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Home My WebLink About950319.tiffRESOLUTION RE: APPROVE WELD COUNTY GRIEVANCE/COMPLAINT PROCESS REGARDING DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORTS WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, pursuant to Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and WHEREAS, the Weld County Department of Social Services has presented the Weld County Grievance/Complaint Process Regarding the Department Response to Child Abuse and Neglect Reports to the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, for consideration and approval, and WHEREAS, after review, the Board deems it advisable to approve said process, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, ex -officio Board of Social Services, that the Weld County Grievance/Complaint Process Regarding the Department Response to Child Abuse and Neglect Reports for the Weld County Department of Social Services be, and hereby is, approved. The above and foregoing Resolution was, on motion duly made and seconded, adopted by the following vote on the 1st day of March, A.D., 1995. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WELD COUNTY, C e LO; • DO ATTEST: Weld County Clerk to the Board BY. Deputy CIerKio APP:. e AS TO FORA: my Attorney (WWr LW; 35 r Dale K. Hall, Chairma FXCLISFfl r)ATF OF SIC;NINr, Barbara J. Kirkmeyer Pro-Tem -"Georg 7 (AYE) E. Baxter Constance L. Harbert W. . Webster 950319 SS0021 WELD COUNTY GRIEVANCE/COMPLAINT PROCESS REGARDING THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORTS The Weld County Department of Social Services is committed to the fair and equitable treatment of all our clients. We believe families and children have the right to be treated with dignity, respect, professional courtesy, and with sensitivity to their individual needs, including cultural needs. To achieve these goals, the Weld County Department of Social Services operates a grievance/complaint process to address these issues. This process will investigate any complaint in the areas of how a case is handled, which services are provided, and how parents and children are treated by the agency and its staff. This process can not change court orders, including child custody orders. Also it can not change Public Law or State Regulations which determine many of the actions taken by the department. If you feel that you have not been treated fairly by an employee of the Weld County Department of Social Services the First step you should take is to speak with that employee's supervisor. You may call Judy Crosby of the Administrative Office, 352-1551 ext. 6201, and ask for the name and number of any employee's supervisor and your call will be forwarded to that person. After speaking with the supervisor, if you feel that your concerns are not being heard or you are not being treated fairly, you have the right to make a formal complaint to Mr. Dan Fowler, Division Administrator. This complaint should be made in writing. Your written complaint should contain the following information: 1. Your full name and mailing address. 2. A short and specific statement of what your complaint is and identify the disagreement that you have with the employee or polices. When your complaint is received, Mr. Dan Fowler, Division Administrator, or his Designee, will review the action of the agency employee, then make a written decision which will be mailed to you within ten (10) working days. If you are in disagreement with the decision made by the Administrator or Designee, you can request that your response be reviewed by a Citizen Review Panel for recommendation to Judy Griego, Director. This request should be made in writing to the Administration Office through Ms. Crosby, and must be received by her within five (5) working days after you receive the Division Administrator's or Designee's written decision. Your request must outline all of your reasons of disagreement. 910319 The following areas of concern will be reviewed Policy - Procedures Compliance Approval - Disapproval of Service Harassment Involvement of Relatives Visitation with Children in Custody by the Citizens Review Panel: Prejudice - Discrimination State Department Regulations Use of Available Resources Discourtesy - Unprofessional Behavior The Citizen Review Panel shall review the written complaint and make a recommendation to the Director within thirty (30) working days of its receipt of the complaint. The Director shall then make a decision, taking into consideration the recommendation of the Citizen Review Panel, within five (5) working days of receiving the recommendation. A copy of her decision will be mailed to you. If you are still not satisfied with the response, you may request in writing that the Director's decision be reviewed by the Weld County Board of County Commissioners sitting as the Weld County Board of Social Services. Any request for review by the Board must be received by the Board no later than five (5) working days after your receiving the Director's decision. CITIZEN REVIEW PANEL REGARDING THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORTS I . Overview The Board of Weld County Commissioners as the Weld County Social Services Board will establish a Citizen Review Panel to hear appealed grievances regarding child abuse and neglect cases which involve work by the Weld County Department of Social Services. Such grievances shall include, but not be limited to, the following subjects: policy -procedures compliance; approval -disapproval of service; harassment; involvement of relatives; visitation with children in custody; prejudice -discrimination; State Department of Social Services Regulations; use of available resources; and discourtesy -unprofessional behavior. The Citizen Review Panel will make no final decision in the grievance; rather, it will only provide a recommendation to the Director, who may either accept or reject the recommendation in formulating a final decision. The Citizen Review Panel will set forth a written recommendation and reasons for that decision according to the provisions of: 1. Title 19, Article 3, C.R.S. 2. Appropriate State Regulations 950319 The Citizen Review Panel cannot supersede or change court orders, including child custody orders, or the laws and regulations which determine the actions taken by the Weld County Department of Social Services in child abuse and neglect cases. The Citizen Review Panel must adhere to confidentiality regulations and statutes which govern confidentiality of child abuse and neglect reports and records. Complainants and other parties not entitled to confidential information shall not be present when confidential information is presented to or discussed by the Citizen Review Panel, the County Director or her designee, or the Board of Weld County Commissioners as the Weld County Social Services Board and shall receive only non -identifying summary findings. II. FORMATION OF THE CITIZEN REVIEW PANEL The Board of Weld County Commissioner as the Weld County Social Services Board shall establish a three -member panel. A representative to the Citizen Review Panel shall: 1. Have demonstrable personal or professional knowledge and experience with children and not be a Weld County or State employee. 2. May not have direct or, as a representative of any agency, indirect involvement in a specific complaint. 3. Be a/or representative(s) from: a) The Placement Alternatives Commission b) The Child Protection Team c) Local Restructuring Committee under HB1005 III. CONDUCT OF THE COMPLAINT PROCESS THROUGH THE CITIZEN REVIEW PANEL The Citizen Review Panel shall review: A. The written complaint submitted to Mr. Dan Fowler, Division Administrator or his designee by the complainant. B. The written recommendation or findings issued by Mr. Fowler, Division Administrator or his designee. C. The written response by the complainant addressing his/her issues of disagreement to the written recommendation of findings issued by Mr. Fowler or his designee. 950319 Based on the information provided, the Citizen Review Panel may: A. Request additional written information from the complainant and Mr. Fowler. B. Request additional verbal information through an informal meeting or telephone conference call with the complainant and Mr. Fowler. The Citizen Review Panel must restrict its informational gathering process within the context of the original complaint. The Citizen Review Panel will provide a written recommendation regarding the grievance to the Director within thirty (30) working days of the day the grievance was first appealed to the Panel. This written recommendation shall include a findings of fact and the recommendations of the Panel to resolve the grievance. The findings or written recommendations cannot supersede or change court orders, including child custody orders; public laws or State/local regulations that determine the actions taken by the Weld County Department of Social Services. The Director will make a final decision regarding the grievance within five (5) working days of receiving the recommendation of the Citizen Review Panel. The Director's decision may incorporate, follow, or reject all or part of the Panel's recommendation. The Director must mail a copy of the decision to the complainant. IV. BOARD OF WELD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AS THE WELD COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD. If you are in disagreement with the Director's decision, you may appeal the decision to the Board of County Commissioners as the Weld County Board of Social Services. You will need to request in writing that the Director's decision be referred to the Board and your request must specify those areas of the Director's decision with which you disagree. Any such appeal to the Board must be received by the Department Administration Office within five (5) days of your receiving the Director's decision. The review by the Board will be to determine if the Director's decision is clearly wrong or is in excess of her jurisdiction or authority. The Board's final decision shall be made in writing and shall be mailed to the complainant no later than thirty (30) days after the appeal is received by the Board. V. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT The Weld County Department of Social Services shall provide administrative support for the Citizen Review Panel. 950319 ar., COLORADO TO: FROM: SUBJECT: DATE: DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES P.O. BOX A GREELEY, COLORADO 80632 Administration and Public Assistance (303) 352-1551 Child Support (303) 352-6933 Protective and Youth Services (303) 352-1923 Food Stamps (303) 356-3850 FAX (303) 353-5215 Dale Hall, Chairman, Board of Weld County C Judy A. Griego, Director, Social Services, Weld County Grievance/Complaint Process Reg Response to Child Abuse and Neglect Report February 22, 1995 Attached for Board consideration and approval is a proposed Grievance/Complaint Procedure for the Weld County Department of Social Services. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 6200. JG:jac 950319 Hello