Approved and effective: 7/8/2020
Last reviewed and revised: 1/13/2021
Policy brief & purpose
TPN.Health is a team of dedicated, qualified individuals whose goal is to support behavioral health providers and improve client outcomes. Every effort is made to provide our services in a manner that is both high quality and non-discriminatory. Our grievance procedure policy explains how TPN users can constructively voice their complaints. The company encourages users to communicate their grievances so that we can foster a supportive and effective experience for all.
Scope
This policy refers to everyone in the company - regardless of position or status – and to all users of TPN.health.
Policy elements
Grievance definition
1. We define grievance as any complaint, problem or concern of a user regarding the features of TPN.health’s online platform, the events sponsored or hosted by TPN.health, or any other service or interaction provided by or with a TPN.health employee.
2. Users can file grievances for any of the following reasons:
Employee or user conduct
Dissatisfaction with services being provided
Conflict with a presenter or other associate of TPN.Health
This list is not exhaustive
3. Users who face allegation have the right to:
Receive a copy of the allegations against them
Respond to the allegations
Appeal on any formal decision
4. The company is obliged to:
Have a formal grievance procedure in place
Communicate the procedure
Investigate all grievances promptly
Treat all users who file grievances equally
Preserve confidentiality at any stage of the process
Resolve all grievances when possible
Respect its no-retaliation policy when users file grievances with the company, other users, or external agencies
Procedures
Users are encouraged to try to resolve less important issues informally before they resort to a formal grievance. Users are generally encouraged to contact TPN.health Support to open a ticket to address concerns related to services. When this isn’t possible, users should know how to file a grievance:
Complete a Grievance Form, providing as much detail as possible and as can be recalled.
If the grievance relates to behavior by a TPN.health employee that can bring disciplinary action (e.g. harassment or violence), users should refer directly to the Clinical Outreach department or the next level supervisor.
Accommodate the procedure outlined below
The Clinical department should follow the procedure below:
Ask user to fill out a grievance form
Talk with the user to ensure the matter is understood completely
Provide the individual who faces allegations with a copy of the grievance
Organize mediation procedures (e.g. arranging a formal meeting)
Investigate the matter or ask the help of an investigator when needed
Keep all parties informed throughout the process
Communicate the formal decision to all individuals involved
Take actions to ensure the formal decision is adhered to
Deal with appeals by gathering more information and investigating further
Keep accurate records
Grievances Related to CE Events
Additionally, in the event that a grievance is filed pertaining to a CE event and/or involving an instructor for a TPN.health-sponsored CE event, the following procedures will be followed:
Form information will be forwarded to Clinical Outreach Director, Clinical Oversight Specialist, and Clinical Engagement Director. These individuals will congregate to serve as a CE Grievance Committee
The members of the CE Grievance Committee will gather all information and identify the instructor and/or event named in the grievance
The CE Grievance Committee will review the information provided by the user, the recording of the session named in the grievance, and the evaluation feedback pertaining to the session and/or presenter named in the grievance
After review, the CE Grievance Committee will determine the appropriateness of the presenter and content of the event named in the grievance with regard to:
The pertinence to the professional development of any/all profession(s) to which the event was offered
The presence of commercial bias by the presenter and/or presentation
Any harm that may have been caused to attendees
Any poor ratings/feedback provided regarding the presenter or the session
The CE Grievance Committee will then come to a decision regarding any actions to be taken in response to the grievance, which may include providing constructive feedback to the presenter, requesting changes to the presentation, or withdrawing the invitation for the presenter to provide CE events in the future
The CE Grievance Committee will also determine if access to on-demand content of the session named in the grievance will be removed
If harm or conflict was determined to have resulted from the incident in question, standard procedure will be followed to address the incident immediately and resolve the grievance.
Members of the CE Grievance Committee may also be contacted by mail:
Clinical Outreach Director: Kathleen Stevens, LCSW-BACS
Clinical Oversight Specialist: Frannie Sovick, CSW
Head of Operations: Mark Wilson, CSW
Poydras Center, 650 Poydras St, Suite 2510, New Orleans, LA 70130
Disclaimer: This policy is meant to provide general guidelines and should be used as a reference. It may not take into account all relevant local, state or federal laws and is not a legal document.