Division Contact: Rita Horton
Complaint Hotline: 1-800-624-3004 (within NC) or 919-855-4500
Complaint Hotline Hours: 8:30am - 4:00pm
Fax: 919-715-7724.
Mail: 2711 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2711
Common Issues not regulated by DHSR and Contact Information
- Physicians and Urgent Care Centers - NC Medical Board (1-800-252-9653)
- Labor/Personnel Issues - NC Board of Labor (1-800-625-2267)
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Complaints - US Office of Civil Rights (1-800-368-1019)
- Discrimination Complaints - US Office of Civil Rights (1-800-368-1019)
- Medicaid Fraud - NC Division of Medical Assistance (919 647-8000)
- Medicare Fraud - US Office of Inspector General (1-800-447-8477)
General Information
The Complaint Intake Unit is available to receive complaints regarding the care and services provided to patients/residents/consumers by health care facilities/agencies/homes licensed by the Division of Health Service Regulation. These facilities include Nursing Homes, Adult Care Homes, Acute Care Hospitals, Home Care Agencies, Home Health Agencies, Hospice Agencies, Psychiatric Hospitals, Dialysis Centers. Suppliers of Portable X-ray Services, Rural Health Clinics, Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities, Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Abortion Clinics, Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs, Nursing Pool Agencies, Clinical Laboratories, Mental Health group homes and other 24-hour facilities, outpatient, and day treatment facilities.
Complaints may be shared with our Unit by telephone, by facsimile or by postal mail. Our Division is only able to investigate complaints regarding incidents that have occurred in the past year and issues that are regulated by federal regulations or state statutes (see below for a list of common non-regulatory issues). A Complaint Form [Word] [pdf] is available for written complaints but is not required to be used.
Each complaint is prioritized for investigation according the seriousness of the situation. Complaints are investigated by the appropriate licensing Section within our Division except for Adult Care Homes. Investigations are unannounced to the facilities/agencies/homes, and complainant identifying information is not shared with the facilities/agencies/homes.
Complaints received by our Complaint Intake Unit for Adult Care Homes are forwarded to the local Department of Social Services for investigation.
Provider Information
Residential Mental Health Facilities, Adult Care Homes and Nursing Homes need to display information for contacting the Complaint Intake Unit to be in compliance with various statutes/regulations. This poster may be used to display the required contact information.
- General Statute 122C‑25 (d) (Residential Mental Health Facilities)
- General Statute 131D‑2 (j) (Adult Care Homes)
- Federal Regulation 483.10(b)(7) (Nursing Facilities) - (pdf, 548 pages). The regulation is on page 14.
Death Reporting Forms
- Report of Death to DHHS form for state operated facilities, psych hospitals and psych units (pdf)
- Critical Incident and Death Report Form for Community Mental Health Facilities
- Death Reporting Form for Adult Care Facilities