Background Screening Overview (Processing A New Applicant) Table of Content: Why we screen Who must be screened How to request a screening Screening process & timeframes Rating -Who can/cannot be hired Exemption process Fingerprint Retention Annual Affidavit How to contact us

Background Screening is not optional. It’s the Law! Florida Statute 985.644 Requires background screening to be completed *prior to employment and volunteering Requires background screening of current employees & volunteers *every 5 years of employment or volunteering DJJ Background screening is mandated by FS 985.644, which states screenings must be completed before a person is hired or utilized as a volunteer and every 5 years of continued service.

Purpose for Background Screening To ensure all applicants for employment or who want to volunteer meet screening requirements prior to having contact with youth or confidential youth records

Who Must Be Screened? ALL: Employees, Volunteers, Mentors, Interns, and Researchers Note: All individuals that will have access to youth or confidential youth records must be screened. (See FDJJ1800P for more information)

Who else must be Screened? ALL counselors, doctors, nurses, ministers, and others who are not employees, but seek to conduct unsupervised activities with youth Any person wanting to conduct unsupervised activities with youth, must be screened. Note: Occasional guest speakers do not have to be screened as long as they are in the constant line of sight of screened personnel.

Screening School Board Teachers School Board Teachers that are *paid by DJJ or a DJJ contract/grant provider to teach in a program must be screened by DJJ. This applies if your facility/program will have teachers or school board staff working onsite to provide educational services to youth, but they are not paid/funded by DJJ. *If the funding source is the school board or a provider contracted by the school board to teach youth, a DJJ background screening is not required, but form IG/BSU-009 must be submitted to the BSU annually. See procedures for details.

Screening Law Enforcement or Security Officers Law Enforcement or Security Officers that are *paid by DJJ or a DJJ contract/grant provider to work in a program must be screened by DJJ. This applies if your facility/program will have law enforcement or security officers working onsite that are not paid/funded by DJJ. *Screening is not required if the funding source is not DJJ or a DJJ contract provider, but form IG/BSU-009 must be submitted to the BSU annually. See procedures for details.

Employee Transfers & Promotions When an employee is promoted or transferred within the same company, a new background screening is not required unless there is a break in service. (Note: See procedure 1800P (DJJ) for details about a break in service.) *Transferring from DJJ to Provider (or visa versa) requires a new background screening.

How to Process A New Applicant Screening (Option 1) Faxing Applicant will complete the appropriate background screening forms: IG/BSU 001 (DJJ) IG/BSU 003 (Detention and Residential staff/volunteers) HR Rep will send applicant to be fingerprinted at a DJJ location (if available) or to law enforcement. Law enforcement must use DJJ-ORI FL037055C and MAP. (Fees may apply when using local law enforcement.) HR Rep will fax screening forms, a copy of the applicant’s driver’s license & social security card, and proof of Livescan to the BSU at (850) 921-6348 or 922-7997 The background screening forms are on the DJJ website at: www.DJJ.state.fl.us by clicking: DJJ services, Inspector general, background screening To locate a Livescan vendor in your area visit: http://centralcareservices.com/AHCA%20LiveScan%20Vendor%20List.pdf

How to Process A New Applicant Screening (Option 2) Mailing Applicant will complete the appropriate background screening forms: IG/BSU 001 (DJJ) IG/BSU 003 (Detention & Residential staff/volunteers only.) HR Rep will mail screening forms and a copy of the: Driver’s license Social security card Fingerprint card The background screening forms are on the DJJ website at: www.DJJ.state.fl.us by clicking: DJJ services, Inspector general, background screening.

Send packaged documents to Our Mailing Address (Option 2) Continued Send packaged documents to Department of Juvenile Justice Office of the Inspector General Background Screening Unit 2737 Centerview Drive, Suite 3400 Tallahassee, FL 32399-3100 Documents must be mailed when the fingerprint card is included in the packet.

Background Screening Unit (BSU) Process The BSU will: Process the screening Apply a rating (Eligible, Eligible with Charges, or Ineligible) E-mail results to the DJJ HR Rep within 5 to 10 days When the screening documents are received, the BSU will process the request and e-mail the results to the HR Rep. listed in section B of the Livescan form. Note: Legibly print HR representatives e-mail address and fax number in section B of the screening form.

Rating Types Eligible or Eligible w/Charges: No criminal history exists OR Criminal history exists with no disqualifying charges

Eligible or Eligible W/ Charges Applicant can immediately be hired

Rating Types Ineligible: A criminal history exists with *disqualifying charges *Note: Disqualifying charges are listed on Form IG/BSU-003-Criminal History Acknowledgement & PREA Compliance)

Ineligible Applicant CANNOT be hired until an exemption is granted If the rating is… Wait- Not Yet

EXEMPTION Exemptions are granted or denied by the Agency Head Applicants can apply for an Exemption as soon as they have completed or was lawfully released from confinement, supervision, or sanction when the disqualifying offense is a misdemeanor. (Disqualifying offenses are listed in F.S. 435)

EXEMPTION (Continued) Applicants can apply for an Exemption when at least 3 years has elapsed since they completed or was lawfully released from confinement, supervision, or sanction for the most recent felony disqualifying offense. (Disqualifying offenses are listed in F.S. 435)

EXEMPTION (Continued) Exemptions can not be granted to persons deemed a: Sexual Predator (F.S. 775.21) Career Offender (F.S. 775.261) Sexual Offender (F.S. 943.0435) unless the requirement to register as a sexual offender has been removed pursuant to F.S. 943.04354 The Exemption process is NOT an option when a person is rated Ineligible in these instances.

Fingerprint Retention FDLE keeps the fingerprints of everyone screened until a request is made to remove them. (*This process is referred to as Fingerprint Retention.) Providers will pay $6.48 to FDLE per year for each employee’s fingerprints retained. Providers screened by DJJ prior to the Clearinghouse will submit payment to DJJ in the form of a check, money order, or online credit card payment.

Retention Removal Removal of retained prints can occur when: A person is no longer employed A person is screened but not hired To request removal: HR Representative must e-mail the person’s name, last 4 digits of SSN and Transaction Control Number (TCN) to Generalbsu@djj.state.fl.us

Annual Affidavit of Level 2 Screening Standards (Form IG/BSU-006) Form IG/BSU-006 must be submitted once a year to confirm that all employees and volunteers at your program have been screened. Completing Form: Facility Administrator will sign & notarize form Scan, Fax, or Mail document to BSU Due by January 30 of each year

Contact Us Send an e-mail to: Generalbsu@djj.state.fl.us Mail requests to: Department of Juvenile Justice Office of the Inspector General Background Screening Unit 2737 Centerview Drive, Suite 3400 Tallahassee, FL 32399-3100 PH: (850) 921-6345 FAX: (850) 921-6348 (850) 717-2678