Hope House Client Grievance Procedure Hope House has a grievance procedure in place to make sure that you have a way to formally log a complaint or concern, be heard, and find solutions. You have the right to use the grievance procedure if you believe that any policy has been unfairly applied to you, or if you and/or your children have been mistreated by any Hope House personnel. During the grievance process you can expect: To have your grievances taken seriously and considered in a fair, timely, and neutral manner; To receive copies of all documentation related to your grievance; and That you will not be terminated or otherwise refused assistance because you took part in the grievance process. Additionally: At any time you can choose to get help from outside entities, such as advocacy organizations for civil rights, tenant’s rights, and anti-discrimination in housing and social services. Grievances submitted by a group of individuals will not be accepted. Individuals with common complaints or concerns must each submit them separately. Grievances about serious safety concerns or other situations requiring urgent attention will be dealt with immediately. Confidentiality will be respected and maintained to the full extent possible, but be aware we may have to be able to talk about your grievance to others in order to properly investigate. To obtain Client Grievance forms ask any Hope House personnel or you can print one from www.hopehouse.net. Grievances will generally follow a four-level process. At levels 2-4 Hope House personnel will talk with you and the other parties involved and document the discussion. All written grievances are kept on file. Hope House’s Client Grievance procedure is as follows: Level 1 Attempt to resolve the problem as close to the source as possible, generally by talking over the issue with the person involved. This level is informal and verbal. If you don’t feel confident in discussing the matter, you should proceed to Level 2. If the matter is not resolved, proceed to Level 2. Level 2 Submit a Client Grievance - Level 2 form to the Hope House personnel you work with or verbally tell them (by phone or in person) as to the problem and they will complete the form. Be sure to state your desired outcome. Should the person who is the subject of the complaint be the personnel you work with, you should notify other personnel or the director/manager. This level should not surpass one week. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, proceed to Level 3. Page 1 of 2
Level 3 Complete a Client Grievance -Level 3 form. Personnel will forward any additional information thought relevant and the Level 2 form to the program manager/director. The program manager/director will provide a written response regarding the resolution of the matter and an explanation of any further appeal, rights, or recourse available. This level should not exceed one week. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, proceed to Level 4. Level 4 Complete a Client Grievance -Level 4 form. This form along with the Level 2 and 3 will be given to the next higher manger. The program manager/director will provide a written response regarding the resolution of the matter. This level should not exceed one week. All responses and resolutions made at this level are final. To make sure it is meeting client’s needs, Hope House conducts a 3rd party review of all grievances and their outcomes.
External Authorities - You have the right to pursue the matter with external authorities if you so wish. Privacy Practice - If you believe that Hope House may have violated any of your privacy rights, you may file a complaint the US Department of Health and Human Services for Civil Rights, www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/. Clinical Services - If you believe your Therapist’s behavior is unethical or does not adhere to professional standards, you may file a complaint with the Department of Mental Health using the following contact information: Constituent Services, Department of Mental Health, P.O. Box 687, 1706 East Elm Street, Jefferson City, MO 65102, 1-800-364-9687 Residential Services - If, at any time while you are receiving assistance from Hope House, you believe your current housing ceases to be safe, decent, and sanitary, you may file a report with the Missouri Housing Development Commission: 920 Main Street, Suite 1400, Kansas City, MO 64105-2017 or (816) 759-6600. Civil Rights - If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex (including sex stereotyping and gender identity), or religion in programs or activities that Health and Human Services directly operates or to which provides federal financial assistance, you may file a complaint at https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-acomplaint/index.html Fair Housing - If you feel that you have been discriminated against based on your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability in regard to housing services you receive from Hope House, you may file a complaint at https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/housing_discrimination. Page 2 of 2