Patient’s Rights

The Patients’ Rights Advocate is Imperial County Behavioral Health Services staff who promotes and represents clients’ rights and interests.  All ICBHS clients shall have personal rights which include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Access to service and grievance procedure information 24 hours a day.
• Timely access to care, including making services available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, when medically necessary to treat an emergency psychiatric condition or crisis condition.
• Respectful treatment by ICBHS practitioners, agency, clinic and hospital staff members and with due consideration for clients’ dignity and privacy.
• Service that is easy to access and provided in a safe, comfortable, and inviting environment.
• Consent to treatment after receiving adequate information about treatment and to prescribed medication.
• Receive information on available treatment options and alternatives, presented in a manner appropriate to the client’s condition and ability to understand.
• Participate in decisions regarding their behavioral health care, including the right to refuse treatment.
• Participate in planning their own treatment, in developing a treatment plan that includes the goals of treatment and the services that he/she will receive.
• Be free from any form of restraint or seclusion used as means of coercion, discipline, convenience, punishment, or retaliation as specified in federal rules about the use of restraints and seclusion in facilities such as hospitals, nursing facilities and psychiatric residential treatment facilities where a client stays over night for treatment.
• Request to receive a copy of their medical records, and request that they be amended or corrected.
• Confidential care and record keeping.
• Consideration of a problem or concern about services.
• Request a change of practitioner, a second opinion, or a change in level of care.
• File a grievance or appeal, or request a State Fair Hearing after the appeal process has been completed.
• Be free from discrimination or any other penalty for filing a complaint, grievance, appeal, or State Fair Hearing.
• Authorize a person to act in their behalf during the grievance, appeal, or State Fair Hearing process, with written consent.
• Authorize a provider to act in their behalf during the appeal process, with written consent.
• With written consent, have family members talk to the practitioner about the client’s treatment.
• Receive services that are culturally competent, sensitive to language, to cultural differences and ethnic backgrounds. Note: Request to use culture-specific practitioners will be honored when feasible.n
• Free oral interpretative services for beneficiaries who speak other languages.
• Free American Sign Language services for beneficiaries who are speech and/or hearing impaired.

Each county mental health director is required to assign a Patients’ Rights Advocate and delegate to this person(s) the responsibility for ensuring the statutory and constitutional rights of persons identified as mental health and/or substance use disorder clients.  The duties Patients’ Rights Advocates include:

• Assisting staff in ensuring that the information about patients’ rights is posted in all facilities providing mental health and/or substance use disorder treatment services, and that all incoming clients are informed of their rights, including the right to contact the Advocate and the Office of Patients’ Rights.

• Investigating and resolving complaints received from patients about violations or abuse of their rights.

• Monitoring facilities, services, and programs for compliance with statutory and regulatory patient’s rights provisions.

• Providing training and education about patients’ rights to mental health and substance use disorder treatment providers.

• Advocating for patients and residents who are unable or afraid to register a complaint because of their mental or physical condition.

• Acting as a liaison between the advocacy program and the California Office of Patients’ Rights.

• Many county Patients’ Rights Advocates are also responsible for representing patients in certification review and/or capacity to give informed consent hearings.

Grievance/Complaint Process

If you feel that your rights have been violated in any form, you may file a grievance.  A Grievance/Complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about anything regarding your services with Imperial County Behavioral Health Services.

You may file a grievance at any time by:

• Online at:  BHSPRA@co.imperialca.us
• In Writing: Patients’ Rights Advocate, 202 N. Eighth Street, El Centro CA, 92243.
• In Person: 202 N. Eighth Street, El Centro CA, 92243 (Second Floor) or by walking to any of the ICBHS clinics.
• By Phone: 1-800-817-5292, 1-442-265-1525, or 1-760-455-9151

ICBHS will let you know that the grievance/complaint was received by sending you a written confirmation within five calendar days of receipt or by speaking to you directly within one business day.

Patient’s Rights Documents

• Advance Directive
• Directivas Anticipadas
• Patient’s Rights Brochure
• Derechos y Responsabilidades del Paciente
• Notice of Privacy Practices
• Notificación de Practicas de Privacidad
• Beneficiary Protection Processes
• Procesos de Protección para el Beneficiario

Quick Links

• Grievance Form English
• Formulario Para Denuncia
• Standard Appeal Form
• Formulario Para Apelación Estándar
• Expedited Appeal Form
• Formulario Para Apelación Urgente

Contact Us

The Patients’ Rights Advocate is available to answer questions and provide information to clients, family, and community members to help them understand the Imperial County Behavioral Health Services system of care.

For more information, call the Imperial County Behavioral Health Services Patients’ Rights Advocate through on the contact information listed below:

Phone: (442) 265-1525
Toll-Free Phone: 1-800-817-5292
Email: BHSPRA@co.imperial.ca.us