Grievance Procedures
Youth Encouragement Services, Inc. (YES) respects your right to an orderly process whereby problems, complaints, and disagreements with agency actions and decisions can be considered fairly and quickly. If you have a grievance with YES, you should proceed using the following steps:
1. Discuss the grievance with the YES staff from whom you received services.
2. If you are dissatisfied, ask to speak with the manager of the staff person. If you do not feel comfortable asking the staff person for the name of his/her manager, please contact our Administrative Office for assistance (615-315-5333) or visit our website at http://www.youthencouragement.org/about/staff. The manager must meet with you within two (2) working days of your request.
3. If the manager and you cannot reach an agreement, ask him or her to provide you with a Client Grievance Form. You may also request the form from the Administrative Office (521 McIver Street, Nashville, TN 37211). If you need help filing out the form, ask any staff with whom you feel comfortable for assistance. The completed Client Grievance Form should be submitted directly to the Center Director within five (5) working days of your meeting with the manager.
4. The Center Director will respond in writing to your written grievance within five (5) working days.
5. If you are dissatisfied with the Center Director’s response to your grievance, you may submit a written or oral appeal within ten (10) working days to the Executive Director.
6. The Executive Director will review your appeal within the next ten (10) working days from the time you let her know of your concern. The Executive Director’s decision is YES’s final step in the grievance process. If you are still dissatisfied, it is your responsibility to seek legal counsel.
If you do not take your concern to the next grievance step within the designated time limits, the agency will consider the grievance settled based on the last reply or action. If YES fails to comply with the grievance procedures and prescribed timelines, the client’s grievance will automatically advance to the Executive Director. You are encouraged to file a grievance when you are dissatisfied with any aspect of YES’s service delivery. YES will not withhold services or take any other form of discrimination based on your filing a grievance.