Who can request a reassessment

Anyone can request a reassessment — the person receiving care, a family member, the person's physician, or a hospital discharge team. There is no formal qualification required. You simply need to contact the CLSC.

How to request one

By phone: Call your care coordinator directly. If you don't have their number, call the CLSC main line and ask to be connected to the home care team. State that you are requesting a reassessment due to a change in the person's situation.

In writing: Send an email or letter to your care coordinator or the CLSC home care team. Written requests create a record of when the request was made, which is useful if follow-up is slow.

Through a physician: Your family doctor can make a referral or directly contact the CLSC on your behalf.

What to say when you call

Keep the initial request brief:

"I'm calling to request a reassessment for [name], who is a CLSC client. Their situation has changed significantly in the past [few months], and I believe their current care plan no longer reflects their needs. Can we schedule a home visit?"

You do not need to make your full argument on the phone. The purpose of the call is to initiate the process, not to resolve it.

What happens after you request

The CLSC will schedule a home visit. The timeline varies — urgent situations (where there is an immediate safety risk) are typically prioritized. Non-urgent requests may take several weeks.

While you wait, continue documenting what you observe at home. A written summary of changes prepared for the visit is more useful than attempting to remember everything in the moment.

If the request is not acknowledged

If you contact the CLSC and do not receive a response within a reasonable time (say, a week for a non-urgent request), follow up in writing. Keep a record of your attempts to contact them.

If you are having difficulty getting a response, the next step is to contact the CLSC's chef d'administration de programme or file a formal complaint with the CPQS.

Sample request language

For a written request, see the Sample Request Letter article in this section for a template you can adapt.