{"ref":"NC-HC-GRV-01","title":"Complaints and Grievances","category":"Client rights","summary":"Sets out how the Agency receives, records, investigates and resolves complaints. G.S. 131E-144.6(b) requires the Agency to investigate within 72 hours complaints made by a client or the client's family and to document both the complaint and its resolution; the Agency applies the same process to every complaint. It covers acknowledgment within 5, the resolution target of 30, review by the Agency Director, protection from reprisal, the DHSR Complaint Intake Unit and how to reach it, discrimination grievances under Section 1557, privacy complaints, and the PCS complaint record and logs NC Medicaid requires.","inShort":["Clients and families may complain at any time, in any way, without fear of being treated worse.","If someone complains to you, listen, write down what they said, and pass it to the complaint officer the same day.","The Agency must start investigating within 72 hours, so never hold a complaint until later.","If the complaint is about abuse, neglect or a staff member's conduct, also report it right away under the abuse policies.","Clients may also call the state Complaint Hotline: 1-800-624-3004 (within North Carolina) or 919-855-4500."],"primaryCitation":"G.S. 131E-144.6(b)","citations":["G.S. 131E-144.6(b)","G.S. 131E-144.3(4), (13)","G.S. 131E-144.4(a)(3), (4)","G.S. 131E-141(c)","G.S. 131E-144.6(a), (a1)","G.S. 131E-144.7(b)","10A NCAC 13J .1007(b), (c)","NC Medicaid Clinical Coverage Policy 3L, §7.9(b)","NC Medicaid Clinical Coverage Policy 3L, §7.10(a)(5)"],"federalCitations":["45 CFR §92.8(c)","45 CFR §164.530(d)"],"surveyorAsks":["Show me your complaint log. When did you start investigating each complaint, and how did you resolve it?","How do clients learn how to complain to you and to the state? Show me the hotline notice."],"forms":[{"ref":"NC-HC-GRV-01-A","title":"Complaint Form"},{"ref":"NC-HC-GRV-01-B","title":"Complaint Log and Investigation Record"}],"headings":["Terms of Reference","1. Purpose","2. Scope","3. Definitions","4. Policy Statement (G.S. 131E-144.6(b))","5. How Clients Learn How to Complain","6. Receiving a Complaint","7. Investigating and Resolving","8. Special Types of Complaint","9. Learning from Complaints","10. Responsibilities","11. Records and Compliance Monitoring","12. Staff Training","13. References","14. Related Policies and Forms","15. Approval","16. Revision History"],"version":"1.0","sample":false,"pack":"nc-hca","state":"North Carolina","service":"Home care","guides":[{"path":"/guides/home-care-agency-policies/","h1":"What policies does a home care agency need?"}],"agency":{"name":"Sample Agency","legalName":"Sample Agency, LLC","logo":null}}