Kan. Admin. Regs. § 30-60-51 - Complaints; review; appeals; procedures; records

(a) Each center shall adopt and adhere to written policies and procedures that allow for any consumer, individual, or agency to make a written complaint about any member of the staff or any aspect of the center's operations, requirements, or services, or those of any affiliated center or other provider with which the center has an affiliation agreement. These policies and procedures shall include the following requirements and provisions, at a minimum:

(1) Notice shall be displayed at appropriate locations stating that any consumer, individual, or agency has the right to make a complaint. This notice shall also describe the procedures by which a complaint can be made.

(2) No particular form shall be required in order to make a complaint, but appropriate forms shall be made available at appropriate locations for use by any consumer, individual, or agency wishing to make a complaint.

(3) Procedures shall exist so that a complaint can be made confidentially if a consumer, individual, or agency so desires.

(4) The staff of the center shall be trained to be alert to, listen for, and identify a complaint of a significant nature that is made either orally or incompletely by a consumer receiving any services from the center, or from any affiliated center or other provider with which the center has an affiliation agreement. The staff shall be required to assist that consumer to write out the complaint if made orally or to more specifically record that complaint for the consumer if the consumer fails or is unable to completely write out the complaint.

(5) The executive director shall review in a timely manner every complaint made, conduct any investigation as appropriate, and take any appropriate actions.

(6) If the complaint is the result of a discontinuation or reduction of any service that had been provided to a consumer, the executive director may, at the executive director's discretion, require that the service that was discontinued or reduced be restored to its former level pending the outcome of the executive director's investigation and determination.

(7) If a complaint received by a center concerns any matter involving the staff or any action, decision, policy, or requirement of an affiliated center or other affiliate, the executive director of the center may refer the complaint to the executive director of that affiliated center or other affiliate for that director's response. The response of the executive director of the affiliated center or other affiliate may be included in or attached to the center's response when a response is made or if a response is required to be made to a consumer.

(8) The executive director of the center shall reply, in writing, to every complaint concerning any aspect of either the center's operations, requirements, or services, or those of any affiliated center or other provider with which the center has an affiliation agreement, that is made by a consumer receiving services from the center, any affiliated center, or any other provider with which the center has an affiliation agreement, not later than 30 days following receipt of that complaint. This reply shall state the executive director's findings and determinations with regard to that complaint.

(9) A system shall be established to analyze all complaints made during specified periods of time to determine whether any trend or pattern appears and, if so, to attempt to identify the cause of those complaints or any other issue presented and to deliver this information either to the executive director or to another appropriate party.

(10) Any consumer who is dissatisfied with a determination of the executive director may appeal that determination to the division.

(11) Each appeal of a determination of the executive director shall be made in writing, within 30 days of receipt of that determination. Each appeal shall be addressed to the executive director of the center and shall state specifically the determination that is being appealed and the reasons why the consumer believes that the determination of the executive director is wrong.

(12) Upon receipt of such an appeal, the executive director may contact the consumer who is appealing and offer to meet personally with that consumer to see if some agreement or other resolution can be reached, or to offer mediation of the dispute to the consumer.

(13) The appeal of the executive director's determination shall proceed as provided for in this regulation. The executive director shall forward to the division the consumer's written appeal and both the original complaint and the executive director's written reply to that complaint when any of the following circumstances occurs:

(A) The executive director does not choose to make any offer for a meeting or for mediation.

(B) The consumer refuses any offer for a meeting or for mediation.

(C) Thirty days have elapsed following receipt of the appeal, and no agreement or resolution has been reached within that time period through the use of any meeting or meetings, or through a process of mediation.

(14) One or more employees of the division shall be assigned by the department to make an investigation and conduct any proceedings necessary to decide the outcome of the appeal. That employee or panel of employees shall give due regard to the rights and interests of both the consumer who is appealing and the center or the affiliated center or other affiliate against which the complaint was made. These procedures shall include the right of the consumer to be represented in the appeal by any individual of that consumer's choice.

(15) If the appeal resulted from a complaint that any service that had been provided to the consumer was discontinued or reduced, the division employee or panel of employees assigned to hear the appeal shall have the authority to require a licensee to restore that service to its former level during the pendency of the appeal.

(16) Following any investigation or proceeding that is determined appropriate, the division employee or panel of employees assigned to hear the appeal shall make a written decision with regard to the issues appealed. This decision shall be sent to the following individuals:

(A) The consumer and the individual that the consumer selected to represent the consumer, if applicable;

(B) the executive director of the center; and

(C) the executive director of the affiliated center or other affiliate, if applicable.

(17) The decision of the division's employee or panel of employees may be appealed to the office of administrative hearings within the Kansas department of administration in accordance with article 7.

(18) Records of every complaint and appeal made, and of the final determination or decision made with regard to each complaint, shall be centrally maintained for at least five years.

(b) No consumer shall be denied any service or otherwise penalized solely for any of the following reasons:

(1) Having made a complaint;

(2) having refused any offer to meet, to meet again, or to engage in mediation;

(3) failing to continue any process of mediation even though begun;

(4) failing to resolve or settle the complaint; or

(5) making or pursuing an appeal.

(c) Nothing in this regulation shall be construed to limit the right of any person to bring any action against a licensee that is permitted by law.

Notes

Kan. Admin. Regs. § 30-60-51

Authorized by K.S.A. 39-1603(r), 65-4434(f), and 75-3307b; implementing K.S.A. 39-1603, 65-4434(f), 75-3307b, and 75-3304a; effective July 7, 2003.