Florida APD & CDC+ Provider Fingerprinting

https://apd.myflorida.com/background-screening/

1. Consumer Directed Care Plus (CDC+) participants/representative (the employer) selects prospective employee/ independent contractor to provide services.

2. CDC+ Employer has a good moral character form filled out and notarized for the prospective employee/independent contractor.

3. CDC+ Employer gives background screening packet to the prospective employee/independent contractor who completes the forms and then goes to an approved Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) vendor to get his fingerprints taken. The fingerprint vendor (who took the prints) is responsible for sending the results to FDLE. This must be accomplished using the CDC + ORI/OCA codes.

4. Background screening is completed by (FDLE)/Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and results are returned to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD).

5. DCF determines eligibility and emails the clearance letter to APD for Area staff to print and provide to the CDC+ Consultant.

6. CDC+ Consultant gives clearance letter to CDC+ employer to place the clearance letter, the good moral character form, and local checks if completed in the employee file for review as needed.

7. The CDC+ employer will retain a copy of the completed background screening packet in their CDC+ file as part of their employee files to be available upon request for review.

8. CDC+ employers can share copies of the clearance letter with other CDC+ employers. The new employer must ensure there has not been a break in employment of more than 90 days. Such a person must attest under penalty of perjury to not having been convicted of a disqualifying offense since completing their last screening (Good Moral Character form).

9. Effective August 2010, Florida’s background screening laws changed to require that all employees of CDC+ participants pass a level 2 background screening before they can begin working for the CDC+ participant who is their employer. A CDC+ participant may share the results of his or her employee’s background screening with another CDC+ participant in order for the other CDC+ participant to use the results as proof of the employee’s having passed the background screening. However, it is the responsibility of the CDC+ participant who receives the background screening results to make sure the employee in question was employed during that time with no break in employment longer than 90 days.

10. If it is a Provider Agency, (i.e. staffing agency for nursing services, Adult Day Training, etc.) then the letter is provided to the screened employee after the screening is completed and the Provider Agency would maintain the file for review as the CDC+ employer is subcontracting with this agency.

NOTE: The CDC+ Employee can always ask for the scheduled employee to come to the consumer’s home to bring a copy of the employee clearance letter to ensure that the Agency has conducted the employee screening and the CDC+ employee can be assured that the employee providing direct care to the consumer is compliant with the law.

Who prints and gives the clearance letter to the Consumer Directed Care Plus (CDC+) employer.

APD Area Office through CDC+ Consultant

Can and are Area offices supposed to print the clearance letter and provide it to CDC+ Employer?

The Area is to print the clearance letter and give it to the CDC+ Consultant.

Where is the Background screening system generated letter maintained?

The clearance letter is generated and maintained in the DCF Caretaker Information Screening System and emailed to the Area Office.

What system are the clearance letters generated from?

The DCF Caretaker Information Screening System

Are there System notifications when background Screening results become available? For example, does it email the Area office?

Yes

Is the Clearance Letter generated by DCF or APD in the Area for CDC+ clients?

APD, however, the DCF logo is on the Clearance Letter.

Who maintains the background screening information and good moral character form?

The CDC+ Employer

Who maintains the background screening materials if the CDC+ employer hires staff from an agency as opposed to hiring a relative?

The Provider Agency. Note: the CDC+ Employer can request that the agency employee bring a copy of the letter to the CDC+ consumer’s house prior to providing direct care services to the CDC+ consumer. This will ensure that the Agency has performed the screening on their agency employee and that the consumer is protected.

What can a provider share?

The clearance letter and any public record (FDLE) information.

Who is responsible for the cost of background screening, regardless of the outcome either leading to or denial of employment?

The prospective employee or the CDC+ employer. The CDC+ employer cannot use the CDC+ monthly budget to pay for background screenings.

What does the 5-year re-screening procedure consist of?

A level 2 background screening includes the Good Moral Character form, fingerprint submission to FDLE, and FBI screening and may include a local criminal record check through the local law enforcement agencies in the county where the employee resides.