Form of Initiating an Appeal

(1) The appeals process encompasses both the fair hearing and the administrative review. An appeal is initiated by a request for fair hearing, at which time a request for an optional administrative review may also be made. 1.07: continued (2) An appeal shall be initiated by a written request, either on the form provided by the local office or program unit from which the individual seeks services or otherwise. It shall be addressed to the attention of the Client Appeals Coordinator at the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Administrative Office at210 SouthStreet, 5th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02111,or any subsequent address for the Commission's Administrative Office, with a copy to the local office or program unit. (3) An individual's request for a fair hearing or administrative review shall state that the individual is aggrieved by a Commission decision, action or inaction and summarize the nature of the grievance, be signed by the individual or representative and contain the individual's address and a phone number if possible, where the individual may be contacted. (4) The appeal request shall also indicate that the individual wishes an administrative review before the fair hearing is scheduled.