Client Rights and Responsibilities

Wayfinder Family Services is committed to upholding the rights and dignity of all applicants, clients, and employees to be treated in a fair and respectful manner according to the highest professional ethical standards. Our program practices support client voice and choice whenever possible using a trauma-informed approach. Clients are given information about their rights and responsibilities during initial contact. Information is provided in writing and communicated appropriately in the client’s language. All information pertaining to client rights and responsibilities is communicated appropriately for any person with special needs. Each service delivery site has posted client rights and responsibilities in either the reception or in a common area.

CLIENT RIGHTS

Client rights across all Wayfinder programs include:

To be free from discrimination, intimidation, or harassment based on age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, color, religion, political affiliation, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition actual or perceived sexual orientation.
Equal, fair treatment including equitable access to services including but not limited to receiving services that are respectful of, and responsive to, cultural and linguistic diversity.
The right to receive service in a manner that is non-coercive and that protects the person’s rights to self-determination.
To receive services in which there is consistent enforcement of program rules and expectations.
To review your service plan and to receive information regarding the plan and any changes to the plan.
To receive program information in a manner that is understandable.
To be informed of the basic expectations for the use of our services.
To be informed of the hours at which services are available.
To be informed of the rules and expectations that could result in discharge or termination including refusal of treatment, services or medication mandated by law or court order.
To be involved in the creation of the service plan and/or goals applicable to the program in which you are participating in with our agency.
To be informed of the benefits, risks, side effects, and alternatives to planned services.
To be offered the most appropriate and least restrictive or intrusive services alternative to meet their needs.
To refuse any service or treatment or medication not legally required.
To be given basic information about how to lodge complaints, grievances or appeals and to be allowed to do so without interference or retaliation.
To have confidential information be protected and to be informed about when we may be legally or ethically permitted or required to release such information without consent. If Wayfinder staff learn of or have a reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect of children, the elderly, or dependent adults, they are required to report it to the authorities, including physical, sexual, verbal, emotional or financial abuse.
To be given information about any research and the right to refuse to participate.
To receive information on fees/expenses before service delivery.
Equal, fair treatment including equitable access to services.

CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

To provide full, accurate, timely information to Wayfinder staff to receive services

To ask for help when needed.

To tell us if services do not meet your needs.

To be available for meetings and services or to work with your Wayfinder staff to reschedule the appointments.

GRIEVANCES

Wayfinder Family Services maintains Grievance Procedures for clients to address concerns or complaints and allows for the timely resolution of disputes. Clients have the right to:

file a grievance without any interference and/or retaliatory actions.
receive timely responses to their concerns; and
have their grievance reviewed by persons not directly involved in their complaint.

The agency encourages informal resolution between the people involved. The formal grievance process is available when informal resolution is not successful or when a grievant prefers to utilize that option.