As a person/family receiving services at Waisman Center Community Outreach Wisconsin you have rights outlined on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/clientrights/intro.htm
Client Rights: Rights When Receiving Services
People receiving services for a developmental disability, mental health, or substance use have rights under Wisconsin law. These include rights related to treatment, records access, communication, and privacy.
Treatment
Every person receiving services has a right to:
- Information about their treatment and care.
- Not receive unnecessary or excessive medicines.
- Participate in treatment planning.
- Prompt and adequate treatment.
- Refuse treatment and medicine (unless it’s court-ordered).
Record privacy and access
Every person receiving services has a right to:
- Challenge the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, and relevance of record entries.
- Have their information kept confidential.
- Not have their records released without consent. (This right that may be limited or denied)
- See their records.
- View medicine and treatment records. (This right that may be limited or denied)
Communication
Every person receiving services has a right to:
- Contact public officials, lawyers, or patient advocates.
- See, or refuse to see, visitors. (This right that may be limited or denied)
- Send or receive mail.
- Use a phone. (This right that may be limited or denied)
Individual
Every person receiving services has a right to:
- Be paid for work performed.
- Not be secluded or restrained. (This right that may be limited or denied)
- Reasonable decisions made on their behalf
- Refuse to work. (This right that may be limited or denied)
- Regular and frequent access to the outdoors.
- Regular and frequent chances to exercise.
- The least restrictive environment possible. (This right that may be limited or denied)
- Wear their own clothes and use their own belongings. (This right that may be limited or denied)
Privacy
Every person receiving services has a right to:
- A reasonable amount of storage space for their belongings. (This right that may be limited or denied)
- Not be filmed or taped without consent.
- Receive privacy while using the toilet and bathing. (This right that may be limited or denied)
Miscellaneous
Every person receiving services has a right to:
- Be free from retribution for filing a complaint.
- Be told of costs for their care.
- Be told of their rights.
- Be treated with dignity and respect by staff members.
- File a complaint about a rights violation.
- Refuse drastic treatments.
- Refuse electroconvulsive therapy.
Laws and codes
You can find more information here:
Waisman Center
Community Outreach Wisconsin
Grievance Resolution Process
• If for any reason, you, your family, or someone acting on your behalf are concerned or not satisfied with our services or if you think your client rights have been violated you may file a grievance. You have the right to bring someone with you or ask for assistance with each step. Rather than filing a formal grievance, you may also request an informal discussion of your complaint. No sanctions will be threatened or imposed against you for filing a grievance or any individual who assists you in filing one.
• Please note that a written complaint must be filed within 45 days of the incident.
LEVEL 1 – Informal Discussion
• Discuss your concerns with the involved staff member in person or in writing.
• Contact information for staff can be found on our website https://cow.waisman.wisc.edu/contact/
The mailing address for all Community Outreach Wisconsin staff is:
UW Waisman Center
Community Outreach Wisconsin
122 E. Olin Ave., Suite 255
Madison, WI 53713
Formal Grievance
• If you are not satisfied with the staff person’s response you can file a formal grievance. You can file a formal grievance at any time, i.e. you don’t have to try to resolve the issue informally:
• Reach out to the Waisman Center Community Outreach Wisconsin Client Rights Specialists:
Shawn Bass sbass@wisc.edu (608) 279-7642 or
Josh Lapin lapin@waisman.wisc.edu (608) 890-4839
• If you struggle to connect with Josh or Shawn (example: out of office/vacation auto reply) please reach out to the Community Outreach Wisconsin Program Director:
Axel Junker junker@waisman.wisc.edu (608) 212-7530
A Client Rights Specialist will be assigned to you within three business days (one day in an emergency).
• Write down your complaint. You can use a form we provide or submit your grievance by talking to your assigned Client Rights Specialist who can also help you to complete the form.
• Within 30 days (5 days in an emergency) the Client Rights Specialist will investigate your complaint, complete a report, and share the report with you and the Waisman Center Community Outreach Wisconsin Program Director (Level 1A Review).
• If you or the Community Outreach Wisconsin Program Director do not agree with the outcome the Community Outreach Wisconsin Program Director will issue his own decision within 10 days/5 days in an emergency (Level 1B Review).
• If you don’t agree with the Community Outreach Wisconsin Program Director’s decision you have 14 days to appeal.
LEVEL 2
• You can appeal to your county health and human services department if the county is paying for your services. For Dane County contracted/authorized programs (Community TIES, WIN CLTS, Training & Consultation, IDD Crisis Stabilization), send a request for a Level II review to
John Schlueter, DCDHS Director
1202 Northport Dr.
Madison, WI 53704
bhclientrights@danecounty.gov
Fax: (608) 242-6531
• Describe the portion or portions of the decision you disagree, the basis for the disagreement and any arguments or additional information you want the County Director to consider. DCDHS has 30 days (10 days in an emergency) to issue a written decision.
• If you don’t agree with the decision you have 14 days to appeal.
LEVEL 3
Mail your appeal to
State Grievance Examiner
Client Rights Office
Division of Care and Treatment Services (DCTS)
PO Box 7851
Madison, WI 53707-7851. DHSDCTSCRO@dhs.wisconsin.gov
LEVEL 4
• If you are not happy with the response you can appeal within 14 days to the Administrator of the Division of Long Term Care or the Administrator of the Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Service https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/dcts/index.htm
Note: At any point in time you have the right to take the matter to court.
You can find additional information on our website https://cow.waisman.wisc.edu/
When filing a formal grievance you may use the following form Waisman Center Community Outreach Wisconsin Formal Grievance Form
Feel free to download the following brochures (also available in our lobby).
