Members must be informed of their right to file a complaint, grievance, or DPW Fair Hearing, as well as any changes to those rights.  Providers are responsible for assisting the member in filing a complaint, grievance, or DPW Fair Hearing and ensuring they have a basic understanding of the process.  If a member needs additional assistance, they may contact an ombudsman in their county.  All services provided by an ombudsman are free of charge and confidential.  A list of telephone numbers for the ombudsman is provided in the “Quick Reference Guide” section of this manual.

For a detailed description of the complaint, grievance, and fair hearing processes, please refer to Appendix AA and Appendix H.