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Your Mental Health Rights: How They Protect and Support Your Recovery
Your Rights to Complain and Be Heard


 

 
 

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Your Mental Health Rights: How They Protect and Support Your Recovery
Your Rights to Complain and Be Heard

You have a right to complain and be heard. This right says that you can tell other people if you are not getting your rights, or if you are being treated unfairly or with discrimination. This right asks other people to listen when you are telling them that you are not getting your rights, and try to help you out.

Your Right To Complain When You Think Someone is Taking Away Your Rights

It is your right to complain, or tell someone else, when you think someone is taking away your rights. This right can support your recovery because:

Use your rights. Complain, or tell someone else, when you think someone is taking away your rights. Complain, or tell someone else, if someone tries to stop you from using your rights. Know that you can complain to a client rights advocate, client representative, or client rights officer. These people must help you. You can also complain to groups like Ohio Legal Rights Service that advocate for and help people who get or want mental health services.

Find out the way to complain, like who to tell, and if you have to write your complaint on paper. This special way to complain is called a "grievance procedure." If you don't know how to complain, ask someone who knows (like a case manager, a client rights advocate, client representative, client rights officer. These people must help you.) You can also ask a lawyer to help you. If you don't know who is the best person to complain to, ask someone who knows.

Other people should help you use your rights. A clients right advocate, client representative, or client rights officer should help you with complaining, if you need help to do it. Other people should not keep you from complaining. Other people should not make you feel bad about, or punish you, for complaining.

Your Right To Complain When You Think Someone is Doing or Saying Something Wrong or Hurtful to You

It is your right to complain, or tell someone else, when you think someone is doing or saying something wrong or hurtful to you. This right can support your recovery because:

Use your rights. Complain, or tell someone else, when you think someone is doing something or saying something that is wrong or hurtful to you. Know that you can complain to people like a case manager, a client rights advocate, client representative, client rights officer or a lawyer. You can also complain to groups like Ohio Legal Rights Service that advocate for and help people who get or want mental health services.

Find out the way to complain, like who to tell, and if you have to write your complaint on paper. This special way to complain is called a "grievance procedure." If you don't know how to complain, ask someone who knows (like a case manager, a client rights advocate, client representative, client rights officer or a lawyer). If you don't know who is the best person to complain to, ask someone who knows.

Other people should help you use your rights. Other people:

It Is Your Right To Know That You Can Complain and If There is a Special Way to Do It

It is your right to know that you can complain, and to know if there is a special way to do it, where you live, work, go to school, or get services. The special way to complain is sometimes called a "grievance procedure." This right can support your recovery because:

Use your rights. Find out if there is a special way to complain when something goes wrong where you live, work, go to school or get services. Ask someone about your right to complain, and ask if there is a special way to complain. Sometimes this special way to complain is called a "grievance procedure." If you do not understand your right to complain or how to complain, ask someone to explain it to you in a way that makes sense to you.

Other people should help you use your rights. Other people should explain to you that you have a right to complain. You should get the explanation in writing too. In some places, a person called a client rights advocate, client representative, or client rights officer is supposed to tell you about your right to complain and how to do it. Other people should:

Your Right To Have Other People Listen to You with Respect if You Complain

It is your right to have other people listen to you with respect if you complain that someone is taking away your rights, or saying or doing something which is wrong or hurts you. This right can support your recovery because:

Use your rights. Try to stay calm when you complain. Ask for respect if you are not getting it.

Other people should help you use your rights. Other people should:

Some people, like a client rights advocate, client representative, or client rights officer must listen to your complaint and help you so that your complaint is answered.

Your Right To Get an Answer to Your Complaint

It is your right to get an answer to your complaint. This right can support your recovery because:

Use your rights. Ask for an answer to your complaint. Keep asking until you get an answer.

Other people should help you use your rights. Other people should give you an answer to your complaint. If a person that you complain to can't give you an answer, that person should let you know who else can give you an answer. If a person can't give you an answer to your complaint right away, that person should let you know when you will get your answer.

Your Right To Get an Answer to Your Complaint in Time That's Fair

It is your right to get an answer to your complaint in time that's fair. This right can support your recovery because the problem may get fixed faster if you don't have to wait a long time for an answer.

Use your rights. When you complain about something, ask when you will get an answer to your complaint. If you think it is taking too long to get an answer to your complaint ask why it is taking so long; try talking to someone else about it (like another advocate). Ask to see the rules about complaining.

Other people should help you use your rights. Other people should follow the rules about answering your complaint. Other people must let you see the rules about complaining.

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