ComplaintsforSupportive Services, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  07/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Good afternoon so the I was receiving child care assistance for my 4 year old son and had my renewal due in 4/2022 so I submitted all documents once my worker reviewed it and processed she called me to inform me that as of 7/1/2022 my copay was going to be 375.00 because of my income and that the waiver for parent not to pay there copay would end on 6/30/2022 I understood all of that and we hung up the phone she never informed me that she was going to send me anything in the mail that needed to be signed so I was under the impression that my re certification was complete and good for another year so on 7/13/2022 by provider informs me that she received a letter informing her that my contract was terminated as of 6/1/2022 but neither one of us had received this notice till 7/13/2022 the only reason she got the notices was because she called to ask for the time sheet for 7/2022 as she had not received so I did not known she was no longer getting paid by the program as of 6/1/2022 since they did mail her the time sheet to be filled out I don't agree with this action because I was not notified timely of my contract closing so my provider has not been paid as I was not informed of my termination with the program the whole re-certification was complete except a signature and address that needed to be return that I was not aware of please review my case. Thank You

  Business response

  08/02/2022

  Supportive Services, Inc. is in receipt of the parental compliant submitted to the BBB on July 14, 2022. The complaint has been thoroughly researched and the agency’s response is as follows.

   

  The parent began the recertification process in January 2022. During the recertification process, parent requested that the agency not call but contact her only via email. Parent’s request was honored. After the parent submitted the first set of recertification documents, the documents were reviewed and an email was sent to parent on April 22, 2022, at 1:11 PM outlining her status in the recertification process. Note in the mail, parent was informed that she was required to sign and return the final page of her application by May 11, 2022. Per agency procedure, the Notice of Action, Notice of Compliance and all applicable documents are stapled together then mailed out.

   

  Unfortunately, the parent did not return the final page of her application which was due by May 11, 2022, as a result a Notice of Termination was issued to both the parent and provider On May 13, 2022, per agency policy, identifying the parent’s last day of care as June 1, 2022.

   

  The agency confirms that an attendance sheet was issued for the service month of June 2022 because the parent was eligible for one day of care in the month of June. June 1, 2022 was the parent’s last day of care because it is 19 days from the date the Notice of Termination was issued.

   

  Upon further review, there are documented emails in which the parent replied to the April 22, 2022, email to her case manager discussing her income eligible fee and its effective date. Thus, if parent was aware of her income eligible fee, which was explained to her in the email from her case manager on April 22, 2022, that same email informed the parent that she had additional paperwork due to the agency. Furthermore, parent informed the case manager supervisor that she received the Notice of Action outlining her income eligible fee. It must be noted that attached to the Notice of Action was also a Notice of Compliance with a deadline and applicable paperwork.

   

  To date, the agency has not received any return mail from the parent nor the provider as an indicator that the parent did not receive the Notice of Termination. This is an unfortunate scenario, and we regret that it has occurred, yet the agency did in fact process the parent’s recertification in accordance with the agency policy. Parent was informed via email, on two different occasions, that her previous child care case is closed and she is welcome to reapply to the agency’s waiting list for future services.

   

  On March 18, 2022, parent contacted the agency and left a message stating that her initial annual recertification packet was ‘delivered to the wrong address by the postal carrier and she was just receiving it.’ Is it possible that the same ‘postal carrier’ delivered her Notice of Termination to the incorrect address as to why the parent may not have received it in May 2022. This would be a situation that is outside of the agency’s control.

  Customer response

  08/03/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I was reviewing my emails and did not find any email from 4/22/2022 stating that I needed to sign any other forms I did email her some documents that he requested on 4/1/2022 If all I needed was to sign 1 form to keep my child certified I would have done so as I had already done everything else needed to complete my re certification, I also asked my provider and she told me that was not aware that my son was off the program till she called to ask for a time so I dont understand how not only did I not received the notice but my provider did not either I would like to see the email stated on the response were she the worker emails me letting me now that I need to sign a form because she called to tell me what my out of pocket would be I took it as if my certification was complete. Thank you 

  Business response

  08/08/2022

  Thank you for this final opportunity to respond to the consumer. 

   

  Per the consumer’s request, please find attached a copy of the email thread from April 22, 2022, between the consumer and the case manager. The email address on file with the agency is [******** *********] *****************@gmail.com. This address was given to the case manager by the parent. 

   

  In the email, the case manager notified the parent that additional paperwork was due. Also, a Notice of Action was issued on April 22, 2022, as well with the additional paperwork stapled to it. If parent received the Notice of Action dated April 22, 2022, then she would have also received the additional paperwork that was due May 11, 2022. The paperwork continues to be outstanding.

  
  Furthermore, Supportive Services, Inc. made contact with the parent’s child care provider, who confirmed that she did in fact receive the Notice of Termination dated May 13, 2022, however she overlooked the document. This is a scenario which is out of the agency’s control as we cannot explain the Post Office’s delivery methodology. In addition, the parent has elected to continue to take her child to the day and is paying the child care provider directly, thus, the child is not without care as it has been insinuated. We will continue to reiterate that the parent is welcome to reapply to the waiting list to be considered for future placement opportunities.

   

  In closing, Supportive Services, Inc. has an established grievance policy that was developed by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) which is the agency’s governing body. With all due respect to the BBB, the agency is unable to process a directive from BBB as it would be an adverse action against the state’s policies and procedures. Parent is encouraged to follow the appeal process that is outlined on the back of her Notice of Action and submit the outstanding paperwork for review by the appeal panel. Once more, the original Notice of Action was mailed on May 13, 2022, and a copy was emailed to the consumer on July 14^th and the appeal process is outlined on the reverse side of the Notice.

   

  Thank you kindly.

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