Chapter 7. Recipient Rights

Every person who receives public services for mental health and substance use disorders has certain rights.

The Michigan Mental Health Code protects certain rights, including:

• The right to be free from abuse and neglect.
• The right to confidentiality.
• The right to be treated with dignity and respect.
• The right to receive treatment suited to your condition.

More information about your many rights is contained in the booklet titled "Your Rights." We will give you this booklet and explain your rights to you when you start services and then once again every year. You can ask for this booklet at any time.

You may file a Recipient Rights complaint at any time if you think a staff member has violated your rights. You may make a rights complaint orally or in writing.

If you receive services for substance use disorders, you have rights that are protected by the Michigan Public Health Code. We will explain these rights to you when you start services and then once again every year. You can find more information about your rights while getting services for substance use disorders in the pamphlet called "Know Your Rights."

Contact your local Recipient Rights Officer to ask questions about your rights or to get help making a complaint.

• In Lapeer County, call (810) 667-0500
• In St. Clair County, call (810) 985-8900
• In Sanilac County, call (810) 648-4327

Customer Services can also help you make a complaint. Call (888)225-4447.

Freedom from Retaliation

If you use public mental health or substance abuse services, you are free to exercise your rights and to use the rights protection system without fear of retaliation, harassment, or discrimination. In addition, under no circumstances will the public mental health system use seclusion or restraint as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation.

Some of Your Rights

In addition to enjoying the same civil rights as all Americans, you have number of specific rights related to your treatment through the Thumb Alliance PIHP. In general, you have the right to:

• If you are qualified, you have the right to receive mental health and substance use disorder care regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, mental or physical handicap, marital status, sexual preference or political beliefs.

• Obtain information about the names, locations and telephone numbers of the providers in our area, their credentials, the non-English languages they speak, their specialties and whether they are accepting new clients. You may get a list of local providers on this website. You many also request a list of providers from Customer Service or your case manager.

• Get information about limits on your freedom of choice within the network.

• Have services provided as quickly as your health condition requires.

• Take part in the decisions about your healthcare, including choosing among network providers.

• Refuse treatment - and to be told what refusing treatment may mean to you.

• Get the facts about different treatments, including the possible good and bad things that could happen because of treatment or nontreatment.

• Have your mental health and substance use disorder treatment coordinated with your primary medical treatment, and with services provided by other community agencies. You may also refuse coordination.

• Be told in writing 30 days before any change affecting your provider.

• Be told in writing 15 days before your provider is terminated.

• Obtain information about the grievance, appeal and fair hearing procedures and their time frames.

• Have your treatment continue without interruption even if your provider leaves the network.

• Be treated in a place that is clean and safe.

• Be told what services are in your benefit package, including their amount, scope and duration.

• Get a second opinion - outside the network if necessary - at no charge.

• Get needed and covered services outside of the network if they are not offered inside the network.

• Be told in writing when and why your benefits are being reduced or stopped.

• Be treated in the least restrictive setting possible. This means you have the right not to be tied up or restrained in any way or be locked away from other people as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation.

• Know if you must pay for a part of your services.

• Not to be fingerprinted, photographed, taped or looked at through a one-way glass without your written permission.

• Receive your treatment record and to ask for changes or corrections to it.

• Tell your doctor how you wish to be treated if you become too ill to decide for yourself (advance directive).

You also have a number of treatment rights, including Person-Centered Planning for mental health and helping to make your own treatment plan for substance use disorder services.

You have a number of rights that must be honored if you stay in a psychiatric hospital or unit or in a residential setting. You have a number of rights dealing with how you must be treated within the court system.

If you are being treated in a hospital, halfway house, or other live-in setting as part of your treatment for substance use disorder, you have some additional rights, such as the right to keep your own money and the right to know the rules about having visitors. These rights are included in the "Know Your Rights" brochure in your Welcome Packet.