Office of Client Rights

Consumer Rights and Grievances

SCCS provides programs and services on a nondiscriminatory basis as required by federal, state, and local civil rights laws. SCCS provides an interpreter or other reasonable accommodations for individuals with impaired vision and/or hearing and individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) when such services are necessary for the individual to interact effectively with SCCS.

Client Rights services are available to the community, including persons served, relatives and kin, foster caregivers, adoptive parents, and community professionals to express their concerns regarding agency services. The Office of Client Rights is housed within SCCS and can be reached at (330) 379-2087

If you have concerns related to services provided by SCCS or false reporting of abuse or neglect, please contact the assigned caseworker and their supervisor to discuss your concerns. If these steps do not resolve your concerns, the next step is to contact the caseworker’s Department Director for discussion and review. If you are not sure who to contact, the Clients Right Officer is available to assist you with navigating the process.

When concerns cannot be resolved through the caseworker and their direct chain of command, SCCS has a formal grievance process. A copy of the formal grievance procedure and form for submission is available at SCCS and is also provided by the Client Rights Officer upon request.

For purposes of investigations into child abuse and neglect, a report disposition (finding on the report) is issued at the conclusion of a traditional intake investigation.

A report may be Substantiated when there is an admission of child abuse or neglect by the persons(s) responsible; an adjudication of child abuse or neglect; or other forms of confirmation deemed valid by the PCSA.

A report may be Indicated when circumstantial or other isolated indicators of child abuse or neglect lacking confirmation are present, or a when the caseworker determines that the child may have been abused or neglected based upon completion of the investigation.

A report may be Unsubstantiated when the investigation determines no occurrence of child abuse or neglect.

An appeal of the disposition is a formal process available only to an individual named as the alleged perpetrator on a substantiated or indicated report of abuse and/or neglect of a child. An appeal must be submitted to the Client Rights Office no later than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of the dispositional letter. Information on appealing the disposition is included in the dispositional letter. A copy of the Disposition Appeals procedure and form for submission is provided by the Client Rights Officer upon request and is also available at the SCCS front desk.

Summit County Children Services
Client Rights Officer
Telephone: (330) 379-2087

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