CARELINK COMPLAINT POLICY

CareLink Resource Development Center welcomes comments and criticism on the agency and its practice. It is CARELINK’s policy to take complaints seriously and to make every attempt to resolve differences in a courteous and constructive manner. No person will receive any retaliatory treatment either from the agency or from individual staff members as a result of making a complaint. For those complaints, there is a separate policy procedure per Department of Human Services mandated policies.

Any client or member of the general public has the right to make a complaint in writing about CareLink’s policies, procedures re: denial, termination or reduction in services, or the performance of its staff members. A written copy of the agency’s grievance procedure will be given to the client or community member when lodging the complaint. CareLink’s director will respond verbally or in writing to all written complaints within the aforementioned categories within 14 calendar days of their receipt. If the person requests a meeting or if the CareLink’s Director deems a meeting appropriate, a meeting will be set up at the convenience of the complainant.  If the client is unable to arrange a meeting with the Program Director within a reasonable time frame, he/she can directly contact the Agency Executive Director.  A meeting shall always be held if the complaint involves an adverse action on the part of the agency which affects a client’s services and the client has appealed within the required 14 calendar days period. Such adverse action will not be taken until the issue is resolved. The complainant is welcome to speak for him or herself or to be represented by a friend or other spokesperson of his/her choice. If the complainant fails to appear at the first meeting, s/he is allowed to reschedule the meeting no more than one time. The reschedule hearing must take place within 14 calendar days of the date of the original meeting.

After meeting, the complainant will be informed in writing of the agency’s decision within 5 days of the meeting and given the opportunity to appeal to the CareLink’s Advisory Board. The Chair of the Advisory Board shall designate a Board Committee to hear the complaint. The Board meeting will be set up at the convenience of the complainant. The complainant and the CareLink  Director will have the opportunity to present the complainant/issue from their perspective. After hearing from both sides, the Advisory Board Committee will either make a decision or refer to complainant to a meeting of the full agency Board of Directors. In either case, the action taken by this Board Committee will be made in writing to the complainant within 14 calendar days of the Board hearing. If the complainant fails to appear at the Board hearing, the original decision will final.

If the complainant is not satisfied with the decision made by the Advisory Board, the decision may appeal to the executive Director of the Agency and the appropriate Board Committee. If complaints are made regarding denial, termination or reduction in services, the complainant must follow DHS procedure.