CMS just awarded nearly $14 million to six states to develop comprehensive criminal background check programs for long-term caregiver positions.
Created by the Affordable Care Act, the new National Background Check Program will help identify “best practices” for long-term care providers to determine whether a job seeker has any kind of criminal history or other disqualifying information that could make him or her unsuitable to work directly with residents.
Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Missouri, and Rhode Island are the first round of states to participate in the program. An additional 11 states applied and may be funded beginning in October or November. CMS will also issue a second solicitation in October for those states that did not apply but may still do so. The new law set aside $160 million for the program, which is to run through September 2012, an amount sufficient to enable all states to participate.
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