Local Grievances Policies and Procedures

Local Grievances Policies and Procedures A. There must be written policies and procedures for implementation of a process through which people’s grievances can be reported and addressed at the local service location/center level. These policies and procedures, minimally, must ensure the following: 1. People receiving services from the agency provider have access to a fair and impartial process for reporting and resolving grievances. 2. People are informed and provided a copy of the local procedure for filing a grievance with the agency provider and of the procedure and timelines for resolution of grievances upon admission and annually thereafter. 3. People receiving services and/or parent(s)/legal representative(s) are informed of the procedures for reporting/filing a grievance with DMH, including the availability of the DMH toll-free telephone number upon admission and annually thereafter. 4. People receiving services and/or parent(s)/legal representative(s) are informed of the procedures for reporting suspicions of abuse, exploitation, or neglect in accordance with state reporting laws to include, but not limited to, the Vulnerable Persons Act and Child Abuse or Neglect Reporting requirements upon admission and annually thereafter. 5. The agency provider will post in a prominent public area information containing the procedures for filing a grievance with DMH. The information provided must be posted at each service location. 6. IDD Supervised Living, Shared Supported Living, or Supported Living settings owned/controlled by the provider must post the information in an area which does not distract from having a home-like environment, but which must be readily available to people living in the home. B. The policies and procedures for resolution of grievances at the agency provider level, minimally, must include: 1. Definition of grievances, as indicated above; 2. Statement that grievances can be expressed without retribution; 3. The opportunity to appeal to the executive officer/top-level administrator of the agency provider, as well as the governing board of the agency provider; 4. Timelines for resolution of grievances; and 5. Information for filing a grievance with DMH, as outlined by DMH, including the DMH toll-free number. C. The policies and procedures must also include a statement that the DMH-certified agency provider will comply with timelines issued by DMH in resolving grievances filed with DMH. D. There must be written documentation in the person’s record that each person and/or parent(s)/legal representative(s) is informed of and given a copy of the procedures for reporting/filing a grievance described above, upon admission and annually thereafter if the person continues to receive services from the agency provider.