RESIDENT RIGHTS                                                                                     04-02-009

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

POLICY STATEMENT.

The Division of Veterans Healthcare Services (DVHS) shall ensure that New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home (VMH) residents and/or their representatives are afforded the right to voice complaints and present their grievances to a designated facility representative without fear of interference, discharge, or reprisal.

PURPOSE.

To ensure that New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home residents and/or their representatives are provided the opportunity to voice complaints and present formal grievances to a designated facility representative without fear of interference, discharge, or reprisal.

DEFINITIONS.

GRIEVANCE - a grievance is a formal statement of complaint, or an actual or a supposed circumstance regarded as “just cause” for complaint. A grievance is often defined as a situation or condition within the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home that is beyond, or is felt to be beyond, the resident's control and that can be remedied within the facility or department.

DISCRIMINATION - is defined as the unfair or unequal treatment of a person because of a bias based on characteristics such as race, age, religion, class, sex, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, and so on. When a resident, resident’s representative, or an applicant to the facility has reason to believe they have been mistreated, denied services, or discriminated against in any aspect of service, they are entitled to file a grievance.

INVESTIGATOR - is defined as the appropriate Department Head or designated representative for the facility, who has the responsibility to investigate, render a preliminary decision, and initiate corrective action(s).

PROCEDURE.

A. New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes

1. The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes shall establish and/or implement a system whereby residents can file formal complaints and/or grievances to the attention of the designated facility representative.

a. Grievance:

(1) A designated grievance form must be completed by the resident or the resident’s representative.

(2) A grievance may be filed to appeal a decision which is beyond the resident's control, and impacts on the resident.

(3) The designated facility representative will record the date the written grievance was received and forward it to the applicable Department Head for remedy.

RESIDENT RIGHTS                                                                                     04-02-009

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GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

(4) The designated facility representative will notify the resident or the resident’s representative of the receipt of the grievance, and will initiate the investigation with the appropriate Department Head.

(5) The Department Head will conduct an investigation of the grievance as may be appropriate to determine its' validity.  This investigation will afford all interested persons, and their representatives, an opportunity to submit evidence relevant to the grievance.

(6) The investigation must be completed in a timely manner, and will depend on the circumstances of the specific grievance.

(7) The designated facility representative or the Department Head will complete a written report documenting the investigation, render a preliminary decision for review, initiate the corrective action(s), and render a final determination. 

(8) The designated facility representative will communicate the facility's findings to the resident and/or the resident’s representative.

(9) The resident and/or the resident’s representative will be given the opportunity to state their objections and/or appeal the decision.

b. Appeals:

(1)  Appeals will be forwarded to the administration (CEO or A-CEO) of the Veterans Memorial Home (VMH), and will include a copy of the original grievance form, copies of the investigative report and any other supporting documentation.

(2)  The administration of the VMH will review all the documentation, investigate further if required, and render a final decision.

(3)  If the resident and/or the resident’s representative are dissatisfied with this decision, they can appeal to the:

(4)  Director, Division of Veterans Healthcare Services at (609) 530-6766;

(5)  New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Complaints at 1-800-792-9770;

(6)  New Jersey Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly at 1-877-582-6995

March 1995

Reviewed:  November 1996

Reviewed:  March 2004

Revised:     July 2007