Rights & Grievances

Patient Rights

  1. All patients have the right to be treated with consideration and respect for personal dignity, autonomy and privacy.
  2. All patients have the right to be treated in the least restricted feasible environment and can expect to be protected from physical, sexual or emotional abuse, and inhumane treatment.
  3. All patients will have the right to participate in any service consistent with standard of care in an individual patient plan regardless of the refusal of any other services unless that service conflicts with patient safety and requires their participation.
  4. All patients have the right to refuse any service, therapy or any medication unless such refusal is deemed to be a result of mental incompetence at the discretion of the attending physician and could lead to harm of patient or staff.
  5. All patients have the right to participate in the development, review and revision of their own individualized treatment plan and to receive a copy of it.
  6. All patients heve the right to freedom of unnecessary or excessive medication and to be free from restraint or seclusion unless there is immediate risk of physical harm to self or others.
  7. All patients have the right to be informed of their care and the right to refuse unusual or hazardous treatment procedures.
  8. All patients have the right to be advised and the right to refuse observation by others and by techniques such as one-way vision mirrors, tape recorders, video recorders, television, movies, photographs or other audio and visual technology. This right does not prohibit an agency from using closed-circuit monitoring to observe seclusion rooms or common areas, which does not include bathrooms or sleeping areas.
  9. All patients have the right to confidentiality of communications and personal identifying information within the limitations and requirements for disclosure of client information under state and federal laws and regulations.
  10. All patients have the right to have access to one’s own client record unless access to certain information is restricted for clear treatment reasons. If access is restricted, the treatment plan shall include the reason for the restriction, a goal to remove the restriction, and the treatment being offered to remove the restriction;
  11. All patients have the right to be informed a reasonable amount of time in advance of the reason for terminating participation in a service, and to be provided a referral, unless the service is unavailable or not necessary.
  12. All patients have the right to be informed of the reason for denial of a service.
  13. All patients have 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 handicap, developmental disability, genetic information, human immunodeficiency virus status, or in any manner prohibited by local, state or federal laws;
  14. All patients have the right to know the cost of service
  15. All patients have the right to be verbally informed of all client rights, and to receive a written copy upon request;
  16. All patients have the right to exercise one’s own rights without reprisal, except that no right extends so far as to supersede health and safety considerations;
  17. All patients have the right to file a grievance
  18. All patients have the right to have oral and written instructions concerning the procedure for filing a grievance, and to assistance in filing a grievance if requested;
  19. All patients have the right to be informed of their own condition as part of their informed consent
  20. All patients have the right to consult with an independent treatment specialist or legal counsel at one’s own expense.

ATS Columbus will provide patients with our policy for client rights. In the case of a client grievance, patients are to put in writing their complaint, the date and time it took place, and the names of anyone else involved. Please see attached Grievance Form.

Most of the time complaints and Grievances arise from miscommunication. Simple communication with the patient/client can resolve conflict with satisfaction on both sides and is encouraged as a first line of patient complaint. If the complaint is not resolved by simple communication to complete satisfaction of all, then start the ‘grievance procedure’ in accordance with the patient grievance form.

Grievance Policy

The patient will give any grievance to our in-house client advocate, Ember Craig, unless the complaint is about her, in which the manager Marisa Streb shall be the client advocate. These individuals will be the Patient Grievance Advocate unless patient wishes to designate outside advocate. We will refer to Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP if needed.

Patient Grievance Advocates:

Ember Craig                                                    Marisa Streb

Front Desk Receptionist                                Office Manager

ATS Columbus                                               ATS Columbus

Availability M-F 10:00am-4 pm                     Availability M-F 8:30am-3 pm

614-594-9774                                                  614-594-9774

The client advocate will take any written grievance or will put in to writing any grievance given verbally. All grievances must include the date, approximate time, description of the incident and names of individuals involved in the incident or situation being grieved. The written grievance must be dated and signed by the client, the individual filing the grievance on behalf of the client or have an attestation by the client advocate that the written grievance is a true and accurate representation of the client’s grievance. The grievance advocate will meet with ownership and a statement of resolution/decision will be issued within 20 business days of receipt of said grievance. Any extenuating circumstances indicating that this time period will need to be extended must be documented in the grievance file and written notification given to client.

If requested, the client can request to file a complaint with outside organizations and will be provided on this document the mailing address and phone number of each.

  1. ADAMH – Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Board of Franklin County, 447 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215, p. 614-224-1057
  2. Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, 30 E Broad St, 36th Floor, Columbus Oh 43215, p. 614-466-2596
  3. Disability Rights of Ohio, 200 Civic Center Dr, Suite 300, Columbus Oh, 43215, p. 614-466-7264
  4. US Department of Health & Human Services, 233 North Michigan Ave, Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601, p. 312-353-1385, f. 312-353-0718.

ATS Columbus will maintain for 2 years from resolution, and a copy of grievance, documentation reflecting process used and resolution/remedy of the grievance and documentation, if applicable of extenuating circumstances for extending the time period for resolving the grievance beyond 20 days.

All grievances will be acknowledged with a written receipt within 3 business days and will include the following:

  1. Date grievance was received
  2. Summary of grievance
  3. Overview of Investigation process
  4. Timetable for completion of investigation and notification of resolution
  5. Treatment provider contact name, address, and telephone number.

Dismissing a patient from ATS, Columbus

ATS, Columbus if compliant with CFR 4731-27-02 when dismissing a patient from our practice. In the case that a patient is dismissed from our practice the following must occur:

  • A statement that the physician-patient relationship is terminated
  • The patient will receive treatment for 30 days from the date of termination
  • ATS, Columbus will offer to transfer records to new provider
  • The patient will receive this notice verbally and in writing and sign that he/she has received it.
    • If they do not sign letter of termination, ATS will mail letter via certified mail to the last address for the patient on record.