Office of Client Rights Profile
Printable Flyer
Who are we?
The Office of Client Rights (Office) works in collaboration with the Hamilton County Job & Family Services Customer Service Office (CSO) in the receipt of complaints and/or inquiries from the community at large and consumers of agency services. The office provides oversight of the resolution of complaints through negotiation and client advocacy. The office reports to the Director of Hamilton County Job and Family Services. The JFS Customer Complaint Resolution Administrator serves as head of the office, as a hearing officer for appeals to case dispositions and as coordinator of compliance processes as designated by the Director.
What do we do?
The goals of the office are to: promote awareness of the agency’s commitment to enhancing the experiences of citizens, clients, and community partners; to provide recommendations for the enhancement of the agency’s processes by which citizens, clients and stakeholders may submit inquiries and/or complaints; to implement processes that are accessible, consistent, responsive and treat the community/families with respect, while ensuring the sound decisions and appropriate resolutions of complaints.
The office assures clients and staff access the agency’s consumer complaint procedures. Through community engagement and internal feedback mechanisms the office helps to improve communication between clients and agency staff to effectuate effective engagement and complaint resolution. The office facilitates communications with clients and agency staff, including but not limited to, caseworkers, supervisors and section chiefs in the resolution of formal complaints that are unable to be resolved through the CSO process.
The office assures responsiveness to concerns shared by the community regarding agency staff as well as contracted providers and directs the information to the necessary departments.
The office assures access to the agency’s appeal process for those individuals who are accused of child abuse and/or neglect and who do not agree with a finding from the agency’s Intake and Investigations unit. Individuals who qualify for an appeal hearing, pursuant to agency policy, will receive a hearing and disposition finding from the agency hearing officer. The JFS Customer Complaint Resolution Administrator shall act as the hearing officer. Decisions of the hearing officer are final.
The office provides oversight of the agency’s Multiethnic Placement Act (MEPA) and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) compliance. The office’s MEPA monitor reviews agency cases, policies, practices and procedures for MEPA and Title VI compliance. The MEPA monitor also provides training to agency staff for compliance purposes.
The office reviews CSO data, tracks data, creates reports, examines critical decision points, identifies system policies, practices, and protocols that are in place or absent and makes recommendations for appropriate employee training and development for staff as follow-up to ensure continuous improvement and compliance.
Why we do it?
Ohio and federal law provide specific safeguards for your rights while you are receiving services from Hamilton County Job & Family Services. The Office is here to help clients navigate those safeguards, while promoting the mission, vision and core values of Hamilton County Job & Family Services.
