Clients Rights & Advocacy

Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services Department has a strong clients' rights and advocacy program. This is to assure that mentally ill persons who have been certified for 14 days of intensive treatment are provided information about the commitment process, about their rights to an administrative hearing or a judicial review by writ of habeas corpus and their right to counsel in such judicial review, including the right to court-appointed counsel.

As a client of Santa Clara County's Behavioral Health Services Department, you have the right to:

• Be treated with respect by all behavioral health staff.
• Receive services in a safe environment.
• Receive culturally competent services.
• Give informed consent regarding treatment, medication and side effects.
• Understand and participate in the behavioral health treatment process.
• Receive confidential care and record-keeping.
• Request to change psychiatrist, service provider, clinician and/or get a second opinion.
• Receive a timely response to problems or concerns about treatment.
• Have access to medical records.
• Register a complaint and/or file a grievance regarding services.
• File a request for a State Fair Hearing when a Notice of Action is received stating that services are being denied, changed or terminated.
• Authorize a person to act on your behalf during the Complaint, Formal Grievance or State Fair Hearing process.
• Submit a complaint and/or file a grievance without experiencing any negative repercussions.

The Department contracts with Health Program, a program of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley​, to perform these functions. The County Patients' Rights Advocate also monitor Santa Clara County inpatient facilities for compliance with LPS (Lanterman–Petris–Short) commitment process, handbook from the California Department of Health Care Services (DCHS) Office of Patients' Rights​ (OPR) Web page.

 

Contact Information:
Health Program
Law Foundation of Silicon Valley
4 North Second Street, Suite 1300
San Jose, CA 95113

INTAKE LINE: 1 (408) 280-2420
Fax: (408) 886-3850

Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. - 4:00, except for major holidays

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: Law Foundation of Silicon Valley ​​​

LFSV Patients' Rights Information:

• https://www.lawfoundation.org/health-resources

LFSV Health / Mental Health Program:

• LFSV Health / Mental Health Info Sheets | ENGLISH

• LFSV Health / Mental Health Info Sheets | SPANISH

• LFSV Health / Mental Health Info Sheets | VIETNAMESE

LFSV Economic Rights Information:

• https://www.lawfoundation.org/health-resources

Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Housing Program Information:

• https://www.lawfoundation.org/housing-resources

Disability Rights of California Fact Sheets:

• Protecting Yourself Against Unsafe Living Conditions and Evictions - Disability Rights California 9/2011

California DHCS Patients' Rights Information:

• DHCS Rights for Individuals In Mental Health Facilities handbook English, Rev. 07/19/18

• 精神健康護理院所中個人的權利 handbook Chinese, Rev. 05/2014

• DHCS Patients Rights Handbook, Farsi, Rev. 05/2014

• Derechos de las personas en instituciones de salud mental handbook Spanish, Rev. 07/19/18

• Mga Karapatan para sa mga Taong nasa mga Pasilidad para sa Kalusugang Pangkaisipan handbook Tagalog, Rev. 05/2014

• Quyền Lợi Của Người Hưởng Dụng Tại Càc Trung Tâm Phục Vụ Sức Khỏe Tâm Thần handbook Vietnamese, Rev. 05/2014

County of Santa Clara Health System Notice of Privacy Practices :

• Notice of Privacy Practices | English 2021
• Notice of Privacy Practices | Chinese 2021
• Notice of Privacy Practices | Spanish 2021
• Notice of Privacy Practices | Vietnamese 2021