Client Rights & Responsibilities

General
Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation’s (JFCAC)clients have a right to not be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, or handicap. Furthermore, clients have a right to mutual respect and dignity, including respect for property. JFCAC Employees are prohibited from accepting personal gifts or borrowing from  clients.

Clients have the right to:
  • Have professional relationships with employees based on honesty and ethical standards of conduct;
  • Be informed of the procedure they follow to lodge complaint(s) with JFCAC;
  • Know about the status and resolution of such complaint(s) to the extent allowed by law;
  • Be advised of when hours of service are available;
  • To receive services in a manner which is non‐coercive and that protects their right to self‐determination;
  • To receive services that are respectful of, and responsive to, cultural and linguistic differences;
  • To participate in decisions regarding the services being provided;
  • Voice their grievances without fear of discrimination or reprisal for having done so;
  • Be advised of the telephone number to report a complaint, contact JFCAC’s Deputy Chief Compliance Officer at 636‐789‐2686 Extension 7476, or send an email to [email protected] ‐ Language interpretation available upon request – TTY # 1‐800‐735‐2966;
  • Timely written notification of the resolution and an explanation of any further appeal, rights or recourse; and
  • At least one level of review that does not involve the person whom the complaint has been made or the person who reached the decision under review.

DECISION MAKING
Clients have the right to: 
  • Be notified about the services that are to be provided, the types of credentials that employees can receive who are furnishing the services, and the frequency and duration of services of the visits that are proposed to be furnished or the frequency that they may have to visit a JFCAC Office to obtain services needed;
  • Be consulted regarding change in their plan of care / services before the change is made;
  • Be informed of the benefits, risks and alternatives to services offered;
  • To participate in the planning of care / services and planning changes in the care/services, and to be advised that they have a right to do so; and
  • Be informed of their right to accept or refuse treatment / services at any time, including possible consequences of such refusal ‐ JFCAC may be forced to refer the client to another source of services if the Client's refusal to comply with the plan of care / services threatens to compromise the provider's commitment to quality services.

PRIVACY
Clients have the right to: 
  • Have confidentiality of information about their health, social, financial circumstances, and about what takes place in the home; and
  • Expect JFCAC employees to release information only as required by law or authorized by the Client.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Clients have the right to: 
  • If applicable, be informed of the extent to which payment may be expected from Medicare, Medicaid, or any other payor known to JFCAC;
  • Be informed of the charges if any that will not be covered by available payer sources;
  • Be informed of the charges if any for which the Client may be liable and the consequence for non payment;
  • Receive this information orally and in writing before services are initiated or within 30 working days of the date
  • JFCAC becomes aware of any changes in charges; and
  • Have access, upon request, to all bills for services the client has received regardless of whether the bills are paid out‐of‐pocket or by another party.

QUALITY OF CARE
Clients have the right to: 
  • Receive services of the highest quality ‐ to be approved for assistance, a client will be serviced by a staff only if the staff person(s) has the resources needed to provide the services at the required level of intensity, as determined by an intake assessment. Staff person(s) with less than optimal resources will only complete a brief intake if a more appropriate staff person is not available, but only after fully informing the client of the staff person’s limitations and informing the client that a more thorough assessment will be completed at a later date.

Client Responsibility
Clients have the responsibility to: 
  • Notify the agency of changes in care / services needed;
  • Follow the plan of care / services outlined for client;
  • Notify the agency if appointments have to be rescheduled;
  • Inform the agency of any changes that may impact program eligibility;
  • Inform the agency of any changes to contact information, including but not limited to, phone number, address and email address.
  • Advise the agency of any dissatisfaction with the services provided;
  • Provide a safe environment for care / services to be provided, (e.g. leash vicious dogs, refrain from illegal activities, etc.);
  • Carry out mutually agreed upon responsibilities;
  • Keep all appointments, and if a change is necessary, do so in a timely manner to allow others access to services
  • Participate in decision making regarding care / services and assist in the development and revision of plan of care / services;
  • Provide the agency staff with all known health insurance information, as required by specific program;
  • Provide the agency staff with all required documentation needed for eligibility of services determination; and
  • Treat agency staff with respect and dignity;