---
title: O.C.G.A. § 37-4-109. Establishment of patients and staff complaint procedure; final decisionmakers; right of administrative appeal; complaint procedures as alternative to legal remedies.
collection: code
id: 37-4-109
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 37-4-109 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-4-109
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-4-109.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/37-4-109/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t37-t39-(v28)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=c6b9c518_0#page=248
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: MENTAL HEALTH / HABILITATION OF THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED GENERALLY / RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED PERSONS UNDERGOING HABILITATION, THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, ETC., GENERALLY / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 37-4-109. Establishment of patients and staff complaint procedure; final decisionmakers; right of administrative appeal; complaint procedures as alternative to legal remedies.

The department shall establish procedures whereby complaints of the client or complaints of the staff concerning admission, treatment, or habilitation can be speedily heard. Clients shall receive reasonable notice of such procedures. Final decisions shall be made by the superintendent, the regional state hospital administrator, or an advisory committee, whichever is appropriate, with the right of appeal to the commissioner or his or her designee. The board shall establish rules and regulations for the implementation of such procedures. However, the client shall not be required to utilize these procedures in lieu of other available legal remedies.

## History

Code 1933, § 88-2503.22, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 1826, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 3, § 37; Ga. L. 2002, p. 1324, § 1-14; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 3-15/HB 228.

## Cross References

Reports and investigations regarding mistreatment of hospital patients, residents of long-term care facilities, and others, §§ 31-7-9, 31-8-50 et seq., 31-8-80 et seq., 31-8-100 et seq.