R515-1-4. Receiving and Processing Complaints

(1) The complainant may file a written, oral, or electronic complaint with the Ombudsman's Office no later than 18 months from the date of the alleged circumstances giving rise to the complaint.

(2) The complaint shall include:

(a) A summary of the alleged circumstances giving rise to the complaint.

(b) The names of persons involved in the complaint.

(c) A summary of the actions taken by the complainant to resolve the complaint.

(d) The anticipated outcome the complainant is seeking.

(e) The complainant may request that the Ombudsman's Office conduct an investigation of the complaint.

(3) If there has been no attempt to resolve the complaint with the Division, the Ombudsman's Office may refer the complaint to the Division for a response.

(4) The Ombudsman's Office will notify the complainant in writing of the decision made to accept or deny an investigation request.

(5) If an investigation request is accepted the Services Review Analyst shall:

(a) Interview the complainant and gather information as necessary to determine the validity of the complaint.

(b) Document the findings of the investigation.

(c) Make recommendations to the Division to address the complaints found to be valid as needed. The Division must respond as per R512-75-4.

(6) The investigation will be completed within 180 days from the date of filing the complaint, taking into consideration extenuating circumstances such as the complexity of the case or workload.

(7) The Ombudsman's Office will notify the complainant in writing upon the completion of the investigation.

(8) If a complaint indicates there is an immediate risk to the safety of a child or children, the Ombudsman's Office will immediately notify the Division.