Failure to Provide Accessible Grievance Process and Information
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop and implement a grievance policy that included the name and contact information for the grievance official, did not provide residents with readily available grievance forms, and did not ensure residents had the option to file grievances anonymously. During a walkthrough of the facility's common areas, surveyors observed that no grievance forms were accessible to residents, there was no posting of the grievance official's contact information, and no secure receptacle was identified for anonymous grievance submission. Staff confirmed that grievance forms were kept in an office rather than in a public area, and that previous postings and receptacle labels had been removed by a resident and not replaced. Interviews with two residents revealed that they were unaware of how to file a grievance, where to find grievance forms, or the existence of a secure receptacle for anonymous submissions. One resident reported that concerns were typically relayed to staff through direct conversation or via a family member, rather than through a formal grievance process. Review of the facility's grievance form and policy showed that required information, such as the grievance official's contact details, was missing from the form, and the policy, while outlining requirements, was not being followed in practice.