Client Resources
Consumer Complaint, Grievance, & Appeal Procedure
Overview
Under Vermont’s Global Commitment to Health, the Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) has established a process for you to resolve problems about your mental health care and developmental services. For example, you might not like the quality of your services, you might be dissatisfied because your treatment or service team changes the kind or amount of services you receive, or you might tell your case coordinator that another staff member was rude to you.
Northwestern Counseling & Support Services has a Grievance and Appeal Coordinator and the staff at NCSS will help you understand how the process works. If you need help filing your grievance or appeal or understanding the process, the staff will assist you.
- A client expresses dissatisfaction about aspects of interpersonal relations rudeness, failure to be respected, staff not conducting themselves properly or the quality of care the client receive.
- The complaint is resolved in one response by staff.
- Complaints may be made orally or in writing by the client to any NCSS staff.
There may come a time when you are not satisfied with your services and want to take steps to address your concerns. You may do so in a formal or informal manner. To address your concerns informally, you could talk to the NCSS Compliance Officer, designee or any staff member about a complaint you have. To address your concerns formally, you can file a formal grievance or appeal. The definitions below will help you understand the difference between grievance and an appeal.
Grievance examples may include:
- Dissatisfaction with a staff/contractor
- Dissatisfaction with management
- Dissatisfaction with program decision
- Dissatisfaction with policy decision
- Dissatisfaction with quality of services
- Dissatisfaction with accessibility of services
- Dissatisfaction with services not offered or not available
Appeal examples may include:
- Denial, in whole or in part, of payment for a service
- Failure to provide services in a timely manner
- Failure to provide clinically indicated covered services
- Denial of request for covered services outside Medicaid network
The full Grievance and Appeal Mental Health and Developmental Services process is given to each person upon intake and during care planning updates. Additional copies can be located in the reception area.
Vermont Secretary of State Office of Professional Regulation is responsible for the licensing and oversight of clinical mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychoanalysts, psychologists, social workers, rostered non-licensed and non-certified mental health counselors. Included in the oversight, there are statutory regulations of unprofessional conduct for each profession. A copy can be obtained from Office of Professional Regulation or from the follow:
https://sos.vermont.gov/opr/
If a person believes a licensed professional may have committed unprofessional conduct, the OPR will investigate the complaint and take action when necessary to protect the public. Clients who have inquiries or wish to obtain a form to register a complaint may do so by calling (802) 828-1505, or by writing to the Director of the Office, Secretary of the State’s Office, 89 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Montpelier, VT 05620-3402 or online at https://www.sec.state.vt.us/professional-regulation.aspx
Grievance or Appeal Forms
These forms are made available for your convenience:
If you need help understanding the Consumer Complaint, Grievance, and Appeal Procedure, please ask to speak to Kim McClellan at (802) 524-6554.
