Client Grievance Procedure
INTRODUCTION:
It is the intent of Community Counseling Center to provide services in an equitable manner and with full respect of all due rights of its service consumers. There may be times, however, when a consumer feels he/she has been responded to in a way which denies or violates his/her rights as a client. When this occurs, the agency seeks to address the complaint or grievance in a responsive and impartial manner and to strive for a fair resolution. Following are the agency's procedure for addressing client grievances:
A. At any time that a client feels aggrieved (that is, that his/her rights as a client have been denied or violated) he/she is encouraged to:
Make this complaint known to the Agency Client Rights Officer (client advocate) in writing, although, the grievance may be made verbally and the client advocate shall be responsible for preparing the written text of the grievance. This person is responsible to assist the person in filing a grievance, to investigate the grievance on behalf of the griever, and to represent the griever at the agency hearing on the grievance, if desired by the griever. The grievance must be dated/ signed by the client or individual filing the grievance on behalf of the client, or have an attestation by the client advocate that the written grievance is a true and accurate representation of the client’s grievance. The person should communicate to the client that the action will not result in retaliation or barriers to services.
Client Rights Officer: If the Client Rights Officer is unavailable or is the subject of
Georgia Farris Romanko, Ext. 414 the grievance, the alternative person designated to assist the
Community Counseling Center client with his/her grievance is: Mary Beth Porter, ext. 483
2801 "C" Court
Ashtabula, Ohio 44004
440.998.4210 or 1.800.998.4210
Available during business Hours:
Monday - Friday
B. ALL AGENCY WORKFORCE have a continuing responsibility to immediately advise any client or other person who is expressing a concern, compliant, or grievance of the availability of the client right's officer and the complainant's right to file a grievance. All reasonable effort will be made to provide persons with prompt access to the client rights officer.
C. TIMELINES
1. A client may file a grievance at any time regardless of how long removed from the occurrence of the actions which caused the grievance. However, clients are encouraged to make grievances known as promptly as possible as this will lead to a higher probability of satisfactory investigation and resolution.
2. Once a grievance has been brought to the attention of the client rights officer and has been filed, the time frame for the client rights officer and the agency to process the grievance to resolution shall not exceed (20) twenty working days from the date of filing the grievance. Any extenuating circumstances indicating need for extension will be documented in file and written notification given to the client.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE FLOW:
1. Client formulates complaint into a grievance which is received and logged in writing by the client rights officer. The grievance must include the date, approximate time and description of incident and names of individuals involved.
2. Written acknowledgment of receipt of grievance is provided to each grievant within three (3) working days and includes; (a) date grievance received. (b) summary of grievance. (c) overview of investigation process. (d) time table for investigation/notification of resolution. (e) treatment provider contact name/ address/ Phone number.
3. Client Rights Officer investigates the grievance, gathers facts, speaks with all parties involved, and attempts to effect resolution satisfactory to the griever. If resolved, a written statement of results is given to client.
4. If not resolved to griever's satisfaction, the griever is entitled to a hearing before the CEO of the agency, as an impartial decision maker. At said hearing the griever may be represented by the client rights officer, by his/herself, or by any other person the griever chooses as their designated representative. At said hearing the CEO will review pertinent information and hear from the parties involved. The CEO will present his/her judgment concerning the grievance in writing to the griever, the client rights officer, and other parties involved. At this point the grievance is resolved at the agency level.
5. If the griever remains unsatisfied, or at an earlier step in the Process, he/she may initiate complaint with any of several outside entities, specifically:
Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board Ohio Board of Nursing
4817 State Road, Suite 203, Ashtabula, OH. 44004 17 South High Street, Suite 400
440.992.3121 Columbus, OH. 43215
1.614.466.3947
The Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services
30 East Broad St., 36th Floor
Columbus, OH. 43215 Ohio State Board of Psychology
1.614.466.2596 77 South High Street
Columbus, OH. 43215
The Ohio Legal Rights Service (Disability Rights Ohio) 1.614.466.8808
50 W. Broad St., Suite 1400
Columbus, OH. 43215-5923 State Medical Board of Ohio
1.614.466.7264 30 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH. 43215
The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services 1.614.466.3934
Office for Civil Rights, Region V
233 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 240 Ohio Chemical Dependency Prof. Board
Chicago, IL. 60601 77 South High St (Vern Riffe Ctr., 16th Floor) 1.800.368.1019 Columbus, OH. 43215
1.614.387.1110
Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
50 West Broad Street, Suite 1075
Columbus, OH. 43215
1.614.466.0912
Appropriate professional licensing or regulatory associations. The address and phone numbers of these groups is appended to this procedure statement. The client rights officer will assist the client if requested in furnishing all relevant information about the grievance to one or more of those organizations.
The Agency administration shall support the client rights officer to take all steps necessary to process client grievances and to otherwise assure compliance with this grievance procedure.
E. POSTING AND DISTRIBUTION
This procedure shall be posted in a conspicuous place and a written copy of it given to each applicant or client upon request.
F. RECORD KEEPING AND REPORTING
1. While investigating grievances, the client rights officer shall record pertinent information which clarifies actions, events, and facts; and which presents the opinions or observations of those involved. This information shall be maintained with the grievance and protected as client confidential information.
2. The clients’ rights officer shall keep records of each grievance received for, at minimum, two years from the date of resolution, a copy of the grievance including documentation reflecting process used and resolution/remedy of the grievance and documentation, if applicable, of extenuating circumstances for extending the time period for resolving the grievance beyond 20 business days. These records shall be available for review by the local Mental Health & Recovery Services Board and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services upon request.
3. The client rights officer shall annually prepare a report summarizing the number of grievances received, type of grievance, and resolution status.
4. Subsequent substantive changes will be submitted for approval to the Agency’s Board of Directors.
