Caregiver Background Check Policy

The current Wisconsin Caregiver Law prohibits all entities regulated, licensed, or certified by or registered with the Department of Health and Family Services under chapters 48 and 50 of the Wisconsin Statutes from employing or contracting with any individual who has been convicted of certain crimes. To ensure compliance with this restriction, affected entities must have on file the results of caregiver background check (CBC) for all current and prospective employees and contractors who provide direct care or who have access to clients or patients in that facility. To facilitate placement and allow maximum opportunities for student placement, UW-Green Bay will conduct a caregiver background check on students and supervising faculty/staff when required for placement in a facility. All students and faculty/staff requiring a CBC as a UW-Green Bay program or course requirement must complete the process through UW-Green Bay. CBC s completed at other facilities may not be accepted as a substitute for this process. A CBC is valid for 4 years. Students and faculty/staff must repeat the caregiver background check process when required if studies or employment extend beyond 4 years.

Units affected by this policy will:

1. Inform all current and prospective students that they may be subject to a caregiver background check, the results of which may affect their eligibility for placement in required internships, clinical education or field placement program. Units will determine at what point a caregiver background check will be done. Units will notify current students in program about the caregiver background check requirements by letter. If pre-program course work may require placement into a regulated entity, students will be notified of the caregiver background check requirement in a letter sent to each registered student. If caregiver background check will not be needed until acceptance into a program, students will be notified of the requirement with program application material.
2. Include a provision in all application materials notifying students that acceptance into the program does not guarantee placement in a required internship, nor does it guarantee licensure.
3. Contact Public Safety to coordinate the implementation of the CBC process.
4. Affected students, faculty and staff must complete the Background Information Form (BIDS). Return it to the respective office or program coordinator. Verify information by comparing information on BID with the either your records on the person or an ID.
5. Review each BID for any AYES@ answers in Sections A, B, or C. If there are any "YES" answers, units shall obtain any additional information that is required because of the yes answer. Examples:
   • section B.3. they need to provide a copy of their DD214
   • section B.4. they need each state and dates lived there
6. Each student, faculty or staff shall complete the WI Dept. of Justice Criminal History Individual Name Record Request Form and return it to the respective office or program coordinator. Forms will be provided to units by Public Safety upon request
7. Each student, faculty or staff person must complete and sign a waiver agreeing to the release of necessary information to those agencies in possession of information to the student’s, faculty’s or staff’s criminal history. The waiver shall provide for the person’s consent to the subsequent release of this information to the potential placement facility (s). The waiver should be signed prior to completing BID form. Return the BID to the respective office or program coordinator.
8. The student must complete a check made out to UW-Green Bay. Contact Public Safety to find out the cost. Attach the check to the above mentioned forms.
9. The unit shall forward the following to Public Safety.
   1. Waiver / release of necessary information – completed and signed;
   2. Background Information Form (BIDS);
   3. Criminal History Individual Name Record Request Form;
   4. Check made out to UW-Green Bay.
10. Maintain the files of completed caregiver background checks.
11. Allow six (6) weeks for the request and review process.
12. Coordinate with each facility what CBC information they require.
13. Upon Facility request, units shall arrange to provide the Facility with a copy of a completed CBC for each student scheduled to provide services at the Facility. In addition, upon Facility request, the Department will provide Facility with access to the information that results from a student's caregiver background check.
14. The licensed facility shall make the final determination as to whether a person is acceptable for placement in their facility.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Upon receipt of the completed CBC packet of information Public Safety will:

1. Request the Criminal History Background Check from the WI Department of Justice, WI Department of Health and Family Services, and any other state if applicable.
2. Process the results of the report and conduct any further investigation of any individuals identified with Records.
3. Run a Driver’s License Check on each individual, if applicable.
4. Provide a report on results of caregiver background checks to requesting units. Report will include a list of applicants with no records and a list of applicants with records.
5. The licensed facility shall make the final determination as to whether a person is acceptable for placement in the facility under the Wisconsin Caregiver Law.