CLIENT GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
It is the Policy of Disability Rights IOWA, to provide clients and potential clients an opportunity to express concerns about services provided or denied them by the agency. The following steps allow clients, potential clients, or someone acting on their behalf to raise concerns about any of the following:
- Denial of Services;
- The closure of a case;
- The type or quality of services provided.
Any individual who believes that s/he has a complaint with Disability Rights IOWA is encouraged to first discuss the matter with the Disability Rights IOWA staff with whom s/he has been working. However, the individual may bring the complaint directly to the Executive Director. No individual who brings a complaint under these steps will be discriminated against in regard to the receipt of Disability Rights IOWA services.
Step 1: Any Individual with a complaint must bring it to the attention of the Executive Director of Disability Rights IOWA, either in writing or by tape recording, within thirty (30) days from the date the complaint first occurred. If the complaint is with an action of the Executive Director, the complaint shall be brought to the attention of the Board of Directors.
Step 2: Within ten (10) working days of the date the complaint is received, the Executive Director will consider the complaint and mail a written decision or tape recorded oral decision to the complaining individual.
Step 3: If the complaining individual is dissatisfied with the decision of the Executive Director, he or she may file a written or tape recorded “Request for Review” by the Disability Rights IOWA Board of Directors. The Request for Review shall be sent to the Executive Director of Disability Rights IOWA within ten (10) days of the date of the of the Executive Director’s decision. The Request for Review shall state the reasons for disagreement with the Executive Director’s decision and the outcome desired by the individual.
Step 4: Within three (3) working days of the receipt of the Request for Review, the Executive Director shall forward to the Board of Directors copies of: 1) the original complaint; 2) the Executive Director’s decision; and 3) the Request for Review.
Step 5: At the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors, the Request for Review will be discussed. The complaining individual may be present or the matter will be discussed based on all written or tape recorded information relevant to the complaint. The Board of Directors will send a written or tape recorded copy of Disability Rights IOWA’s Final Decision to the complaining individual and to the Executive Director within five (5) working days of the meeting. The Final Decision will include either of the following: 1) a statement supporting the Executive Director’s decision; or 2) a decision to reverse the Executive Director’s decision and a recommended plan for changing Disability Rights IOWA’s action. The Final Decision will be considered Disability Rights IOWA’s final agency action.
All grievances shall be kept confidential except for a) DRI staff are assisting the Executive Director in responding to the grievance and b) Board members who, upon the Grievant’s request, are reviewing the grievance and the Executive Director’s response.
