Grievance Policy and Process
Disability Rights Oregon
Disability Rights Oregon provides advocacy services and legal help for people with disabilities. Our services include investigating and resolving complaints of: abuse and neglect; discrimination based on disability status; and other violations of the rights of individuals with disabilities. We can help eligible individuals in many ways, including:
Pursuing legal, administrative and other remedies
Providing information about rights and making referrals to other programs that can help individuals with disabilities
Conducting seminars and outreach to the disability community
Our Annual Priorities
Our statement of goals and priorities guides our decisions about the types of cases we can take. Because of limited funds, we cannot take every case that comes to us. If your problem is not covered by our priorities, we may not be able to directly help you. If we cannot provide direct help, we will do our best to identify and let you know about other agencies or persons who may be able to help you.
We make a new statement of priorities each year. During our priority setting process, you have the right to share your opinion with us about the types of disability-related cases you think are most important.
Grievance Policy Summary
Have Questions or Need Assistance?
Tell us if you need more information about Disability Rights Oregon’s Grievance Policy, or if you need help with any part of preparing a grievance or appeal. We will do our best to provide you any help you need.
You have the right to file a written grievance (complaint) with Disability Rights Oregon. You can file a grievance if you believe we have not treated you fairly or respectfully.
At your request, we will give you a more detailed written explanation of the Disability Rights Oregon Grievance policy and answer any questions you have about it. We will explain your rights under this policy if you have any questions. If you wish to file a grievance but cannot put it in writing, you may explain your complaint in person or over the phone, or we will help you prepare a written grievance. All grievances are kept confidential.
The Grievance Process
If you are a client of Disability Rights Oregon or are asking for our help, you have the right to file a written grievance if you are unhappy with our services. For example, you may file a grievance if you believe that we did not provide you with effective services, wrongly denied you help, or violated our legal obligations
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Fill Out a Written Grievance Form
Terms Used
Protection and Advocacy agency (P&A): Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) is the P&A system for Oregon. We operate several different federally-funded programs, including: Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PADD), Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI), Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR), Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS), Protection and Advocacy Services Related to Assistive Technology (PAAT), Protection and Advocacy for Traumatic Brain Injury (PATBI), Protection and Advocacy for Voting Access (PAVA), Client Assistance Program (CAP), and Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program (WIPA)
Alleged: Reported but not proven.
Grievance: A formal complaint filed against Disability Rights Oregon.
Grievant: The individual who files the grievance, or on whose behalf the grievance is filed.
If you disagree with a Disability Rights Oregon action or decision, you have 30 days after the decision to file a written grievance that explains why you believe our action or decision was wrong. If you believe that Disability Rights Oregon has broken a legal duty, you may file a grievance no matter how much time has passed.
You may compose and file a written grievance in one of four ways:
Filling out a Disability Rights Oregon Grievance Form (found below)
Writing a letter and mailing to:
Disability Rights Oregon
Attn: Legal Director
511 SW 10th Avenue, Suite 200
Portland, Oregon 97205Writing an e-mail to welcome@droregon.org
Asking a Disability Rights Oregon staff member or someone else whom you trust to help you write your grievance
Grievances composed by filling out a form can be submitted online using the form below. If you are writing a letter, please mail the form to Disability Rights Oregon. If you cannot give us a written grievance, you may ask a Disability Rights Oregon staff member or someone whom you trust to help you write your grievance, or file your grievance verbally by telephone.
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We Will Review and Make a Decision
Within 15 workdays of receiving your grievance, the Legal Director will give you a written decision about your complaint. If needed, Disability Rights Oregon will create a plan to correct the problem(s) and provide proper services to you as soon as possible.
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Your right to appeal
If you are unhappy with the written decision of the Legal Director, you may send a written appeal to our Board of Directors. The appeal should ask the Board Grievance Committee to review the Legal Director’s decision. We will help you put the appeal in writing if needed. The appeal should be sent to the address above. An appeal of the Legal Director’s decision must be received by the Grievance Committee within 30 days of the date you receive the Legal Director's decision. The decision of the Board’s Grievance Committee will be the final determination of the agency.
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Annual Grievance Evaluation and Report to the Board
At the close of each year, Disability Rights Oregon reviews and evaluates all grievances received during the year and how they were resolved. A summary of this information, which does not contain grievant names, is reported to our Board of Directors and Advisory Council.
File a Grievance
*All Fields are Required
NOTE
Disability Rights Oregon has a formal grievance policy and procedure. Call us if you wish to file a complaint regarding our service or read the grievance policy.