Your Rights and Your Responsibilities, Making Complaints and Getting Help
Your RIGHTS in behavioral health treatment:
- To be treated with dignity and respect.
- To be treated equally, without discrimination based on race, religion, gender, age, disability, health status, or sexual orientation.
- To learn about the services we provide, our fees, and our payment plans in a way that is easy to understand. You may voice a preference for a counselor.
- To get culturally competent services.
- To have an interpreter if you client do not speak English or need help due to a disability. To get medically necessary services, according to federal law. Urgent and emergency services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 719-589-3671 or 911.
- To be involved in planning your care. We will tell you about your diagnosis, choices for treatment, how long treatment will take, and if the treatment has any risks.
- To get a second opinion. A second opinion for Medicaid clients will be provided by Colorado Health Partnerships. A second opinion for non-Medicaid clients will be provided by the Center’s Medical Director or referred to an objective provider.
- To refuse or stop treatment, except if the law requires it.
- To be told if your counselor stops seeing clients or we stop providing a service you have been getting.
- To be free from restraint or seclusion as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation.
- To be free from sexual contact with any staff member. If this happens, a report will be made to the State Grievance Board.
- To tell others what you think about your treatment. You may talk to regulatory agencies, the government, or the media without it affecting treatment.
- To file a complaint without it affecting your treatment. You may request help from an advocate.
- To get information about advance directives.
- To learn about and use one’s rights to privacy. The Privacy Notice tells you more about this.
Your RESPONSIBILITIES for getting the best care.
- Give your counselor information needed so we can provide good care.
- Arrive for your appointments on time, or call in if you will be late or need to reschedule.
- Learn about your rights, your mental health benefits, and how to use them.
- Follow the treatment plan that was developed with your counselor.
- Take any prescribed medications that you agreed to take.
- Tell your counselor if you don’t agree with the treatment plan or want to change it.
- Tell us whenever you change your address, phone, or insurance.
- Treat others with courtesy and respect.
- Please bring someone with you to watch your children while you are in therapy.
Filing Complaints
Please try to resolve complaints with your counselor or the Consumer & Family Advocate. Call 719-589-3671 and ask for the advocate or the Privacy Officer Amy Strasser -Garcia. We cannot terminate services or retaliate against you for filing a complaint. The client may contact the Division of Mental Health at any time during the complaint process. If we cannot resolve the client’s complaint, or if s/he wants to talk to someone else, please call one of the following:
Complaints about mental health care may be filed with:
Office of Behavioral Health (for non-Medicaid complaints)
3824 West Princeton Circle
Denver, CO 80236
Main Number: 303-866-7400
TTY 303-866-7471
Ombudsman for Medicaid Managed Care (for Medicaid complaints)
877-435-7123 outside of Denver
888-876-8864 (TTY) for hearing impaired
Dept of Regulatory Agencies
Mental Health Section
1560 Broadway, Suite 1370
Denver, CO 80202
303-894-7766
Office for Civil Rights, US Dept. of HHS
303-844 2024
Colorado Health Partnerships
7150 Campus Drive, Suite 300
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
800-804-5008
Complaints about alcohol and drug abuse treatment may be filed with:
Office of Behavioral Health
3824 West Princeton Circle
Denver, CO 80236
Main Number: 303-866-7400
TTY 303-866-7471
Signal Behavioral Health Network
950 Cherry Street, Suite 416
Denver, CO 80246
303-639-9320