Mental Health Institutes
Applies to: Anyone receiving services for
mental illness, a developmental disability, or substance
abuse in a mental health institute operated by the State of Wisconsin.
There are two such institutes:
Mendota
Mental Health Institute (MMHI) in Madison
Winnebago
Mental Health Institute (WMHI) in Winnebago
Patients at the state mental health institutes have
rights under:
-
Sec. 51.61
(exit DHFS; PDF), Wisconsin Statutes -
State Alcohol Drug Abuse, Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health
Act
-
and HFS 94
(exit DHFS; PDF), Wisconsin
Administrative Code - Patient rights and resolution of patient
grievances
Patient rights are explained in a brochure (PDE-377)
that is given to them on admission. Each patient unit also has a
poster listing patient rights. (See Forms,
Publications and Posters.)
Any patient, or anyone on behalf of the patient, may
file a complaint if they feel the patient’s rights have been violated.
Any complaints must be filed with the facility within 45 calendar days
of the event involved or the patient becoming aware of the issue.
We recommend you put your complaint in writing, but verbal complaints
are also allowed. The Client Rights Facilitator (CRF) will put any oral complaint in writing so it is clear.
(To find out the name of the facility’s CRF, contact
the facility or the Client Rights Office at (608) 266-2000.)
A form (DDE-0009)
is available for filing complaints, but its use is not required.
The Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
(DMHSAS), which
operates the state Mental Health Institutes, has a four-stage grievance
resolution process (PDF, 5kb) for complaints.
Complaints of rights violations may also be taken directly
to court under Sec.
51.61(7)
(exit DHFS; PDF), Wisconsin Statutes
(scroll to page 54).
The use of the grievance procedure is not required
before going to court, but a grievance can be dismissed at any stage once the matter is taken to court.
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Last Updated: May 08, 2008 |
