California Code of Regulations
Title 15 - Crime Prevention and Corrections
Division 3 - Adult Institutions, Programs and Parole
Chapter 2 - Rules and Regulations of Health Care Services
Subchapter 2 - Patient's Entitlements and Responsibilities
Article 5 - Health Care Grievances
Section 3999.226 - Right to Grieve

(a) The health care grievance process provides an administrative remedy to patients under health care's jurisdiction for review of complaints of applied health care policies, decisions, actions, conditions, or omissions that have a material adverse effect on their health or welfare.

(b) Health care staff shall ensure effective communication is achieved and documented when there is an exchange of health care information involving patients with a hearing, vision, and/or speech impairment; developmental disability and/or learning disability; Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) reading score of 4.0 or less, which includes zero or no TABE score; and/or Limited English Proficiency, and in health care grievance communications with such patients.

(c) The patient has the right to submit one health care grievance every 14 calendar days, unless it is accepted as an expedited grievance. The 14 calendar day period shall commence on the calendar day following the patient's last accepted health care grievance.

(d) Health care grievance forms shall be available to all incarcerated persons.

(e) Staff shall not take reprisal against the patient for filing a health care grievance.

(f) A patient who abuses the health care grievance process may be subject to health care grievance restriction pursuant to section 3999.236.

(g) Health care grievances are subject to a headquarters' level disposition before administrative remedies are deemed exhausted pursuant to section 3999.230. A health care grievance or health care grievance appeal rejection or withdrawal does not exhaust administrative remedies.