Client Rights

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.
1. 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