Calgary Counselling Centre is committed to protecting the personal information of our clients in accordance with applicable provincial and federal legislation. Personal information means information in any form whether oral, electronic or written, about an identifiable individual. This includes an individual’s name, address, and phone number, age, sex, marital or family status, any identifying numbers, and financial information.Calgary Counselling Centre is committed to operating in a professional, safe and caring manner. As such, it is the policy of Calgary Counselling Centre to provide all stakeholders including clients, donors, and the general public an opportunity to voice a complaint.
Guiding Principles
It is in the interest of all parties that complaints are dealt with promptly and resolved as quickly as possible. Calgary Counselling Centre’s complaints process is transparent, impartial and respectful to all parties. Complainants are advised of their options to escalate their complaint to a more senior staff person if they are dissatisfied with either the process or outcome, and are provided clear and understandable reasons for final decisions relating to complaints. All complaints are recorded and tracked to assist Calgary Counselling Centre in improving services, policies and procedures as part of a continuous quality improvement process.
Types of Complaints
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction with service, actions, or lack of action by Calgary Counselling Centre as an organization, or a staff member or volunteer acting on behalf of Calgary Counselling Centre. Examples include but are not limited to:
Perceived failure to do something agreed upon;
Failure to observe policy or procedures;
Error made by a staff member or volunteer;
Discourteous actions or statements by staff member or volunteer; or
Lack of access to information.
Complaint Receipt and Handling
A complaint may be received in-person, by phone or in writing by mail or email. An employee or volunteer who receives a complaint will first determine the most appropriate person to handle the complaint. This will generally be the person who has the primary relationship with the complainant or someone who has the specific knowledge needed to resolve the problem. Upon receipt of a complaint, the complainant will be sent an acknowledgement that the complaint has been received and an approximate timeframe for response. Complaints received in writing will be acknowledged within two (2) business days of receipt. Complainants will be kept informed of the status of their complaint, and a record of the complaint will be stored and communicated as per Calgary Counselling Centre procedure. Staff will attempt to resolve the matter within ten (10) business days.
Clients are encouraged to voice their complaints to their primary therapist as it is anticipated that many problems can be resolved quickly through open discussion. If the nature of the complaint prevents the client from speaking directly with the counsellor, they may contact the Director of Counselling initiatives (403.691.5914)
Resolving the Complaint
When receiving a verbal complaint, staff will listen and seek to understand the complaint, and may attempt to resolve it immediately. Where a complaint cannot be easily resolved, it will be escalated to the relevant Supervisor or Director. If the Director cannot resolve the complaint, it will be escalated to the CEO. If the complaint is about the CEO, it will be handled by the Chair of the Board of Directors. A summary of the complaints received including number and type will be reported to the Calgary Counselling Centre’s Board of Directors annually.
Clients have the right to reach out to public advocates to discuss their concerns, ask for information regarding their rights or access to legal services. The Alberta Health Advocate helps people understand how to advocate for themselves in the health system (Contact). The Alberta Ombudsman responds to complaints of unfair treatment by provincial government authorities and designated professional organizations (Contact). The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate supports young people who are involved with Children’s Services (Contact).