Grievances

Clients’ Rights

The Lake County ADAMHS Board is committed to supporting and protecting your fundamental rights, including:

• Your right to be treated with consideration and respect for personal dignity, autonomy and privacy
• Your right to service in a humane, minimally restrictive setting
• Your right to be informed of your condition; of proposed or current services, treatment or therapies; and of the alternatives
• Your right to consent to or refuse any service, treatment or therapy, and to be told the expected consequences of your consent or refusal. If you are a minor, your parent or legal guardian may consent to or refuse on your behalf
• Your right to a service plan that addresses your individual health, social and economic needs
• Your right to participate in the establishment, review and assessment of your service plan
• Your right to freedom from unnecessary or excessive medication
• Your right to freedom from unnecessary restraint or seclusion
• Your right to participate in any service, regardless of your refusal of other services or relapse from earlier treatment, unless there is a specific and valid reason to preclude your participation. In the event such a reason exists, it will be explained to you.
• Your right to be informed of and refuse any unusual or hazardous treatment procedures
• The right to be advised of and refuse observation by techniques such as one-way mirrors, recording devices, or cameras
• Your right to consult with independent treatment specialists or legal counsel at your own expense
• Your right to confidentiality of communications, and of your personally identifying information, within applicable legal limitations and requirements
• Your right to access your treatment records, within applicable legal limitations and requirements, and unless access to certain information is restricted for “clear treatment reasons” — meaning that it may result in the imminent risk of dangerous or self injurious behavior. In that event, the nature of the restriction will be explained to you.
• Your right to be informed in advance of the reason(s) for discontinuance of service, and to be involved in the planning for the consequences of that event.
• Your right to receive an explanation of the reason(s) for denial of service
• Your right to not encounter discrimination because of your religion, race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age, lifestyle, physical or mental handicap, sexual orientation, developmental disability, or inability to pay
• Your right to know the cost of services
• Your right to be fully informed of these rights
• Your right to exercise any and all rights, without reprisal in any form
• Your right to file a grievance.
• Your right to have access to instructions for filing a grievance.

Our system-wide goal is excellence — both in the quality of services offered, and in the way clients and family members are treated. If you are dissatisfied for any reason, please let us know:

• First, talk with your counselor, therapist, or case manager. In many instances, these individuals can help resolve problems very quickly and efficiently.
• If your problem remains unresolved, ask to speak to the person who supervises your counselor, therapist, or case manager at the agency, or to the agency’s Client Rights Officer.
• If you’re still not satisfied that the issues are being dealt with appropriately, contact the ADAMHS Board’s Director of Quality Improvement at 440-350-3117. You may also contact the Ohio Department of Mental Health’s Client Rights Officer at 614-466-2333.