State of Maryland

Patients’ Rights Advocate II is the full performance level of work serving as an advocate for patients in a facility of the Mental Health Administration (MHA) or Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) within the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH). Employees investigate and resolve patients’ complaints and grievances, and manage the operation of the Resident Grievance System (RGS) in an assigned facility. Employees in this classification do not supervise but may provide guidance and advice to lower-level Patients’ Rights Advocates.

Employees receive general supervision from the Director of the RGS. Employees may be required to travel between facilities. Employees may be required to work evenings, weekends and holidays and may be subject to call-in.

Patients’ Rights Advocate I and II are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervision exercised over these positions. The Patients’ Rights Advocate I performs a limited range of duties with some independence at times and under close supervision at other times, depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed. The Patients’ Rights Advocate II performs the full range of duties under general supervision.

Directs the operation of the Resident Grievance System (RGS) in an assigned facility or facilities in accordance with State and federal regulations and other legal requirements;

Investigates patients’ grievances and complaints including potential abuse or neglect allegations and reports such allegations to appropriate individuals and law enforcement agencies in accordance with DHMH policy;

Determines the validity of patients’ complaints by interviewing patients, witnesses and others, and reviewing medical records and other information;

Advises patients on how to proceed with their complaints and appeals through the RGS;

Mediates on behalf of patients with facility officials, clinical staff, MHA and DDA committees, boards and tribunals to advocate for compliance with State and federal laws, DHMH, MHA and DDA policies and standards of regulatory and accreditation agencies;

Recommends corrective action to address complaints and grievances and monitors settlements of grievances to ensure compliance and appropriate implementation;

Collects and analyzes patient grievance data to identify trends and potential problems within the facility;

Develops annual reports and other information as requested by the RGS Director;

Provides formal and informal patients’ rights education and training sessions to facility staff members, patients and their families, and other interested individuals;

Represents the interests and concerns of patients during Clinical Review Panels (CRP) regarding forced medication issues, facilitates subsequent appeals before the Administrative Law Judge and the Circuit Court, and informs patients of their rights at every stage of the CRP;

Recommends new and revised written procedures and guidelines for the facility to assure compliance with all rules and regulations;

Attends regularly scheduled meetings (e.g. Clinical Forensic Review Board) with facility officials, medical and treatment team staff to provide input and guidance regarding patients’ rights, ethics and quality improvement;

Maintains a database of patient grievance information;

Coordinates the RGS program and activities with other programs within the facility;

Testifies in grievance hearings and circuit court as an expert witness in the area of patients’ rights and concerns;

May provide guidance and advice to lower-level Patients’ Rights Advocates;

Performs other related duties.

Education: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four year college or university including 15 credit hours in the field of counseling, health, developmental disabilities, mental health, nursing, psychology, social work, special education or a related behavioral science field.

Experience: One year of experience planning, organizing and directing the operation of a residential grievance system in a facility in accordance with State and federal regulations and other legal requirements.

 Note: 

1. A Master’s degree from an accredited college or university including 15 credit hours in the field of counseling, health, developmental disabilities, mental health, nursing, psychology, social work, special education or a related behavioral science field may be substituted for six months of the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Counseling, Health-related, Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health, Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work  classifications or Counseling, Health-related, Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health, Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work specialty codes in the behavioral science field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.