CERTIFIED FACILITIES
Medicare- and Medicaid-certified long term
care facilities are prohibited from employing
individuals who have been found guilty in a
court of law of abuse, neglect,
misappropriation of residents’ property or
mistreating residents, and cannot employ
individuals who have had such a finding
entered into the Certified Nurse Assistant
(CNA) Registry. This registry documents
any of these findings for a CNA or Certified
Medical Technician. Facilities are required
to check the registry before hiring any
individual and may not continue to employ a
person whose name appears on the registry
with a federal indicator. Providers must
seek registry verification from all states
believed to have information concerning the
applicant.
For more information, go to:
www.dhss.mo.gov/CNARegistry
GOOD CAUSE WAIVER
Individuals disqualified from employment in
long term care because of criminal
convictions or findings listed on the Family
Care Safety Registry may request that the
disqualification be waived. They can apply
for a good cause waiver with the
department.
Individuals whose names appear on the
employee disqualification list are not
eligible to receive a good cause waiver.
Such persons must follow the provisions
within Missouri Revised Statute 660.315 to
request a review of their EDL placement.
For more information, go to:
www.dhss.mo.gov/goodcausewaiver/
.
Division of Regulation & Licensure
Section for Long Term Care Regulation
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: (573) 526-8524
Fax: (573) 751-8493
www.dhss.mo.gov
Alternate forms of this publication for persons with disabilities
may be obtained by contacting the Missouri Department of
Health and Senior Services toll-free at 1-800-235-5503. Hearing
and speech impaired citizens telephone 1-800-735-2966 or
VOICE 1-800-735-2466.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER
Services provided on a nondiscriminatory basis.
01/08
BACKGROUND
CHECKS
A Guide for
Long Term Care
Facilities
WHO?
All long term care facilities licensed by the
Missouri Department of Health and Senior
Services (DHSS) are required to conduct
employee background checks.
WHAT?
Two types of background checks are
required: a criminal background check
and an Employee Disqualification List
(EDL) check.
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK
1) The criminal background check is a
report that provides criminal history
information on an applicant.
2) A facility must request a criminal
background check before hiring anyone.
An applicant may be employed and have
direct resident contact while the report is
pending. However, upon receipt of the
report, a facility must immediately ensure
the employee has no disqualifying
convictions.
3) The Missouri State Highway Patrol
completes criminal background checks.
Call them at 573-526-6153 to request a
report.
4) Facilities may also request a criminal
background check through Missouri’s
Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR), a
private investigation agency or
professional association, as long as the
Missouri State Highway Patrol completes
the report.
5) It is a Class A misdemeanor for a
provider to knowingly hire or retain a
person to have contact with residents if
that person has been convicted of a
disqualifying crime. For guidance
concerning specific crimes, refer to
Missouri Revised Statute 660.317, or
contact the DHSS Section for Long Term
Care Regulation Survey and Compliance
Unit at 573-526-8532.
EMPLOYEE DISQUALIFICATION LIST
(EDL)
1) The Department of Health and Senior
Services maintains the employee
disqualification list. The list names those
who have committed acts of abuse,
neglect, misappropriation of funds, or
falsification of service delivery documents.
The information is confidential and
available for employment purposes only.
2) Facilities cannot hire an applicant until an
employee disqualification list check
determines the applicant’s name is not
listed. In addition, facilities must check each
quarterly EDL update to ensure that no
employee’s name has been added.
3) Facilities may utilize one of the
department’s automated systems to see if
an applicant’s name appears on the
employee disqualification list:
Interactive voice response system
at 573-522-6510
Web-based EDL system at
http://www.dhss.mo.gov/EDL
FAMILY CARE SAFETY REGISTRY
1) Facilities may also utilize the Family Care
Safety Registry to obtain a free criminal
background and EDL check on an applicant.
Doing so meets the requirements of
obtaining both reports at once.
2) All eldercare workers hired on or after
January 1, 2001, must register with the
FCSR. Registration is the responsibility of
the individual worker, not a facility. An
eldercare worker is defined as “a caregiver
who receives state or federal funds for the
care of a senior“ or “an employee of a
licensed long term care facility.”
3) For more information, contact the registry
by mail, phone, fax or Internet:
Department of Health & Senior Services
FCSR
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Toll-free: 1-866-422-6872
Phone: 1-573-526-1974
Fax: 1-573-522-6981
Web: www.dhss.mo.gov/FCSR/
