Whether you manage an established registry or are just starting out, this guide will provide you with essential knowledge and practical insights into conducting effective background checks. Effective background screening not only enhances client safety but also boosts caregiver accountability.
By understanding the regulatory requirements, best practices, and the latest screening technologies, you can build a registry that inspires confidence and meets the highest standards of care.
Join us as we explore the key aspects of caregiver background checks, empowering you to make informed decisions that elevate your registry’s credibility and client satisfaction. Let’s get started.
What should a caregiver background check look like?
Although the point of a caregiver registry is to be relatively hands-off in terms of the execution of the care, there are set standards that need to be met. Not only that, but proper and compliant vetting of caregivers helps you to build and maintain client and family satisfaction.
Regardless of what you’ve been doing in the past, we put together an overview of what can be included in a caregiver background check:
- Criminal history
- Credit report
- Licensing
- Credentials
These are generic standards that can be applied across states, however, certain states may have more specific guidelines for their background checks.
For example, in Colorado, where caregiver registries are considered “home care placement agencies” the agency is only responsible for criminal background checks.
What is most important to keep in mind about a caregiver background check?
The most important consideration to keep in mind as you vet caregivers is to use objective information. Even if you have state guidelines that dictate what you can and can’t collect, the crux of the information needs to be factual.
They either have a certification or they don’t.
They either have a criminal history or they don’t.
Why this is important is because if you use subjective or non-fact-based measurements or standards to determine who can find work through your registry, that is considered pre-selecting caregivers. This takes away the control that families and clients have in selecting a caregiver of their own.
According to the Field Assistance Bulletin 2018-4, “The registry may also interview the caregiver’s references to assess whether he or she would work well with a particular client. Such actions imply that a registry is pre-selecting caregivers for the client, rather than performing basic quality control and verification checks.”
Ways to move forward
Now that you know what you can and can’t collect in terms of information, let’s put some next steps behind them.
There are a lot of screening companies out there for background checks. We’ve partnered with (and have integrations with) ScreeningOne to make it easy for you to find what you need.
There are many other platforms you can try as well like Checkr, Goodhire, and First Advantage to name a few. Make sure that you check with your county and state for any specific nuances that might not be caught by a platform like these so that your caregiver registry can stay compliant.
If you are in the market for a new solution to manage your caregiver registry compliance and operations, look no further than Ally. Schedule your demo today.
