Patients' Rights
What is a Patients’ Rights Advocate?
A Patients’ Rights Advocate is a state mandated position
that empowers and assists recipients of mental health services to exercise
their civil and human rights. Patients’ Rights Advocates represent clients’ interests
as defined by the client, as long as those interests are within the bounds of
the law and achievable within the advocate’s resources. Advocates do not determine what is most
“appropriate” for the client or in the client’s “best interest.” Rather, Advocates advise clients about their options, the implications of those options, and assist the client to make
informed choices.
What are the duties of a Patients’ Rights Advocate?
- To receive and investigate complaints from or concerning recipients of mental health services in an outpatient or inpatient setting regarding abuse, unreasonable denial or punitive withholding of rights guaranteed under California State Law.
- To monitor mental health facilities, services and programs for compliance with statutory and regulatory patients’ rights provisions. To provide training and education about mental health law and patients’ rights to mental health providers. To ensure that recipients of mental health services in all County Inpatient and Outpatient facilities are notified of their rights.
- To exchange information and cooperate with the State
Patients’ Rights Office.
What is the role of the Patients’ Rights Advocate?
The role of the Patients’ Rights Advocate is to work on your
behalf, or your “expressed desire,” to insure that your civil, legal, and human
rights are being upheld by mental health professionals. The Advocate works to
ensure mental health services and programs are accessible to all mental health
consumers regardless of placement or residence.
Who may contact the Patients’ Rights Advocate?
It is always best that the person who has the complaint
contact the Patients’ Rights Advocate. However, a mental health professional,
with your permission may contact the Patients’ Rights Advocate. Also, friends
and family members may contact the Patients’ Rights Advocate with concerns and
questions regarding treatment and/or rights violations. The Patient’s Rights
Advocate will confirm that this individual(s) has permission to act on your
behalf.
What will happen when I meet with the Patients’ Rights
Advocate?
The Advocate will make every reasonable effort to speak with
you in person or over the phone at a time that is agreeable to both persons.
The advocate will review the complaint as received and may ask for additional
information so as to better resolve the complaint. The advocate will always
fully inform you of your options regarding any complaint and will not act
unless she or he is given permission by you, the client.
Contact
Bianca Wilson, LMFT
Patient Right’s Advocate / Language Access Coordinator / BHC III
530.343.1731
1196 East Lassen Ave., Suite 130
Chico, CA 95973