Your rights and how to raise a concern

This is the client rights policy and grievance procedure of SOS Wellness LLC. It follows Ohio Administrative Code rule 5122-26-18, which applies to every provider certified by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), now the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health.

It applies to everyone who receives services from us, at either office or by telehealth. A copy is posted at each office, it is available as a PDF on our website, and any staff member can give you a printed copy at no charge.

Your rights as a client

Every person who receives services from SOS Wellness has all of the following rights.

The right to be treated with consideration and respect for your personal dignity, autonomy and privacy.
The right to reasonable protection from physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect and inhumane treatment.
The right to receive services in the least restrictive, feasible environment.
The right to take part in any appropriate and available service that is consistent with your individual service plan, regardless of whether you refuse any other service, unless that other service is a necessity for clear treatment reasons and requires your participation.
The right to give informed consent to, or to refuse, any service, treatment or therapy, including medication, except in an emergency.
The right to take part in developing, reviewing and revising your own individualized treatment plan, and to receive a copy of it.
The right to freedom from unnecessary or excessive medication, and to be free from restraint or seclusion unless there is an immediate risk of physical harm to yourself or others.
The right to be informed of, and the right to refuse, any unusual or hazardous treatment procedures.
The right to be told about, and the right to refuse, observation by others and by techniques such as one-way mirrors, audio or video recorders, television, movies, photographs or other audio and visual technology. This right does not prohibit a provider from using closed-circuit monitoring to observe seclusion rooms or common areas, which never includes bathrooms or sleeping areas.
The right to confidentiality of your communications and personal identifying information, within the limitations and requirements for disclosure of client information under state and federal laws and regulations.
The right to have access to your own client record, unless access to certain information is restricted for clear treatment reasons. If access is restricted, your treatment plan must include the reason for the restriction, a goal to remove it, and the treatment being offered to remove it.
The right to be informed a reasonable amount of time in advance of the reason for ending your participation in a service, and to be given a referral, unless the service is unavailable or not necessary.
The right to be informed of the reason for denial of a service.
The right not to be discriminated against for receiving services on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, color, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, developmental disability, genetic information, HIV status, or in any manner prohibited by local, state or federal law.
The right to know the cost of services.
The right to be verbally informed of all of your client rights, and to receive a written copy on request.
The right to exercise your own rights without reprisal, except that no right extends so far as to supersede health and safety considerations.
The right to file a grievance.
The right to oral and written instructions about the procedure for filing a grievance, and to assistance in filing a grievance if you ask for it.
The right to be informed of your own condition.
The right to consult with an independent treatment specialist or legal counsel at your own expense.

How we share these rights with you

We explain these rights to you verbally and give you a written copy before or when you begin assessment or treatment, in a way that fits your understanding. In a crisis, or when you first reach us by phone rather than in person, we may explain the most immediately relevant rights first, such as your right to consent to or refuse the care being offered, and go through the full policy at your next visit.

Every member of our staff, including contract staff, volunteers and student interns, receives a copy of this policy and the grievance procedure and agrees to follow them.

How to file a grievance

A grievance is a complaint that any of your rights has been denied or abused. You may file one yourself, or a family member, friend, advocate or another provider may file one on your behalf.

Our Client Rights Officer

Kim Jarrell, Practice Administrator, is our Client Rights Officer and Grievance Officer.
Phone: 513-928-3339, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.
Email: kjarrell@sos-wellness.org
Mail or in person: SOS Wellness LLC, 6730 Roosevelt Ave, Suite 301, Middletown, OH 45005.

If you prefer, tell any staff member at either office. They will pass your grievance to the Client Rights Officer promptly, and they can help you put it in writing. For accessibility accommodations or free interpreter services, contact us at 513-928-3339 (TTY: 711).

What to include

You may file verbally or in writing. If you file verbally, Kim Jarrell will write it down for you.
Include, if you know them, the date, the approximate time, a description of what happened, and the names of the people involved.
The written grievance is dated and signed by you or by the person filing for you. If it was taken verbally, the Client Rights Officer signs a statement that it is a true and accurate record of your grievance.
Email is convenient but not always secure. If your grievance involves detailed health information, call first and we will arrange a secure way to receive it.

What happens next

Within three business days of receiving your grievance, you receive a written acknowledgment. It states the date we received it, a summary of the grievance, an overview of how we will investigate, a timetable for completing the investigation and telling you the result, and the Client Rights Officer’s name, address and phone number.
The Client Rights Officer investigates. This can include talking with you, with the people involved and with others who may have information, and reviewing records. Someone of your choosing may help you at every step.
Within twenty business days of receiving your grievance, we make a resolution decision and send it to you in writing. If extenuating circumstances mean we need more time, we document the reason in the grievance file and notify you in writing.
We keep a record of each grievance, how it was handled and how it was resolved for at least two years after it is resolved.

Your protections

Filing a grievance never affects your care. You will not be treated differently, denied services or discharged because you raised a concern, and no one at SOS Wellness may retaliate against you or against anyone who helps you.

You can ask for help at any step from a family member, a friend, an advocate, or any staff member. You can also contact the outside organizations below at any time, before, during or after our process, and you do not have to use our process first.

Outside organizations you can contact

Ohio law gives you the option to file a grievance directly with the following organizations. We will cooperate fully with any of them.

Ohio Department of Behavioral Health

The state department that certifies SOS Wellness.

Phone: 877-275-6364 (toll-free line for people who receive services and their family members) or 614-466-2596. Ohio Relay: 711.
Mail: Ohio Department of Behavioral Health, 30 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215.
Web: dbh.ohio.gov, under Client Rights and Grievances.

Your county mental health and addiction board

The board for the county where you live or receive services. These are the boards serving the counties around our Middletown and Norwood offices.

If you live elsewhere in Ohio, call us, or call the state department listed above, for your county board’s contact information.

Mental Health Recovery Board Serving Warren and Clinton Counties: 201 Reading Rd., Mason, OH 45040. Phone: 513-695-1695.
Butler County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services Board: 5963 Boymel Drive, Fairfield, OH 45014. Phone: 513-860-9240.
Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board: 2350 Auburn Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45219. Phone: 513-946-8600. TTY: 513-946-8690.

Disability Rights Ohio

Ohio’s federally designated protection and advocacy system for people with disabilities, including mental health conditions. It can help if you believe your legal rights have been violated because of a disability.

Phone: 614-466-7264 or 800-282-9181 (toll-free in Ohio), during weekday intake hours. You can leave a message at any time.
Mail: Disability Rights Ohio, Attn: Intake, 200 Civic Center Drive, Suite 300, Columbus, OH 43215.
Web: disabilityrightsohio.org, which has an online intake form. Translation services are available.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights

For discrimination complaints, and for complaints about the privacy of your health information, including records protected by HIPAA and by 42 CFR Part 2. Complaints are generally due within 180 days of when you learned of the problem.

Phone: 800-368-1019 (toll-free). TDD: 800-537-7697.
Online: the OCR Complaint Portal at ocrportal.hhs.gov.
Mail: Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Room 509F, HHH Building, Washington, DC 20201.
Regional office for Ohio: HHS Office for Civil Rights, John C. Kluczynski Federal Building, 230 S. Dearborn St., Room 3346, Chicago, IL 60604.

CARF International

SOS Wellness holds CARF Preliminary Accreditation. CARF accepts concerns, complaints and compliments about any provider it accredits.

Phone: 888-281-6531 (toll-free) or 520-325-1044, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Mountain time, Monday through Friday.
Mail: CARF International, 6951 East Southpoint Road, Tucson, AZ 85756-9407.
Web: carf.org/contact-us, using the provider feedback form.

Privacy concerns

Kim Jarrell is also our Privacy Officer. If you believe your health information has been used or shared in a way that is not allowed, contact her at 513-928-3339 or kjarrell@sos-wellness.org, or file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights listed above. Our Notice of Privacy Practices explains your privacy rights in detail, including the extra protections for substance use disorder records under 42 CFR Part 2.

Get a copy of this policy

You can download this policy as a PDF from our website, pick up a printed copy at our Middletown or Norwood office, or ask any staff member. If you need it in large print, in another language, or read aloud, call 513-928-3339 (TTY: 711).

If you are in crisis, call or text 988 at any time. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.