Filing complaints via licensing bodies
The main reason to start a complaint or grievance against an abusive professional is to protect people when they may be at their most vulnerable by penalizing or removing unsafe professionals from the open marketplace of services. Additionally, it is highly likely that trusted advisor abuse is the type of offense that an abusive helping or healthcare professional has engaged in. While the patient might feel they are the first and only patient this type of abuse has happened to, in actuality most abusers are serial abusers who have been abusing for a very long time. California sexual assault reporting and filing abuse complaints about unsafe professionals is a primary protection for patients.
Typically, every publicly funded agency has its own grievance process and policies that are available either publicly or upon request. As soon as any attempt to resolve concerns through the agency’s management has proven to be unsuccessful, it is time to move to the licensing or governing bodies overseeing the agency or the professional license. These systems are not the easiest to navigate. Here you will find some information to move forward.
If you have a complaint against a healthcare professional and you are unable to find the route you are looking for, contact the 100% free service called AdvoConnection. The AdvoConnection Directory is 100% free to use. All advocates and navigators employed there are members of the Alliance of Professional Health Advocates. They are absolutely ready to help solve whatever problems you may encounter in the healthcare system.
California Sexual Assault Reporting and Other Professional Abuse Complaints:
Links to complaint forms and complaint processes
Medical Doctors (MD)
Medical Board of California BreEZe Resources Center
https://www.mbc.ca.gov/Resources/BreEZe-Resources-Center/default.aspx
Medical Board of California Medical Malpractice Reporting Forms
https://www.mbc.ca.gov/Resources/Forms/Medical-Malpractice-Reporting.aspx
Registered Nurses (RN)
California Board of Registered Nursing
https://www.rn.ca.gov/enforcement/complaint.shtml
- Complaint Form PDF
https://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/enforcement/cpltfrm.pdf
Therapists and Psychologists
Board of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Consumer Affairs
https://www.bbs.ca.gov/consumers/consumer_complaints.html
to file complaints against any of the following occupations:
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT)
- Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC)
- Licensed Educational Psychologists (LEP)
- Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)
NASW | National Association of Social Workers
Filing a ‘Request for Professional Review’ (RPR) against a Licensed Clinical Social Worker
https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Professional-Review/How-To-File-a-Complaint
Chiropractors
The Board of Chiropractic Examiners, Department of Consumer Affairs
http://www.chiro.ca.gov/consumers/complaint.shtml
Drug Treatment, Counselors, AA
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Compliance Division
to complain about a treatment program or counselor
http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/individuals/Pages/Sud-Complaints.aspx
California Department of Healthcare Services
http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/individuals/Pages/Sud-Complaints.aspx
The central AA body states that legal professionals should be contacted if there is any abuse at AA events.
Occupational Therapist (OT) and Occupational Therapy Assistants
- Create an account and file your complaint online
https://www.breeze.ca.gov/datamart/loginCADCA.do;jsessionid=93A6F9C0C68ECA71381F939ED707C21C.vo9 - California Board of Occupational Therapy
- California Code of Regulations Title 16, Division 39
https://www.bot.ca.gov/board_activity/laws_regs/cc_regulations.shtml - Disciplinary Guidelines PDF
http://www.bot.ca.gov/forms_pubs/disp_guide.pdf
- California Code of Regulations Title 16, Division 39
- Los Angeles County Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service
- Laws & Regulations + how to take action against your psychotherapist
https://www.smartlaw.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=MessagesDetail&PageID=8301&PanelID=413
- Laws & Regulations + how to take action against your psychotherapist
- National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy Code of Conduct
https://www.nbcot.org/voice-a-concern
Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Residential Care Facilities
Hospitals: Contact the Joint Commission’s office of Quality Monitoring by calling 1-800-994-6610 or email complaint@jointcommission.org.
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) complaint form and complaint process PDF
http://www.canhr.org/factsheets/nh_fs/PDFs/FS_NH_Complaint.pdf
Medicare.gov nursing home complaint process
https://www.medicare.gov/what-medicare-covers/what-part-a-covers/reporting-problems-in-a-skilled-nursing-facility
California Department of Social Services complaint process for state licensed community care facility or child care facility
https://www.cdss.ca.gov/reporting/file-a-complaint/ccld-complaints
Police Officer/Law Enforcement
- CA Department of Justice complaint processes PDF
https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/consumers/le_complaint_policy.pdf
1. Form PDF
https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/contact/generalform.pdf
2. Complain online
https://oag.ca.gov/contact/general-comment-question-or-complaint-form - CA Highway Patrol online complaint form
https://www.chp.ca.gov/Notify-CHP/Commend-or-Complain#commendForm - United States Department of Justice — How To File A Complaint
https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint
The State Bar of California (Lawyers/Attorneys)
Why File a Complaint Against an Attorney
- State Bar of California, California Attorney Complaint Form PDF in English
- State Bar of California, California Attorney Complaint Form PDF in Spanish
http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Public/Complaints-Claims/How-to-File-a-Complaint/Why-File-a-Complaint
Attorney Search: Enter attorney’s name or State Bar number to check status of practicing license
http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/MemberSearch/QuickSearch?FreeText
File an Unauthorized Practice of Law Complaint
- Attorney Misconduct Complaint Process
- Nonattorney Complaint Process
http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Public/Complaints-Claims/Nonattorney-UPL-Complaints
California Judicial Officer, Court Commissioner, or Referee
State of California Commission on Judicial Performance (CJP)
https://cjp.ca.gov/file_a_complaint
- Complaint Form PDF (complaint must be in writing)
https://cjp.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2016/08/complaintform-fillable-1.pdf - FAQs About the Complaint Process PDF
https://cjp.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2016/08/complaintform-fillable-1.pdf - California Code of Judicial Ethics PDF
http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/ca_code_judicial_ethics.pdf - Types of Misconduct PDF
https://cjp.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2016/09/Chart_-_Types_of_Misconduct.pdf
Teachers and Educators
California Department of Education Complaint Procedures
http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cp/
Financial Advisors
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Report problems with mortgages, student loans, payday loans, debt collection, credit reports, and other financial products and services
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/
Yoga Teachers
Yoga Alliance certifies some teachers and schools. Email information to grievance@yogaalliance.org