Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse

Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse To reduce duplicative screening, the Florida Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) was established by law in 2012. Provides a single data source for background screening results of persons required to be screened by law for employment in positions that provide services to children, the elderly, and disabled individuals. Allows the results of criminal history checks to be shared among specified agencies when a person has applied to volunteer, be employed, be licensed, or enter into a contract that requires a state and national fingerprint-based criminal history check. Seven total state agencies participate in the Clearinghouse— Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) – January 2013 Managed Care – November 2013 Medicaid – March 2015 Department of Health (DOH) - January 2013 Vocational Rehabilitation (DOE-VR) - May 2014 Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and (APD) - May 2015 Department of Children and Families (DCF) - July 2015 Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) - September 2015 Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) - August 2016

Benefits to Providers Initiating screenings through the website is required per section 435.12(2)(c), of the Florida Statutes. To be entered into the Clearinghouse, a person screened must: Undergo Level 2 screening and have fingerprints retained by FDLE, and Have a photograph taken at the time of screening, and Sign a privacy policy By initiating the screening through the Clearinghouse providers can: Enter applicant demographic information once (no need to use both the Clearinghouse and a service provider website) Reduce duplicative/unnecessary screenings costs The first step to initiate a screening requires you to search the database for an existing screening. By checking for an existing screening first, you will be able to use the existing screening, thereby reducing your screening costs. Initiating providers will receive a public record of the applicant’s Florida criminal history report. Seamlessly connect with approved Livescan service providers, so the provider may enter applicant information, as well as schedule and pay for appointments through one system. Screenings in process and screening results will be displayed on their own page, reducing the need to search the entire database. **PLEASE NOTE -- Social security numbers or ITINs are required for an individual to be screened through the Clearinghouse**

Benefits to Providers continued Be able to track a screening through the entire screening process and receive email notifications Ability to see a status at each stage of the screening process, including Fingerprints Submitted, Fingerprints Received from FDLE, Fingerprints Rejected, Fingerprints Rejected 2nd – NCO requested, etc. Each time an applicant’s status is updated, the provider will receive an email notification, reducing the time needed to search the system for updates. If an individual has been screened by another specified agency and entered into the Clearinghouse, a provider may request an agency review at no cost. This will allow the specified agency to make an eligibility determination for employment purposes. Benefits of requesting an agency review include the following: Agency Review requests are FREE for the provider and individual The applicant or employee does NOT need to visit a Livescan location and submit new fingerprints The provider will receive a copy of the public rap sheet after initiating an agency review

Clearinghouse Employee/Contractor Roster According to section 435.12(2)(c), F.S., an employer of persons subject to screening by a specified agency must register with the Clearinghouse and maintain the employment status of all employees/contractors within the Clearinghouse. Initial employment /contract status and any changes in status must be reported within 10 business days You must add an employee/contractor to your roster to receive arrest notifications or notice of expiring retained prints Please remember, per section 435.06(2)(b), F.S., if an employer becomes aware that an employee/contractor has been arrested for a disqualifying offense, the employer must remove the employee/contractor from contact with any vulnerable person that places the employee in a role that requires background screening.

Renewals in the Clearinghouse Per Florida statute, retained fingerprints must be renewed every 5 years in order to maintain eligibility for employment.  To maintain the retention of fingerprints within the Clearinghouse the employer must request a Clearinghouse Renewal through the Clearinghouse Results Website prior to the retained prints expiration date. If the employer does not initiate a Clearinghouse Renewal an employee’s prints will no longer be retained, the employee’s eligibility determination will expire, and the employee will have to be re-fingerprinted at a Livescan Service Provider at an increased cost to comply with background screening requirements. Benefits of renewing a screening through the Clearinghouse Request and pay for the renewal of a screening all in one system while also receiving cost savings. The current cost for a Clearinghouse Renewal is $43.25. That’s a cost-saving of over $30 with the average cost for a new screening being $75.00! Faster processing time since the request is immediately sent to the Clearinghouse. No need to wait for the employee to be fingerprinted at a Livescan Service Provider. An updated criminal history to ensure compliance with background screening requirements. Extend the retained prints expiration by another 5 years.

Renewals in the Clearinghouse The Retained Prints Expiration date can be found on the Person Profile page above the Eligibility section. If the employee is within their “Renewal Window” the ‘Initiate Renewal’ button will be available (see red arrow). Please remember that the renewal must be initiated before the retained prints expiration date. The eligibility determination date is the last eligibility determination made for the individual in the Clearinghouse and has no bearing on the retained prints expiration date.

Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse For more information, user guides, and videos please visit our website at: http://ahca.myflorida.com/BackgroundScreening