology; for example, work is underway to adapt the framework for psychologists.

The full document and calculator can be found on the CAPO Clinical Advisory Committee page. 

CAPO is holding a pre-congress workshop at the International Society of Psychosocial Oncology Congress being held in Toronto on Monday, August 29, 2022 from 0830 – 1630; here is the link for further details CAPO - Pre-congress Academy Workshops. We encourage health care professionals, policy makers, and administrators to join us where there will be ample opportunities to review the framework and for participants to ask their questions and seek guidance for their organizations.

This work was led by Dr. Carole Mayer, RSW, Marianne Arab, RSW, Kimberly Thibodeau, RSW and leaders across Canada through the CAPO Clinical Advisory Committee.  A well-resourced infrastructure with efficient processes for PSO programming paired with highly committed and qualified clinicians will ensure that cancer patients and families receive services that address their needs with positive and measurable outcomes.