Clearinghouse Migration

CLEARINGHOUSE  The Agency for Healthcare Administration (AHCA) regulates 40 different types of health care providers (hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home health agencies).  Due to the volume of provider screenings, AHCA was awarded a Federal Grant to develop and maintain a provider background screening database called the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse or simply the “ Clearinghouse”.

CONCERNS  The Clearinghouse was initially designed to house AHCA provider screenings.  Growing concern over:  Federal laws prohibiting the sharing of criminal history information,  Applicants being fingerprinted multiple times and  Applicants paying multiple screening fees Prompted discussions that lead to the expansion of the Clearinghouse to include other state agencies.

DISCUSSION  For sharing to occur, the purpose for screening the applicant had to be the same  Employment is not considered the same purpose because the purpose of employment can be broad. (shoe salesman, pilot, pet groomer…)  A workgroup was formed to develop a common purpose (category) for screening applicants.  The term “vulnerable persons” was created (F.S ).  Legislation was passed to create the Clearinghouse (F.S ).

PURPOSE  State agencies that provide services to “vulnerable persons” can now share criminal history information (CHI) by participating in the Clearinghouse.  Sharing:  Eliminates the need for multiple fingerprint submissions and payment,  Allows provider applicants to work with more than one provider company or participating state agency.  Sharing does not eliminate the BSU’s review of the applicant’s criminal history. The applicant’s CHI still has to be reviewed and rated by the BSU prior to employment/volunteering. *For purposes of this presentation, provider refers to contract providers and grant recipients.

AGENCIES  The following State agencies currently participate in the Clearinghouse:  Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA)  Department of Children & Family Services (DCF)  Department of Health (DOH)  Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA)  Department of Education-Vocational Rehabilitation (DOE-VR)  Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) participation is scheduled for February 2016.

Changes  Elimination of Provider Fingerprint Cards  Screening Process  Screening Cost  Retention Fees  Longevity of Screenings  Photo Requirement

Eliminate Fingerprint Cards  BSU will no longer accept paper fingerprint cards or payment from providers.  Contract providers will be fingerprinted by local Livescan providers and  Fingerprints will be transmitted electronically to the FDLE & FBI.  Providers in the Tallahassee area can still be fingerprinted by the BSU.

Screening Process  Providers will initiate a request for background screening through the Clearinghouse:  Initiate New Screening (Livescan & 5-Year Rescreening)  Initiate Agency Review (Applicant already in the Clearinghouse)  Initiate Resubmission (More than 90-day lapse in employment)  Providers will continue to submit forms to the BSU:  IG/BSU-002 (Request for Livescan, Agency Review & Resubmission)  *IG/BSU-003 (PREA/Criminal History Acknowledgment Form)  Copy of the driver’s license & social security card  Forms submitted to the BSU can be faxed or ed.  Providers will continue to submit the Annual Affidavit by January 31 st of each year. * IG/BSU-003 is only required with Detention and Residential screening requests.

COST  The following is a breakdown of the screening fees. These charges will be paid to the Livescan provider and will be required when the applicant is fingerprinted:  Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)- $8.00,  Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)- $14.75,  FDLE Retention fees for the first five (5) years; $  Any applicable Livescan provider fees. ( This fee is set by the Livescan provider and may vary. )  Screening cost will increase and is estimated at $69.00 and up.  Paying the retention fee on the front end and Livescan provider fees contribute to the increase in screening cost.

 Retention provides:  Notification of new Florida arrests,  Eliminate the need for fingerprinting when the applicant is rescreened.  FDLE charges $6 per year to retain an applicant’s fingerprints.  Currently, the BSU sends retention bills to the programs.  Applicants screened through the Clearinghouse will pay the $24 Retention fee when fingerprinted.  After the 5 th year, fingerprint retention fees must be paid again.  After the 5 th year, a new screening and payment must be initiated. RETENTION FEES

LONGEVITY  Criminal history information for applicants screened through the Clearinghouse will remain in the database for 5 years as long as:  The applicant/employee is actively employed with one of the participating agencies.  The applicant/employee does not have a lapse in service that exceeds 90 days.  The annual fingerprint retention fee has been paid. (5 th Year) If the applicant is not employed by a participating agency for more than 90 days, a new screening must be initiated and the FBI fee in the amount of $14.75 will be required.

PHOTOGRAPH  To share screening results with other participating agencies, a photograph of the applicant must be taken at the time the applicant is fingerprinted.  If the applicant is screened through the Clearinghouse and does not take a photograph at the time of fingerprinting, the CHI can only be used by the agency initiating the screening and cannot be shared with the other participating agencies.

OVERVIEW  Clearinghouse is a Provider screening database; provider participation is not optional.  New applicants and employees needing a 5-Year Rescreen will be processed through the Clearinghouse. (Providers only)  Retention fees must be paid when fingerprinting occurs.  Only Clearinghouse screenings with a photo will be shared.  Providers screened prior to Clearinghouse will be housed in DJJ’s screening database until a new screening is requested.  Provider screenings housed in the DJJ’s screening database will not be shared with the participating agencies.  DJJ state employees will not be screened through the Clearinghouse. This process will remain the same.

Important Dates  Tuesday, February 2, Providers began pre-registering for Clearinghouse use and send form to the Background Screening Unit (BSU).  Friday, February 12, Livescan providers/vendors will stop transmitting fingerprints for DJJ providers under current ORI-FL921940Z.  Warning: If an applicant’s fingerprints are rejected and they fail to return to the Livescan provider/vendor by Wednesday, February 17, 2016, to have their fingerprints scanned a second time, they will have to start the screening process over. The applicant will have to wait until February 22, 2016, to be processed through the Clearinghouse and pay the new rate.  (ALL provider requests for background screening must be submitted to the BSU for processing. Include: screening documents, two fingerprint cards & payment $24.57)  Wednesday, February 17, The BSU will stop processing provider screening packets and paper fingerprint cards.  (Note: All provider Livescan and 5-Year Rescreen requests received in the BSU on or after this date will be returned to the provider and must be processed through the Clearinghouse on Monday, February 22, 2016.)  Monday, February 22, Begin processing DJJ provider screenings through the Clearinghouse. New rates will apply.

QUESTIONS? Contact the Background Screening Unit at: Phone: (850) Web Address: G/BSU G/BSU