The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) Office of the Commissioner, Client Rights and Grievance Specialist promotes the use of the DMHAS Client Grievance Procedure by DMHAS state-operated and DMHAS-funded direct service providers. The Client Rights and Grievance Specialist is also the designated DMHAS Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II Coordinator and Affordable Care Act (Section 1557) Coordinator.

DMHAS, along with other federally funded healthcare providers, complies with federal civil rights law and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex (Affordable Care Act 1557)

Rights

People receiving mental health and substance use disorder treatment services from DMHAS facilities and DMHAS-contracted service providers have the same rights as other adult residents of Connecticut. Many of those rights are found in the following resources:

• Know Your Rights Notice (English) - (En Español): Connecticut General Statutes protecting the rights of people who receive services from Connecticut psychiatric treatment facilities
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): The ADA is civil rights law that protects the rights of persons with disabilities
  • Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Notice

   

• Affordable Care Act (ACA) Section 1557: The ACA prohibits healthcare providers, including DMHAS, from discriminating against someone on the basis of race, national origin, age, disability or sex and requiring them to provide equal access to programs and services to people whose primary language is not English

• Language Access and Non-Discrimination Notice

DMHAS Client Grievance Procedure

The DMHAS Client Grievance Procedure is an interactive process that helps DMHAS-operated and DMHAS-funded direct service providers and persons receiving services from those providers work together in resolving complaints at the lowest possible level.

Under the DMHAS Client Grievance Procedure, a person receiving services, or who has received services, or who is seeking services from a DMHAS-operated or DMHAS-funded direct service provider or their authorized representative can submit a written grievance to the provider’s designated Client Rights Officer (CRO).

Once the CRO receives the grievance, they work with the person to resolve the complaint or they can refer the grievance to the provider’s Chief Executive Officer or designee for a separate review and a Formal Decision. People may submit a written request for a Commissioner’s Review of a provider’s response to their grievance.   

The DMHAS Client Grievance Procedure covers two kinds of complaints:

• Complaints the provider denied, involuntary reduced or involuntary terminated services; or

• Written complaints the person believes a provider or provider’s staff: 

1. Violated rights provided by law or DMHAS directive.
2. Treated the client in an arbitrary or unreasonable manner.
3. Failed to provide services authorized by a treatment plan.
4. Used coercion to improperly limit choice.
5. Failed to reasonably intervene when the client’s rights were put at risk by another client or patient in a setting controlled by the provider.
6. Failed to treat the client or patient in a humane and dignified manner. 

For information on the DMHAS Client Grievance Procedure:

• Grievance Procedure & Fair Hearing Summary - (En Español)
• Client Rights Officers  
• Grievance Procedure Guide - (En Español)
• Client Grievance Form - (En Español)
• Commissioner's Current Policy on Grievances
• Client Grievance Policy Implementing Procedure

Advocacy:  

Everyone has the right to help from an advocate and to seek legal advice. Connecticut has three statewide advocacy organizations:  

• Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. (AU)
  AU is a peer run, non-profit organization that assists people and helps them advocate for themselves. AU, 114 West Main Street, New Britain, CT 06051

  1-800-573-6929 or 860-505-7581 (email:info@advocacyunlimited.org)

• Connecticut Legal Rights Project, (CLRP)

  CLRP attorneys and paralegals primarily advocate on behalf of persons with psychiatric disabilities who receive services from DMHAS-operated facilities and contracted providers. CLRP, PO Box 351, Silver Street, Middletown, CT 06457

  1-877-402-2299 or 860-262-5030  (email: info@clrp.org )

• Disability Rights Connecticut, (DRCT) 
  DRCT is Connecticut’s federally funded independent Protection and Advocacy System which advocates on behalf of persons with disabilities. DRCT, 846 Wethersfield Avenue, Hartford, CT 06114
• 1-800-842-7303 or 860-297-4300 (email: info@DisRightsCT.org)

People using a TDD can make a relay call through Relay Connecticut 711, 800-842-9710 or relayconnecticut.com