General
COMMENTS and COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
COAST operates programs without regard to race, color, and national
origin.
COMMENTS
ANY COAST CLIENT MAY FORWARD OFFICIAL COMMENTS THROUGH THE
WEBSITE, ON COMMENT FORMS, THROUGH E-MAIL, ON THE TELEPHONE, OR IN
PERSON TO COAST MANAGEMENT IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE
EXPERIENCE OF RIDERS WHO UTILIZE COAST SERVICES DIRECTLY OR
THROUGH CONTRACTED PROVIDERS.

Comments include rave reviews, thank-you notes, concerns, and/or issues you’d
like to bring to our attention.
O Website: coa-hs.org
O Comment Forms: located in all COAST and contracted Provider vehicles
and at COAST and Provider offices
O Email: coast@qwestoffice.net
O Telephone: Contact numbers are:
 (509) 397-2935
 1-800-873-9996 toll-free in Washington
 1-800-967-2899 toll-free in Idaho
 (509) 397-9229 fax
O In person: Our main offices are located at 210 S. Main St., Colfax, WA
Appointments are encouraged.
COMPLAINTS
ANY COAST CLIENT, APPLICANT FOR SERVICES, OR BENEFICIARY OF
SERVICES WHO HAS A COMPLAINT MAY USE THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES:
1. Attempt to resolve the situation with the COAST staff member or volunteer by
immediately talking with the person or scheduling an appointment to meet with the staff
member or volunteer at your convenience.
2. If you are not satisfied, you may, within five (5) working days of the meeting with the
employee or volunteer, contact the COAST Director. You can contact the COAST
Director by letter, fax, phone call, or e-mail. If you are willing, please include any relevant
information such as the name of the staff member or driver, the vehicle number or route,
a description of the incident. (include date, time and location, and your name and contact
information) Complaints must be filed within 180 days of the incident’s occurrence. THE
COAST DIRECTOR WILL SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOU, discuss the
complaint and attempt to resolve it with you. The COAST Director will make a record of
the complaint and the discussion.
3. If you still are not satisfied, contact the Executive Director of the Council on Aging &
Human Services within five (5) working days of your conference with the COAST
Director. The contact should be by letter or e-mail. A conference date, time and location
will be set at your convenience. The CoA&HS Executive Director will attempt to resolve
the situation adding his/her comments to the previous record. His/her decision will be
final unless you WISH TO MAKE A FORMAL complaint in one of the following five (5)
allowable areas:
a. Adverse decisions regarding a person's eligibility for services;
b. Questions regarding the promptness with which a person's application for
services is acted upon;
c. Questions regarding the quality of services rendered;
d. Decisions regarding the suspension and/or termination of services; and
e. Any other related topic.
A FORMAL COMPLAINT is a complaint that cannot be resolved during the first three
levels of the complaint process and must go before the Executive Board of the CoA&HS.
4. TO MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT YOU MUST APPEAL in writing, within five (5)
working days after meeting with the Executive Director, FOR A HEARING BEFORE the
Executive Board of the CoA&HS, who will set a hearing within two (2) weeks of receipt of
your FORMAL COMPLAINT. AT LEAST FIVE (5) BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR TO THE
HEARING you will receive written notice of the meeting date, time and location.
At the meeting you OR YOUR REPRESENTATIVE have the right to present oral
arguments. The Executive Committee will issue a written decision to all participants
within one (1) week of the hearing.
5. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint, you have the right to file a
complaint or lawsuit with one of the following organizations:
Organization Name and Address
Washington State Department
of Transportation
Public Transportation Division
Attn: Title VI Coordinator
P O Box 47387
Olympia, WA 98504-47387
Federal Transit Administration
Attn: Title VI Program Coordinator
East Building, 5th Floor – TCR
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590
U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
Coordination and Review
Section - NWB
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530
No retribution will be tolerated by COAST Transportation, its parent organization,
Council on Aging & Human Services, or any contracted Provider towards a client
making any grievance or comment.
A copy of COAST’s TITLE VI, CIVIL RIGHTS Complaint Policy is available, upon request.
Copies of this policy are distributed to new clients, existing clients no less than every
three years, or anytime, upon request.