GRIEVANCE POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Policy: PossAbilities will ensure that participants have the right to respectful and responsive services. We are committed to providing a simple complaint process for the people served in our program and their authorized or legal representatives to bring grievances forward and have them resolved in a timely manner.

Procedure:

  1. Upon service Initiation the Program Director will provide the participant and/or their authorized or legal representative and their case manager with a copy of this policy within five working days of service initiation.
  1. Participants and/or their authorized or legal representative should contact the Program Director or another PossAbilities staff person with whom they are comfortable when they have a concern or complaint. Clearly inform the PossAbilities staff person that a formal complaint or grievance is being filed.
  1. If requested, PossAbilities staff contacted regarding the grievance will provide assistance with the complaint process. The participant and/or their authorized or legal representative will be given a copy of the Protection and Advocacy Services document which includes the addresses and telephone numbers of outside agencies that can assist with the process.
  1. PossAbilities staff contacted regarding the grievance will provide the participant and/or their authorized or legal representative with a copy of PossAbilities Complaint and Grievance form to complete. A copy of this form will be given to the Program Director unless the complaint is in regard to that individual in which case the form will be given to another Program Director.
  1. The Program Director receiving the Complaint and Grievance form will promptly respond to all complaints affecting a participant’s health and safety. For all other complaints the Program Director will provide an initial response within 14 calendar days. All complaints must be resolved within 30 calendar days or the Program Director must document the reason for the delay and a plan for resolution.
  1. The Program Director will complete a written complaint review on the Participant Complaint Review and Resolution form that includes an evaluation of whether:
  • Related policies and procedures were followed and adequate,
  • There is a need for additional staffing training,
  • The complaint is similar to past complaints with the participant, staff or services involved, and
  • There is a need for corrective action by PossAbilities to protect the health and safety of participants receiving services.

  1. When the complaint review criteria indicate there is a need for corrective action the Program Director will use the Participant Complaint Review and Resolution form to document a corrective action plan that provides a written summary of the complaint and notice of complaint resolution to the participant and/or their authorized representative and the case manager. The complaint summary and resolution must:
  2. Identify the nature of the complaint and when it was received,
  3. Include the results of the complaint review,
  4. Identifies the complaint resolution, including any corrective action.
  1. The Program Director will assure a copy of the Complaint and Grievance formand the Participant Complaint Review and Resolution is placed in the participant’s individual program file.
  1. The Program Director will assure any corrective action plan developed is implemented.
  1. If the complaint cannot be resolved by the Program Director the participant and/or their authorized or legal representative may contact PossAbilities Executive Director. The Executive Director may be reached by calling PossAbilities Administrative Offices at 507-281-6116.
  1. If the complaint cannot be resolved by the Executive Director the participant and/or their authorized or legal representative can make a formal, written complaint to the President of PossAbilities Board of Directors. Contact information for the Board President is available from the PossAbilities office at 507-281-6116.

Policy reviewed and authorized by:

______

Print name & titleSignature

Last policy review _____/_____/_____

Last policy revision _____/_____/_____

PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY SERVICES

Arc of Southeastern MinnesotaOffice of the Ombudsman

6301 Bandel Rd. NWSte. 202 Metro Square Building

Suite 605121 East 7th Place

Rochester, MN 55902St. Paul, MN 55101-2115

(507) 287-20321-800-657-3506

@state.mn.us

Community Social Services Advisory BoardCommissioner

Olmsted County Government CenterState of Minnesota, DHS

151 Fourth Street S.E.Centennial Building

Rochester, MN 55904St. Paul, MN 55101

(507) 285-8112(612) 296-4425

12/16/13