Purpose
Persons in need of long-term care services are often among the most vulnerable of our citizens making them especially vulnerable to abuse, neglect and misappropriation of clients' property by caregivers upon whom they depend for their daily needs. One approach to protect and minimize patient abuse and neglect is to screen and eliminate employment applicants with histories of criminal behavior.
Participating states are required to conduct a background check on all new long-term care applicants for employment in positions where they will have direct access to vulnerable clients or their property.
Overview
Section 307 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 (PL 108-173) directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the framework for a national background check pilot program. The pilot is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in consultation with the Department of Justice, and will operate from January 2005 through September 2007.
This three-year pilot will help to evaluate the impact of conducting national background checks on prospective employees with direct access to patients in order to reduce abuse and neglect in long term care facilities.
The pilot will also help to determine best practices in conducting efficient, effective and economical state and national background checks. Participation in this initiative will influence future federal policy designed to provide optimum services and support for the nation's most frail and vulnerable citizens.
Michigan's Program for Background Checks
In January 2005, Michigan received federal approval as 1 of 7 states selected to participate in the federal background check pilot program. Other funded states include Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico and Wisconsin.
The CMS has approved Michigan an award of $3.5 million to fund the background check pilot over thirty-three months to implement a model background check program consistent with federal requirements.
The goal of the program is to expand and improve the criminal background checks for those employees working in or having direct client access in Michigan's long term care settings. The Michigan Criminal Background Checks Program is a collaborative partnership between:
- Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Michigan Department of Community Health
- Office of Services to the Aging
- Michigan Department of Human Services
- Michigan State Police
- Michigan State University
In addition, Michigan is 1 of 3 states awarded additional funding of $1.5 million to create and deliver a comprehensive adult abuse and neglect prevention-training program to employees and managers of long term care facilities and providers. Other funded states include Alaska and Wisconsin.
For further information regarding the Background Check Pilot Program: Michigan State University
For further information regarding the Abuse Prevention Training Program: www.mpro.org/beam
Contact Us
Michigan's Program for Background Check
Orlene Christie, Director
Legislative and Statutory Compliance Office
Michigan Department of Community Health
Telephone: (517) 373-6440
Fax: (517) 335-5468
ChristieO@michigan.gov
Lori A. Post, Ph.D.
Director, Interdisciplinary Research and Outreach
College of Communication Arts and Sciences
Michigan State University
14-B Human Ecology
East Lansing, Michigan 48824
Telephone: (517) 355-3410
Fax: (517) 432-1244
Lapost@msu.edu
Abuse Prevention Training Program
Lauren Swanson, M.A.
Program Specialist
Michigan Office of Services to the Aging
7109 West Saginaw
Lansing, MI 48917
Telephone: (517) 373-0049
Fax: (517) 373-4092
Swansonla@michigan.gov
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