Consumer Rights
Policy and Procedure Manual & Annual Review

CONSUMER RIGHTS 
Mental Health Patient’s Bill of Rights (Core Protections)
Mental health patients retain all basic consumer rights, plus additional protections recognizing vulnerability and power imbalances. Common rights include:

• Right to Dignity and Respect
• Right to Least Restrictive Treatment
• Right to Informed Consent (including risks, benefits, and alternatives)
• Right to Privacy and Confidentiality
• Right to Participate in Treatment Planning
• Right to Access Advocacy and Legal Counsel
• Right to Communication (mail, phone, visitors, with limited restrictions)
• Right to Refuse Treatment (except under specific legal conditions)

These rights are protected under a mix of state statutes, federal law, and constitutional due process.
Examples of some exceptions:
Exception: Disclosure required or permitted by law.

Examples:
• Imminent threat (duty to warn/protect)
• Abuse or neglect reporting
• Court orders or subpoenas
• Certain insurance or billing disclosures

Limits:
• Only minimum necessary information may be shared
Even under exceptions:
• Rights are not erased
• Restrictions must be temporary
• Actions must be documented
• Patients retain the right to advocacy, grievance, and legal review

From Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Policy: 
Each consumer has the right to be treated with respect and dignity. 
Furthermore: 
• Each consumer shall retain all rights, benefits, and privileges guaranteed by law except those lost through due process of law.
• Each consumer has the right to receive services suited to his or her condition in a safe, sanitary and humane treatment environment regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, age, degree of disability, handicapping condition or sexual orientation.
• No consumer shall be neglected or sexually, physically, verbally, or otherwise abused.
• Each consumer shall be provided with prompt, competent, and appropriate treatment; and an individualized treatment plan. A consumer shall participate in his or her treatment programs and may consent or refuse to consent to the proposed treatment. The right to consent or refuse to consent may be abridged for those consumers adjudged incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction and in emergency situations as defined by law. Additionally, each consumer shall have the right to the following:
◦ Allow other individuals of the consumer’s choice participate in the consumer’s treatment and with the consumer’s consent;
◦ To be free from unnecessary, inappropriate, or excessive treatment; To participate in consumer’s own treatment planning;
◦ To receive treatment for co-occurring disorders if present;
◦ To not be subject to unnecessary, inappropriate, or unsafe termination from treatment; and To not be discharged for displaying symptoms of the consumer’s disorder.
◦ Every consumer’s record shall be treated in a confidential manner.
◦ No consumer shall be required to participate in any research project or medical experiment without his or her informed consent as defined by law. Refusal to participate shall not affect the services available to the consumer.
◦ A consumer shall have the right to assert grievances with respect to an alleged infringement on his or her rights.
◦ Each consumer has the right to request the opinion of an outside medical or psychiatric consultant at his or her own expense or a right to an internal consultation upon request at no expense.
◦ No consumer shall be retaliated against or subjected to any adverse change of conditions or treatment because the consumer asserted his or her rights.
ODMHSAS: Office of Consumer Advocacy, E-Mail: AdvocacyDivision@odmhsas. org 
Local: (405) 521-4256 Toll Free: (866) 699-6605 Reachout Hotline (800) 522-9054 
Review Quest Policy: 
Quest Policy and Procedure Manual

RIGHTS OF PERSONS SERVED 
A list of “Consumer Rights” is provided and explained in summary to each consumer in a meaningful way during their orientation. To ensure that the persons served have a clear understanding of their rights, the clinical employee assigned to complete the intake assessment reviews the consumer’s rights prior to rendering any services. Rights will be communicated to the consumer in a timely and meaningful way to ensure that they fully understand their rights given to the consumer. These rights will be reviewed annually, documented by consumer signature, and are available at any time for review or clarification. The “Consumer Rights” form shall be visibly posted in consumer and public areas of the QUEST facility and web site. Consumer’s rights shall include, but are not limited to the following:
(1) Each consumer shall retain all rights, benefits, and privileges guaranteed by law except those lost through due process of law.
(2) Each consumer has the right to receive services suited to his or her condition in a safe, sanitary and humane treatment environment regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, age, degree of disability, handicapping condition, or sexual orientation.
(3) Each consumer, on admission, shall have the absolute right to private uncensored communication with persons of his/her choice by phone or mail, at the facility’s expense if the consumer is indigent, and by personal visit.
(4) Each consumer retains the right of confidential communication with persons of his/her choice. A consumer’s right to contact the ODMHSAS Advocate’s Office, Inspector General’s Office, their attorney, personal physician, or clergy shall not be limited by the facility.
(5) Each consumer is entitled to uncensored private communication (letter, telephone, personal visits); such letters or copies of letters shall not be kept in consumer treatment records.
(6) No consumer shall be subject to maltreatment or otherwise abused by staff, visitors, or other consumers.
(7) Each consumer shall receive treatment in the least restrictive environment and have the maximum freedom of movement consistent with his or her clinical condition and legal status.
(8) Each consumer shall have easy access to his or her personal funds deposited with the finance office, and shall be entitled to an accounting.
(9) Each consumer may have his or her own clothing and other personal possessions.
(10) Each consumer shall have the right to practice his or her religious belief and be accorded the opportunity for religious worship. No consumer shall be coerced into engaging in or refraining from any religious activity, practice, or belief.
(11) Each consumer legally entitled to vote shall be assisted to register and vote when they so request.
(12) Each consumer shall be provided with prompt, competent, and appropriate treatment; and an individualized treatment plan. A consumer shall participate in his or her treatment programs and may consent or refuse to consent to the proposed treatment. Refusal of a particular service does not preclude the consumer from accessing other needed co-occurring treatment services. The right to consent or refuse to consent may be abridged for those consumers adjudged incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction and in emergency situations as defined by law. Additionally, each consumer shall have the right to the following:
(A) Allow the guardian of the consumer and/or another individual of the consumer’s choice to participate in the consumer’s treatment and with the consumer’s consent;
(B) To be free from unnecessary, inappropriate, or excessive treatment;
(C) To participate in consumer’s own treatment planning;
(D) To receive treatment for co-occurring disorders if present;
(E) To not be subject to unnecessary, inappropriate, or unsafe termination from treatment; and
(F) To not be discharged for displaying symptoms of the consumer’s disorder.
(13) Every consumer’s record shall be treated in a confidential manner.
(14) No consumer shall be required to participate in any research project or medical experiment without his or her informed consent as defined by law. Refusal to participate shall not affect the services available to the consumer.
(15) A consumer may voluntarily participate in work therapy and must be paid fair compensation. However, each consumer is responsible for personal housekeeping tasks without compensation.
(16) A consumer shall have the right to assert grievances with respect to an alleged infringement on his or her rights.
(17) Consumer shall be permitted to establish and participate in a consumer committee or consumer government by unit or facility wide.
(18) A consumer being discharged shall have plans for outpatient treatment, sufficient medication, suitable clothing for the season, housing information and referral, and if consumer permits, family involvement in the plan.
(19) Each consumer has the right to request the opinion of an outside medical or psychiatric consultant at his or her own expense or a right to an internal consultation upon request at no expense.
(20) No consumer shall be retaliated against or subjected to any adverse change of conditions or treatment because the consumer asserted his or her rights.
(21) Most rights may be limited by the treatment team for therapeutic reasons, including safety of the consumer or other consumers and staff in the facility. These limitations must be documented in the clinical record, reviewed
frequently, and shall not be limited for purposes of punishment, staff convenience, or in retaliation for a consumer exercising any of his/her rights.
(c) Programs providing treatment or services without the physical custody or where consumers do not remain for round-the-clock support or care, or where the facility does not have immediate control over the setting where a consumer resides, shall support and protect the fundamental human, civil, and constitutional rights of the individual consumer. Each consumer has the right to be treated with respect and dignity and will be provided the synopsis of the Bill of Rights as listed below.
(1) Each consumer shall retain all rights, benefits, and privileges guaranteed by law except those lost through due process of law.
(2) Each consumer has the right to receive services suited to his or her condition in a safe, sanitary and humane treatment environment regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, age, degree of disability, handicapping condition or sexual orientation.
(3) No consumer shall be neglected or sexually, physically, verbally, or otherwise abused.
(4) Each consumer shall be provided with prompt, competent, and appropriate treatment; and an individualized treatment plan. A consumer shall participate in his or her treatment programs and may consent or refuse to consent to the proposed treatment. Refusal of a particular service does not preclude the consumer from accessing other needed co-occurring treatment services. The right to consent or refuse to consent may be abridged for those consumers adjudged incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction and in emergency situations as defined by law. Additionally, each consumer shall have the right to the following:
(A) Allow other individuals of the consumer’s choice participate in the consumer’s treatment and with the consumer’s consent;
(B) To be free from unnecessary, inappropriate, or excessive treatment;
(C) To participate in consumer’s own treatment planning;
(D) To receive treatment for co-occurring disorders if present;
(E) To not be subject to unnecessary, inappropriate, or unsafe termination from treatment; and
(F) To not be discharged for displaying symptoms of the consumer’s disorder.
(5) Every consumer’s record shall be treated in a confidential manner.
(6) No consumer shall be required to participate in any research project or medical experiment without his or her informed consent as defined by law. Refusal to participate shall not affect the services available to the consumer.
(7) A consumer shall have the right to assert grievances with respect to an alleged infringement on his or her rights.
(8) Each consumer has the right to request the opinion of an outside medical or psychiatric consultant at his or her own expense or a right to an internal consultation upon request at no expense.
(9) No consumer shall be retaliated against or subjected to any adverse change of conditions or treatment because the consumer asserted his or her rights.
(d) Each affected facility and program shall have written policy and implementing procedures, and shall provide documented staff training to insure the implementation of each and every consumer right stated in this Chapter.
(e) Each affected facility and program shall have written policy and implementing procedures to insure each consumer enjoys, and has explained to him or her, these rights, and these rights are visibly posted in both consumer and public areas of the facility.
(f) The ODMHSAS Office of Consumer Advocacy and the ODMHSAS Office of the Inspector General, in any investigation or monitoring shall have access to consumer, facility or program records and staff as set forth in this Chapter.