Complaint against private agency?

Who do I contact to see if I have enough things to file a complaint against a private mental health services agency? I looked at the NYSOMH website and did not see anything about filing a complaint or what actually qualifies as fiing a complaint? I was discharged from private agency that I rec'd counseling and pscychiatrist services from. The only reason I was dischaged is because I refused to take the next available slot in a DBT group ran by another private therapist. I didnt say I wouldnt take the group, I paid $150.00 that was not reimbursed by my insurance, to get the inital intake done for the DBT group. I was just not willing to take the next available slot, for several reasons.

When my therapist found out I would not take the next pening she discharged me on the spot, not giving me an cahnce to see the dr there, to see how to weeen off from 4 mgs of clonopin a day. The Dr. never returned my call either, when I left her a mesa\sage wanting to know how to ween off that much clonopin without going thru withdrawals.

My therapist told me that they could not help me unless I did DBT. I had been seeing that therapist for a year, and now they decide they cant help me? Even though she told me often that she discussed me with her supervisor every week becasue i was considered a high risk due to the threats my abuser was making. All the sudden they decide theey cant help me, dropped me on the spot, even thought they knew I did not have another therapist or med dr lined up. I asked if they considered me that much of a risk, how they could ddischarge me knowing I had nothing else lined up. I was told that didnt matter.

There were also several mixed messages from therapist over several months time frame, first telling me that she was proud I went out on my own and bought two dbt w\orkbooks and completedd them, broguth tem in to show her, demonstratred that I learned the skills, I was told we vcould just do the DBT in my one on one sesssione, then a few weeks later she told me I had to call around to get info on groups and prices. I jumped thru her hoops, called several agencies in my county and neighborhood county, trying to find a grroup, then when I found one, I was told I had to go to intake to see if I would even be accepted. She told me I could tell the intake worker I didnt want to bee in the group and they probably wouldnt accept me, and if that was the case, then we would do the DBT in one on on sessions. So I went to the intake thinkinbg based on what my therapist said, if I said I didnt want to be there, I wouldnt be accepted. Well, I was accepted, but intake worker told me to call her when I was ready, cuz shedidnt think I was ready. UNfortunately she didnt leave that message on my therapists voicemail. My therapist told me even if the intake worker did tell me thta, it was still not acceptable to their agency, and they would want me in the first opening, whether it interfered with my work schedule or not. Whether I could afford it or not. The just dropped me, even though they knew I had to borrow a thousand dollars from my retrement to get intake done and have money for class.

I also lost my family dr because of this, family dr said since I wasnt following mental healths reccoendations, I was in non compliance with her practice. She too, discharged me on the controlled substance lyrica, with no instructions on how to ween off it without getting withdrawals.



Anybodty have any input? Do I have enough to file some type of complaint? Or not? If so, who do I file it with.

I don't know but it is so wrong. They need to be a bit flexible. We're not robots. You family doc is unbelievable. Talk about betrayal. It can even be within someone's illness not being able to do everything asked. Have they even thought that far?

in NY mental health agencies whether they are public or private are able to terminate therapy with any of their clients for any reason for which the mental health agency decides. there is no laws or ethics that state a New York therapist or a New York mental health agency must continue to give a client who refuses treatment of any kind. the only time it is against the laws and ethics for a NY state mental health agency or treatment provider terminating therapy with a client is if they have done so because of the clients race, religion...

unfortunately refusing to work with you because you refused the treatment /treatment slot available isnt one of the things that are considered unethical or illegal, just like it isnt unethical or illegal for you to decide for what ever reasons that you dont want to accept treatment of the available class slot, and like if you decide you cant work with a therapist that you dont like or cant work with for what ever reasons.

but if you feel you need to lodge an official complaint, here is the link that will tell you all you need to know to lodge a formal complaint against any new york state mental health treatment provider..

http://www.op.nysed.gov/opd/

forgot to add this link ...

http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/mhp/

its on the same website that the complaint link in my other post was.

I guess it's like here. They can abuse the hell out of a patient and it's still the patient's "fault".....

Would they take the cancer med from someone with cancer if they failed to show up once? I strongly doubt that!!!!! If someone took my meds like that I would DIE, even if they are "just" psych meds.

Good golly, what is this world and what am I doing here?

yes here in NY a physican, medical doctor can refuse to treat any one that doesnt show up for their treatment... I dont know about what its like in the country of EU (where your profile location is) but here in america all americans have the freedom of choice.. that means if a person with a mental disorder or medical issue does not want to to take their out patient meds or attend their out patient classes theres nothing the medical or mental health provider can do and the other way around if a person with a mental or physical health problem does not want to see a treatment provider or does not agree with the treatment plans they are free to go elsewhere.

here in America most if not all treatment providers now have a rule that if you are not going to make it to your appointment or out patient class to notify them with in 24 hours of your appointment. doing that will stop any actions that the treatment providers and agencies have a right to take such as terminating services, billing you or your insurance for the missed appointment / out patient class.

example I could not make my therapy appointment yesterday afternoon due to having to meet a new rape victim at the ER. I notified my therapist on the way to the ER what was going on. Because it was not with in the 24 hour before the appointment I still have to pay the cost of the appointment. my therapist is in private practice and she has a rule that so many of these spur of the moment cancellations will get the client terminated, which is why I usually schedule for my days off, not when Im on call or during my work day and I make a point of attending my sessions even if its just to walk in sit down and explain to my therapist why I dont want to be there that day.

most if not all treatment providers here in america have some sort of rules about missed appointments, what will get the client terminated and how to handle those times when you want to or need to miss or refuse treatment.

most if not all treatment providers accept that the client has the right to refuse treatment in america, but treatment providers also have the right not to have their time wasted on waiting for the client to change their minds. most have waiting lists of others that do want their services and treatment options,

one way to think about is is what if you needed help[ with something but you culd not get in to see that doctor or therapist because in the time slot that could have gone to treating you is being wasted by someone else who is refusing to go to therapy, refusing to take their meds, refusing to accept a therapists help...

this is the situation that comes up a lot here in america.. we have a lot of people who need and want mental and physical health treatment. mental health providers cant offer those who need and want their help when they allow others to take advantage of the system, their time and their services. the only way those that need and want the help can get it is if there are rules in place that prevent those who dont want or dont need the help from taking up those time and services that are needed elsewhere.

treatment providers know they cant force someone to accept the treatment options that they offer and they know that the person is free to seek services elsewhere so they do what they can for those that want and need their help.

on rare occasions treatment providers who have the time and available client space on their caseload they will make acception and try to work the client into the next class, or another time slot, and check out other treatment options.. but most mental health treatment providers here in america have a caseload of between 40- 80 clients with only a 40 hour week to work with those 40-80 clients.

normally here where I live and work in New York we dont make acception for those refusing treatment, we give them the option of finding another treatment provider and close the case. we just dont have the time and available number of treatment providers to keep those who refuse our service on the case load while at the same time helping our already existing clients and taking on new clients as space, time and treatment providers become available.

Wow, downright cruel. I mean, if I miss an appointment I will get billed for it since they actually kept waiting for me. That part I'm fine with, because otherwise maybe people would take more lightly on appearing.

But while ago, I missed to cancel an appointment because I was ill and in bed with fever and chills and my mind was really not there. Of course they will not be happy I missed the appointment and I will be billed, but at the same time they will not kick me out and stop prescribing my meds. Things can happen in life that you cannot handle.

Also forcing treatment on someone I think is wrong. Like, take THIS med (that you get really sick from), OR we take your other meds (that you need to survive) and kick you out. Yea you can say no, but if they don't respect that they can terminate you??? Without even tapering you out? Wow, insane!

Where is the humanity? Where is the HELP in the help??????

I wanted to thank everyone for their replies. Special thanks to Amandalouise for the detailed reply and the link. I have not decided what I am going to do yet. I think I am just looking for some closure with this agency. Which is difficult for me because I work in the human services field and refer alot of families to this agency. I did get services from them for about a year, so for them to drop me at the drop of a hat, with no other source for my meds was crushing to me. Specially since I said I would do the group. And borrowed money to take the group, took time off from work to go to intake appt, then for my ex ounselor to make the judgement call that if they leave it up to me, i would never do the group. If thst was the case, i wouldnt have borrowed the grand from my retirement, and now i have money taken out of my paycheck for the next year....Then to loose my family dr due to it....

Not sure if I will try filing complaint or even what need I would get out of doing it. Maybe I should just write a letter to the exectutive director of the agency, voicing my complaint.

Hi puzzledone,

I just want to say that I am shocked that this happened to you. It was a cold, uncaring, inflexible and, I believe, unprofessional way to treat you. I am sorry you had to spend so much money for the intake interview. This is just a crazy way to be treated and makes no sense in spite of the so-called 'rules'.