8.6.1.4 Intake and Triage

Intake is the stage of complaint investigation during which basic information on complaints is gathered and determinations on jurisdiction and case priority status are made.

One of the main purposes of intake is to sort through enquiries and potential complaints (regardless of the form in which they are received) to determine what can and should be investigated, as well as which cases requires immediate or special attention. This is referred to as triage. Triage should eliminate out-of jurisdiction cases, and identify priority cases requiring immediate attention.

Implications for the Establishment Phase: The case management manual should include a section on the intake phase and set out rules, based on the statute for which types of cases are in or out of jurisdiction, and what formalities are required to file a complaint.