Council Member Wilson asks how complainants learn their grievance was addressed

Well, then how is the follow-up with the person making the report?

How do they know that their complaint has been taken seriously and that DSS is going to take all these steps to analyze their complaint?

Thank you for the question.

And then I'll be done.

Part of the process that is implemented by the ombudsman's office at DSS is, one, to let the complainant know that we've received the inquiry and directed it to the shelter.

So that's step one.

They have a pretty good success rate of 90%, contacting about 90% of the people who have complained.

There are some instances where somebody's voicemail isn't set up or we can't get in touch with them.

It's then passed on to the shelter.

They have three to five days to respond.

DSS is also made aware, sorry, DHS is made aware of the complaint.

We're CC'd on everything that goes out to the shelters that we're responsible for.

And then we monitor.

If this is related to one particular staff, we want to know what the next steps are.

Is this training?

Is this not the right shelter?

Could this person be transferred to a different shelter in the provider's portfolio?

Or do we need additional action?

But we're actively involved in making sure that the complaints get addressed and that if it's a one-time thing, if we're seeing this over time, that it's not just addressing the complaints, it's us taking a deep dive into what's happening at that shelter.

If I may add, I mean, I think some of this is actually the way, the process by which we must collect complaints are state reg.

And so there are just some rules around the way we're required to do that.

But it is also why I think, you know, building out the direct communication with residents of the shelter system so we can hear on an ongoing basis as an additional tool to understand and support

their well-being, I feel like is a critical piece to be built.

Thank you.