Section 401.595   Agency Complaint Policy and Procedure

a)         Agencies providing adoption services shall establish written complaint policies that include:

1)         An adoption agency shall initiate an investigation of complaints received within 2 business days;

2)         The adoption agency shall maintain written documentation of all complaints received by the agency;

3)         An adoption agency shall report the outcome of its complaint investigation, in writing, to the Department's regional licensing office or the DCFS Licensing Representative within 10 business days after complaints are received;

4)         Any retaliation against the person making the complaint is prohibited;

5)         That a member of management level staff shall be designated to accept consumer complaints; and

6)         Resolutions of all complaints shall be reported to the agency board of directors at its next meeting.

b)         The agency's complaint policy and procedures shall be filed with the Department's regional licensing office no later than February 15, 2006.

c)         Failure of an adoption agency to file its complaint policy and procedures with the Department by February 15, 2006 and to comply with the provisions of this Section may result in:

1)         Suspension of the agency's license for a period of 90 days; or

2)         Revocation of the agency's license in the event that the agency continues to violate the requirement of subsection (b).

d)         The adoption agency's policy and procedures shall be provided in writing to its prospective clients, including biological parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees that it has served, at the earliest time possible, and, in the case of biological and adoptive parents, prior to placement or prior to entering into any written contract with the clients. [225 ILCS 10/9.1b]

e)         Receipt of a copy of the agency's policy and procedure shall be signed and dated by the client and witnessed, and a copy shall be maintained in the client's file.

f)         Any adoption agency that maintains or establishes a website in the future shall post the prescribed complaint procedures and its license number, as well as the statewide toll-free adoption agency information and complaint registry telephone number, on its website. [225 ILCS 10/9.1b]

(Source:  Added at 30 Ill. Reg. 2699, effective February 27, 2006)