Role of Customer Services

ISK’s Customer Services office is here to help you. Our primary responsibilities are to:

  • Provide an initial welcome and an orientation of the services and benefits available through the community mental health and substance use service system, as well as an overview of the network of providers in our service system.
  • Provide information about how to access mental health, substance use disorders, primary health, and other community services.
  • Provide information about how to access the processes that are in place to protect the rights of the people we serve. This includes providing assistance to file grievances, complaints, or appeals.
  • Provide assistance with questions and problems about community benefits.

Contacting Customer Services

  • Customer Services hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • You can email Customer Service at custserv@iskzoo.org or call (269) 553-7000 or toll-free at (877) 553-7160. Calls are answered live during business hours. If you call outside business hours you can leave a message, and if you need a call-back outside our normal hours, please let us know and we will accommodate your needs.
  • Persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can contact Customer Services – or any of our offices – through the Michigan Relay Center (MRC) at 7-1-1 .  Please give/tell the MRC operator the ISK number you are trying to reach.

Grievance and Appeals

  • Customer Service representatives can assist individuals with filing a grievance or complaint about services. If you have a complaint about your services, please email custserv@iskzoo.org Customer Services or call directly at (269) 553-7000 or toll-free at (877) 553-7160.
  • Click here to have your concerns sent directly to a Customer Service Representative.

Available Information

Our Customer Handbook covers many topics of interest about our agencies and the services we provide and the rights and responsibilities of the people we serve. The Customer Services office can also provide you with a written copy of the handbook. You can also ask Customer Services for other items, like:

  • Recipient Rights booklets.  Booklets can also be accessed by clicking here.
  • A directory of all of the agencies we contract with to provide supports and services. You can also access a searchable directory of our provider network through this website by visiting the “Providers” tab and selecting Search for a Provider from the menu or by clicking this link — Provider Directory.
  • Information about the agencies that are part of our provider network.
  • Information about community resources and services that are available.
  • Information about benefit and entitlement programs like Medicaid and how to effectively work within these programs.
  • Informational materials about specific materials related to mental health and illnesses, substance abuse issues, and developmental disabilities.

Customer Handbook

swmbh-customer-handbook

ISK’s Customer Handbook is available on Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health’s website, where it’s continuously updated. Here’s how to access the handbook:

  1. Click here for the Documents & Resources webpage.
  2. Scroll down to Member Documents and click on it.
  3. Select and download the Customer Handbook (in English or Spanish).

Administrative Hearings

The Michigan Administrative Hearing System (MAHS) for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provides administrative hearings to those requesting a hearing or those who do not agree with a decision made by the DHHS contracted agency (any agency, organization, or health plan contracted by the DHHS that either determines eligibility for a department program, or delivers a service provided under a department program to a beneficiary, patient, or resident). The MAHS for the DHHS issues timely, clear, concise, and legally accurate hearing decisions and orders. Read more about MAHS for DHHS and Administrative Hearings.

All About Advance Directives

An Advance Directive (also known as a Durable Power of Attorney) is a legal document that allows you to name a Patient Advocate and gives the Advocate specific permission (or power) to make decisions about your medical and/or mental health care. These powers are only active when you are unable to make these decisions for yourself.

If you’re interested in more information about how to identify a Patient Advocate and/or set up an Advance Directive, you can contact the ISK Customer Services office. Please click here for more information.