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The clinical collective
A Collaborative Model of Care and Responsibility
The CircleUp Clinical Collective is a coordinated system of care uniting licensed psychologists, psychotherapists, and social workers who share a common mission: to make high-quality, trauma-informed, and culturally grounded mental health care accessible to newcomers and immigrants individuals and families in the Greater Toronto Area.
This model combines clinical independence with community responsibility. Each clinician maintains full professional control over their therapeutic work, while CircleUp Foundation provides the funding systems that make equitable access to care possible.
How the Model Works
All members of the Clinical Collective are fully registered professionals in Ontario (CPBAO, CRPO, or OCSWSSW). Each clinician agrees to accept a minimum caseload, which can be as few as one client, at CircleUp's subsidized rate of $150 CAD per session. This rate is always paid to the clinician by CircleUp Foundation.
CircleUp manages intake, triage, and matching, connecting clients with the most suitable clinician based on need, language, and clinical expertise. Once matched, the client's care is under the clinician's professional responsibility, in accordance with their regulatory college's standards.
CircleUp does not access clinical notes. Clients provide informed consent for clinicians to share only minimal information with CircleUp to support program coordination and funding accountability.
Our Guiding Principles
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Clinical Autonomy - Clinicians in the CircleUp collective maintain professional independence and ethical responsibility for their cases. CircleUp supports access to care without directing clinical decision-making.
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Accessibility - CircleUp removes financial barriers by connecting clients to subsidized services, ensuring that cost does not prevent newcomer and immigrant families from receiving quality mental health care.
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Cultural Responsiveness - Collective members bring linguistic diversity, cultural humility, and awareness of migration-related trauma to their work with clients.
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Informed Consent and Privacy - All health information shared with CircleUp is governed by client consent and handled in accordance with privacy standards.
Limited Information Sharing (With Consent)
CircleUp follows a transparent and ethical approach to information sharing. Clients sign a consent form authorizing their clinician to share only the bare minimum information required for administrative purposes, such as: Confirmation that care has begun and number of sessions completed, a brief statement indicating whether further care is clinically advisable (e.g., “additional sessions recommended”), verification of eligibility for program continuation or closure, and general impressions of change in presenting concerns. Clients provide informed consent allowing clinicians to share minimal information with CircleUp, such as attendance and general progress, to support program coordination and funding accountability. CircleUp does not access clinical notes.
Targeted Check-Ins and Program Oversight
To ensure equitable service delivery and client safety CircleUp conducts check-ins at defined stages of care. These are brief, structured outreach points designed to confirm that the client was able to access care successfully and assess progress against the treatment plan.
Programs Supported by the Collective
Members of the CircleUp Clinical Collective may work within one or more of the following programs:
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Therapy for Adults - Individual therapy addressing trauma, anxiety, and adjustment challenges.
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Therapy for Children and Teens - Emotion-focused and developmental therapy promoting resilience and emotional regulation.
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Parental Guidance - Structured sessions helping parents navigate behavioral, emotional, or relational concerns.
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Psycho- educational Assessments - Comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for ADHD, learning disabilities, and developmental needs.
Join Us
If you are a registered Psychologist, social worker or a Psychotherapist (with over 5 years of experience) in Ontario who values equity, ethics, and community care, we invite you to explore joining the CircleUp Clinical Collective. All applicants go through a screening and interview process to ensure alignment with CircleUp’s mission, ethical and professional standards, and program structure. Successful applicants enter into a participation agreement outlining responsibilities, compensation, confidentiality expectations, and data-handling practices. There is no minimum referral commitment, clinicians may determine their availability based on capacity, area of expertise, and professional focus.
Together, we are creating a system where care remains clinically sound, ethically protected, and accessible to those who need it most.