In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

POLICY:   Wellspring Family Services Early Learning Center is committed to resolving client grievances in a timely, respectful, and responsive manner.  There will be no retaliation, formal or informal, against the grievant.

PROCEDURES:

All client grievances will be resolved in a timely fashion.  It is best if the grievance can be directly resolved between the parties.  If a formal grievance process is needed, the following procedure is to be followed:

1. If a client has a grievance with an ELC staff member, policy, procedure, or service provision, they are encouraged to attempt to resolve the problem with the direct staff member or request assistance from their Family Support Specialist. The client will be provided the name and titles of designated supervisory staff at this time.

2. If the problem cannot be resolved at the client-staff level, the client or their representative must put the grievance in writing, date and sign it. This written grievance will be forwarded upon receipt to the supervisor of the direct contact staff member.
3. The supervisor will review the complaint within two business days of receipt and provide advice and assistance in resolving the problem. As part of the internal investigation, the supervisor and appropriate staff members will jointly develop a grievance report which will include the date, client’s name, complaint, investigation of the complaint, and the resolution.

4. The resolution of the grievance report will be communicated in writing to the client/applicant within five business days.
5. If the grievance cannot be resolved to the client’s satisfaction, the Program Director will investigate the grievance further, providing that the Director is separate from the Supervisor already involved with the grievance report. A written report of the Program Director’s finding and disposition of the grievance will be made to the client within five business days of escalation. If the Program Director is already involved as the Supervisor, the grievance will go directly to the Chief Program Officer.
6. If the client is not satisfied with the disposition of the issue, they can appeal, in written format, the case to the agency Chief Program Officer, who will respond to the client in writing within five business days.
7. The last appeal process is to the agency CEO/President. The client must make this appeal in writing.  The determination of the CEO/President is final.  The client will be notified in writing of the CEO/President’s determination.

You may call the center’s Child Care Licensor at any point during the grievance process at 425.917.7906.

Record Keeping

1. The ELC will retain full records of all grievances in the ELC’s confidential files, separate from the client’s case record/intake file, for five years.
2. A copy of the final grievance report will be filed in the agency administrative offices.