Client Rights and Responsibilities
Deltassist is committed to providing high-quality services that recognize the experiences, values, and needs of the individuals who make up the diverse community we serve. We believe in providing collaborative services in an environment that is safe, confidential, supportive, and friendly for clients to help maintain their overall health. Understanding the client’s rights and responsibilities is central to this collaboration.
As a Deltassist client, you have the right to:
- To be treated with respect and dignity.
- To receive their counsellor’s most diligent efforts to deliver the highest quality care that they are able to provide.
- To ask questions and to be informed about benefits, risks, and alternatives around their own treatment.
- To have their counsellor available for all appointments.
- To receive adequate notice regarding the cancellation of any appointments.
- To have all personal information kept confidential; except when permission is given for its release, or when release of information is required under the limits of confidentiality.
- To disagree with their counsellor, to request a different counsellor, or to leave treatment.
As our client, you have the responsibility to:
- To treat others with dignity and respect and to refrain from employing abuse of any type or the threat of any type of abuse during counselling.
- To make their best effort to work toward their treatment goals.
- To make their counsellor aware of all information that might be relevant to their treatment.
- To arrive on time (for all scheduled appointments), and not be under the influence of substances.
- To notify their counsellor in advance if there is a need to cancel or reschedule an appointment.
- To inform their counsellor of any concerns they may have about confidentiality, and to keep confidential all information discussed in group sessions.
- To discuss with their counsellor, prior to making a final decision, any desire to change counsellors or to leave treatment.
As our client, you are entitled to:
- Full knowledge of any limitations and/or risks involved in any planned course of service before giving their informed consent
- Participate fully in decisions about, and evaluation of, the service they receive
- Ask questions about the service they receive and/or view any information kept about them at any time during the time of service, or thereafter
- Receive service in an environment that is nurturing, and free from threats of physical, emotional, and psychological harm
- Know how to access the supervisor of any/all program(s) from which they receive services
- Communicate to the supervisor any concerns that they may have about the service they are receiving; and, to have those concerns addressed in writing by the supervisor of the program
- Know the hours of operation of services via signage, voice mail messages
- Know the rules, behavioural expectations and other factors that could result in discharge
Complaint & Appeal Procedures
- Clients who have a complaint regarding the services they receive or any of the Society’s employees should inform their service provider of their concerns.
- If a client is not comfortable raising the complaint with their service provider, or if the service provider’s response to the complaint is not satisfactory, the Manager of Counselling Services may be contacted and the supervisor will be available to discuss the issue with the client within five working days.
- If a client requires the Manager of Counselling Services name the receptionist or other staff will provide it upon request.
- In the event that a client indicates in writing that they are not satisfied by the Manager of Counselling Services to the complaint, the Manager of Counselling Services will offer to arrange an opportunity for the client to speak with the Executive Director within ten working days; and will provide the client with the Executive Director’s name. If the client has difficulty putting the complaint in writing, assistance will be provided. The Executive Director will be provided all the information regarding the complaint and how it has been dealt with to date. The Executive Director will then contact the client within ten working days to attempt to resolve the issue.
- The client/consumer shall be entitled to a written statement from the Society at any stage of this process.
