Consumer Directed Care Plus (CDC+) is a Medicaid program in Florida that gives the consumer the opportunity to hire workers and vendors to help with daily needs such as housecleaning, cooking and getting dressed. Even  family members or friends maybe be consumers’ paid workers.The CDC+ program is operated by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs with the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Families as partners.

Currently, Florida has one of the largest vulnerable populations in the country with over 17% of the state’s citizens over the age of 65, and many children and disabled adults and— DOEA provides some form of services to approximately 62,400 individuals age 60 and over. Enormous amount of cases when Florida senior and disabled adults have been beaten, neglected, and robbed by caregivers with criminal records pushed legislators to pass the Bill HB 7069  which became effective on August 1, 2010.  And here are the changes in DOEA’s policies as the reflection of bill’s enactment:

•HB 7069 rewrote requirements for background screening of persons and businesses that deal primarily with vulnerable populations.

•HB 7069 increased all level I screenings to Level II for persons working with vulnerable populations such as the elderly, disabled adults and those with brain and spinal cord injuries.

•HB 7069 requires all Level II fingerprints to be submitted electronically by August 1, 2012.  However, DOEA is being proactive and is meeting this requirement  effective  August 1, 2010.

•Another thing HB 7069 did was add a number of serious crimes to the list of disqualifying offenses.  In other words, persons committing serious crimes that were previously not considered disqualifying offenses, now will be unable to be a CDC+ employee or a representative if they’ve committed a number of additional disqualifying offenses.

•Requires all fingerprints to be submitted electronically by August 1, 2012 for Level 2 Background Screening both with FDLE and FBI

•HB 7069 authorized agencies to request retention of fingerprints by FDLE.

•Each agency will review  and approve/deny their own exemption requests – this means that DOEA, DCF, AHCA, and DOH will be responsible for Level II screening, and if applicable, exemption reviews, for CDC+ clients served through their respective agencies

•—Level II Fingerprint-based search of FDLE and FBI databases for STATE and NATIONAL criminal arrest records becomes a standard.Level II screens offer a greater level of protection for the vulnerable people.

•Applicants will take fingerprints through the use of “livescan” device that digitally takes their fingerprints – so there is no ink used as with regular fingerprinting.  The prints are then securely submitted to FDLE and then forwarded to the FBI for a NATIONAL check. The results from both the FDLE and FBI are sent to the agency within 2 or 3 days.

—•FDLE maintains a list of authorized Livescan service providers on their Web site

—•DOEA – Application for Exemption. In order for an applicant to be eligible to apply for an exemption they must meet the eligibility requirements which are:

-For disqualifying felonies, at least three years must have passed since release from confinement, supervision, or sanction prior to applying for the exemption.

-For juvenile delinquency offenses that would be felonies if committed by an adult, for which the record has not been sealed or expunged, at least three years must have passed since release from confinement, supervision, or sanction.

-For offenses that were felonies when committed but are now misdemeanors, you must have been released from confinement, supervision, or sanction prior .

-For disqualifying misdemeanors, you must have been released from confinement, supervision, or sanction.

—•DOEA Background Screen Exemption Review Committee meets and reviews all applications for  exemption from disqualification

-The Exemption Review Committee will be comprised of 2 CDC+ staff members and an attorney from the DOEA General Counsel’s office.

-The committee will review the initial report prepared by the Background Screen Coordinator.

-The committee may have a telephone conference with the applicant if they have questions or require additional information

-The committee will vote on the application and a unanimous recommendation will be prepared for the DOEA Secretary, the Secretary will either approve the application or deny it.  The Secretary’s decision is final.

For readers convenience we are posting the CDC+ program background screening and exemptions forms for download:

Download: Background Screening Appointment Form for the CDC+ Program within DOEA

Download: DOEA Affidavit of Good Moral Character

Download: DOEA Providers Attestation Form

Download:

CDC+ Application for Exemption from Disqualification Page 1

CDC+ Application for Exemption from Disqualification Page 2

CDC+ Application for Exemption from Disqualification Page 3

CDC+ Application for Exemption from Disqualification Page 4

CDC+ Application for Exemption from Disqualification Page 5

In order to get fingerprinted as part of DOEA’s CDC Plus program requirement please contact IDENTICO LLC today. We are FDLE approved Live Scan vendor, and we electronically transmit your fingerprints for FBI Level 2 Background Check so DOEA  gets the results of screening in as less as 72 hours. The cost of screening is $62. Visit our official website www.myidentico.com or call us today (954) 239-8590 or toll free (888) 988-8969.

We have an open door policy at our office located at 3948 Pembroke Road, Suite E, Pembroke Park, FL, 33021, however if you would like to schedule an appointment at certain time, please visit http://www.myidentico.com/hitappoint/ and we’ll serve you first regardless of any wait line.

Sincerely,

The team of IDENTICO LLC