12.006 - 1 Administrative Services

Revised August 2019 XII. Administrative Procedures – Customer Service: Comments, Complains and Compliments

PROCEDURE 12.006 Implementing Office: Community Health Administration (CHA) Revised August 2019

Approved by:

_______________________ LaQuandra S. Nesbitt MD, MPH; Agency Director Review by Legal Counsel:

____________________ Phillip Husband, Esq.; General Counsel Effective Date: 02/01/2003

I. Authority DC WIC State Agency

II. Reason for the Policy Procedures must be set in place to ensure timely correspondence between WIC Local Agencies and current or potential Program participants, the State Agency, and the public.

III. Applicability DC WIC Local Agency Staff

IV. Policy Statement 1. The local agency is responsible for receiving and responding to all customer comments, complaints and compliments within 48 hours (two days) of receipt. The WIC Local Agency Director shall determine whether an oral or written response is necessary based on the situation.

2. Each WIC clinic shall have customer feedback forms/surveys readily available (See Appendix 12.006A and 12.006B for examples) and in a conspicuous place for customers to provide anonymous comments.

3. The local agency is responsible for resolving customer complaints, except those relating to civil rights (discrimination). The State Agency will become involved only after the chain of command has been followed and there is no mutual resolution, or as referred to by the WIC Local Agency Director.

4. The Local Agency Director shall ensure that all clinic staff has the authority to resolve customer complaints at the initial point of contact.

V. Procedures Local agency staff must follow the procedure below concerning customer service:

1. The local agency staff person receiving the complaint shall facilitate resolution.

2. If at the initial point of contact, the staff person is unable to resolve the complaint, refer it to the clinic supervisor, then to the Local Agency Director,

12.006 - 2 Administrative Services

Revised August 2019 in that order.

3. The Local Agency Director shall refer the customer to the State Agency only if a mutual resolution cannot be achieved on the local agency level.

4. If referred to the State Agency, the State Agency staff will follow up with the Local Agency Director with the final resolution within 3 business days.

5. For civil rights (discrimination) complaints, refer to Policy 11.001.

VI. Appendix

12.006A WIC Client Survey (English) 12.006B WIC Client Survey (Spanish) VII. Reference 11.001 Civil Rights