Filing a Complaint Against a Community Care Facility: A Comprehensive Guide

Community care facilities provide daily living assistance to adults. In many states, community care facilities can include day activity programs or residential care sites. Each state has regulations for the operation of such facilities. Those regulations cover the billing procedures, medical care, safety of the patients and preparedness of staff and employees of the facilities. When a community care facility fails to meet the state standards, you may bring a complaint against the facility. The complaint procedures vary by state, but generally permit an investigation and determination of whether your complaint is valid.

Instructions

• 1

  Determine the nature of your complaint. Community care facilities have responsibilities in many areas, including healthcare, patient safety, sanitary conditions and fair billing practices. Clearly define your complaint and determine which area of responsibility your complaint addresses.

• 2

  Gather information regarding your complaint. Dates, times and personnel involved and potential witnesses to the events will help you more clearly explain your complaint.

• 3

  Identify the state agency that licenses and inspects the community care facility. Every state has an agency that gives the community care facility authorization to operate. In California it is the Department of Social Services; in South Carolina it is the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Locate the agency on the Internet or find out the telephone number for the department in charge of licensing.

• 4

  Read the procedures for lodging a complaint. Visit the website of that department -- or telephone the department -- to find out the procedures for lodging a complaint. The procedures are often available online.

• 5

  Follow the procedures to lodge a formal complaint. Some states, such as South Carolina, require you to give documents to support your complaint. Be prepared to provide proof of the allegations.

• 6

  Contact other authorities regarding your complaint. You may also need to alert others about the complaint. For example, if the complaint relates to criminal conduct, you should also report the conduct to the police in the jurisdiction where the facility operates.