Recipient Rights

As a consumer of mental health services, you have certain rights guaranteed by the Michigan Mental Health Code, as well as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). These include (but are not limited to):

  • The right to a safe, sanitary treatment environment.
  • The right to be treated with dignity and respect.
  • The right to be involved in the development and implementation of a person centered plan.
  • The right to a second opinion.
  • The right to be protected from abuse and neglect.
  • The right to privacy of your information.

If you have questions about your rights or believe your rights have been violated please contact:
Edward Wilson, Recipient Rights Officer
611 N. State St
Stanton MI 48888
(989) 831-7556
ewilson@mcbh.org

Complaints may be filed via telephone, email (please do not include confidential information in your email, however), or by mailing a Recipient Rights Complaint Form to the address listed above.

Download a copy of Your Rights When Receiving Mental Health Services in Michigan:
In English
In Spanish
In Arabic

Any Customer receiving services from The Montcalm Center for Behavioral Health has the right to file a grievance when a covered service is denied, suspended, reduced, or terminated without agreement by the customer, or if it occurs outside of the person centered planning process.

If you are denied entry into services, you can ask the Executive Director of The Montcalm Center for a second opinion.

For assistance, contact the Recipient Rights Officer at The Montcalm Center. Information will be taken regarding your concern, and the Recipient Rights Officer will begin to resolve your grievance as soon as possible. You will be contacted within 10 days regarding your grievance.

All Medicaid customers have the right to file a fair hearing request with the Michigan Department of Community Health.

All Non-Medicaid customers have the right to access the MDCH Alternative Resolution Process upon completion of the Local Dispute Resolution process.

All customers may also access the Montcalm Center's Recipient Rights Complaint system in addition to the Grievance or Dispute Resolution process.

Advanced Directives In Michigan

Advanced directives are special instructions to medical or mental health professionals if you ever become unable to make decisions about your care or treatment. In Michigan there are two types of Advanced Directives. If you are 18 years old or older and do not have a guardian, you may appoint a patient advocate to make medical decisions for you if you become unable to make these decisions for yourself. This is called a Durable Power ofAttorney for Health Care. You can do this by filling out a Durable Power of Attorney Health Care Form. The Durable Power of Attorney Form allows you to write your wishes regarding the types of medical treatment you do and do not want. You should talk about your wishes in detail with the person you have selected as your patient advocate. Your original form should be kept in a place where you keep other important papers. If you are at least 18 years old and of sound mind, you may fill out a Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) form that tells emergency personnel not to resuscitate you in the event that your heart and breathing stops in certain settings such as your home. You make revoke a DNR order at any time. After you have executed a DNR order, you must keep it in your home. You should also make sure that your doctor(s) places your DNR in your medical record(s). Please let your primary care physician know if you have any further questions. If you do not have a primary care physician, contact your assigued CMH worker. They will direct you to someone who can help you. You have a responsibility to let us know if you have a designated Patient Advocate of a Do-Not-Resuscitate Order. We can only honor your wishes regarding an advanced directive for your medical care when we have received notice in writing. If you revoke this notice at any time, you need to let us know right away.

If you feel we have not followed your wishes regarding your medical care, you may call the Montcalm Center for Behavioral Health Recipient Rights Officer at (989) 831-7556 or the Office of Recipient Rights at the Michigan Department of Community Health at (517) 373-2319.

Advanced Directives for Mental Health Care In Michigan

There is also a Durable Power of Attomey for Mental Health Care. If you are 18 years or older and do not have a guardian, you may appoint another person to make mental health decisions if you become unable to make these decisions for yourself. This person is called a patient advocate.

You can give your patient advocate the power to make those mental health decisions you would normally make for yourself. You can choose the doctor and mental health provider to make decisions about your ability to give informed consent. You can choose your therapist, choose which drugs you do or do not want to receive and state the hospital that you think is best for your treatment.

If you have a Durable Power of Attomey for Mental Health Care or an Advanced Directive for Mental Health Care, you should give a copy to your doctor and mental health professional.

If you would like more information about Durable Power ofAttomey for Mental Health Care, please ask the Consumer Registration staff or your mental health professional.