1620 Complaint Procedures - A complaint is a verbal or written grievance concerning an agency action or program policy.

 

1620.1 Complaints Received in Local or Regional Service Center - Upon receipt of a complaint, the local or regional service center shall:
 

  1. Review the situation and determine if corrective action is indicated. The determination should be made by the EES Supervisor or EES Program Administrator after consulting with the EES Specialist.

  2. Explain the action or policy to the complainant in writing or verbally. If corrective action is necessary, it should be initiated immediately. If corrective action is not indicated, inform the complainant of his right to request a fair hearing and the request procedure.

 

1620.2 Complaints Received in EES Administration - Complaints received in EES Administration will be referred to the EES Policy Section for response. If the response requires local input, a telephone call or e-mail message outlining the nature of the complaint will be made to the EES Program Administrator or his designee. This person will review the case and determine the appropriateness of the agency's action. If the agency is in error, the EES Program Administrator will mandate that corrective action be initiated immediately.
 

Once the determination is completed, the EES Program Administrator or designee will telephone or e-mail the EES Policy Section and provide details of the agency's actions as well as any corrective measures taken. The EES Policy Section will then answer the verbal or written complaint. If the EES Program Administrator wishes to respond to a telephone complaint directly, the EES Policy Section will notify the complainant to expect a telephone call from the EES Program Administrator or designee within a pre-determined time period.
 

Complaints filed through the above system shall not include complaints alleging discrimination. Refer to 1630 for discussion of Civil Rights complaints. This system shall also not include complaints that should be pursued through the fair hearing process.
 

1620.3 Reviewing Complaints (Food Assistance Requirement Only) - Records of complaints received and their disposition shall be maintained at EES Administration. Complaint records shall be reviewed at least annually to assess whether patterns or problems may be present in local DCF service centers, project areas, or throughout the state. The results of this review shall be provided to the Integrity Manager for appropriate action and for inclusion, if appropriate, in the State Food Assistance Corrective Action Plan.
 

The information provided to the Integrity Manager shall include the identification, if any, of potential or actual patterns of deficiencies in local DCF service centers, project areas, or throughout the state. Causal factors should also be identified and corrective action taken as needed.