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If you are a student currently enrolled in a program
or you are a former student, potential student, faculty or any other interested
party and you have a concern about a CAAHEP accredited program, please read our
Complaint Policy. If after reading the policy, you wish to file a complaint
please click here.
All complaints must be written and signed upon submission.
5.12 Complaints Regarding CAAHEP, CoAs and Accredited Programs
CAAHEP and
its CoAs follow due process procedures when written and signed complaints are received
by the Commission or a CoA alleging that they or an accredited program are not following
established Commission policies or accreditation Standards.
CAAHEP and its CoAs maintain
indefinitely a record of all complaints received. |
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Procedure: |
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A. To receive formal consideration, all complaints shall be submitted
in writing and signed. The complaint should demonstrate that reasonable efforts
have been made to resolve the complaint, or alternatively that such efforts would
be unavailing.
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B. When received by CAAHEP, complaints are transmitted within
five working days to the chairperson and staff of the appropriate CoA for consideration.
When received by the chair or staff of a CoA, a copy is forwarded to the CAAHEP
office within five working days.
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C. Following consultation among staff of the CoA and CAAHEP, the
chairperson of the CoA determines whether the complaint relates to the manner in
which the program complies with the Standards or follows established accreditation
policies.
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1. If the complaint does not relate to the Standards or to established
policies, the person initiating the complaint shall be notified accordingly within
twenty working days following receipt of the complaint by the CoA. A copy of this
correspondence shall be shared with CAAHEP.
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2. If the complaint does relate to the Standards or to established
policies, the chair or representative of the CoA shall acknowledge receipt of the
complaint within twenty working days and share with the filing party a description
of the process and policies which pertain to handling such complaints.
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a. The chair or representative of the CoA shall notify the program
director and the chief executive officer of the sponsoring institution of the substance
of the complaint and shall request a preliminary investigation and report on the
findings within 30 days of the sponsoring institution’s receipt of the letter
of notice.
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b. The chair or representative of the CoA may request further information
or material relative to the complaint from the complaining party, the institution,
or other relevant sources.
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c. The CAAHEP office should receive copies of this correspondence.
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d. The identity of the complaining party shall be kept confidential,
unless the complainant authorizes disclosure of his/her identity, or unless such
disclosure is required by legal process in a subsequent proceeding. |
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D. On receipt of the responses referred to above, the CoA shall
consider the complaint and all relevant information obtained in the course of investigation
and formulates an appropriate action according to the following guidelines:
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1. If the complaint is determined to be unsubstantiated or unrelated
to the Standards or established accreditation policies, the complaining party, officials
of the program in question, and the appropriate official of the sponsoring institution,
will be so notified within ten days of the completion of the investigation.
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2. If the investigation reveals the program may not be or may not
have been in substantial compliance with the Standards or may not have been following
the established accreditation policies, one of two approaches shall be taken.
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a. The program may submit a report and documentation within thirty
days following the investigation demonstrating the manner in which the substantiated
complaint has been corrected. Should the CoA be satisfied with the response, the
program, its sponsoring institution, and the party filing the complaint should be
notified of the CoAs satisfaction with the resolution of the matter and notice that
the program’s accreditation status remains unaffected by the complaint.
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b. Should the CoA judge the program or sponsoring institution’s
response to the complaint inadequate and lacking in evidence of the program’s
continuing substantial compliance with the Standards or adherence to accreditation
policies, the CoA may request and arrange for a return site visit of the program
as soon as reasonably feasible, but not more than thirty days following the investigation.
The purpose of the return site visit shall be limited to an investigation of the
complaint and the manner in which it affects compliance with the Standards or with
accreditation policies. The cost of the return site visit shall be borne by the
said CoA.
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i) Should the CoA, on evidence received through the return
on-site evaluation, consider the program to remain in substantial compliance with
the Standards and in adherence with accreditation policies, the program, its sponsoring
institution, and the complaining party shall be notified of this assessment and
the fact that the program’s current accreditation status remains unaffected
by the complaint.
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ii) Should the CoA consider the evidence of the site visit
to indicate the complaint is valid and the program is not in substantial compliance
with the Standards or with accreditation policies, the said committee shall recommend
a change in accreditation status to CAAHEP.
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E. Should D(2)(b)(ii) pertain, all information regarding the complaint,
a full report of its investigation, and the CoA’s recommendation shall be
transmitted to CAAHEP for consideration and action.
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F. CAAHEP emphasizes that it will not intervene on behalf of individuals
or act as a court of appeal for faculty members or students in matters of admission,
appointment, promotion or dismissal. It will act only when it believes practices
or conditions indicate the program may not be in substantial compliance with the
Standards or with established accreditation policies.
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