(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, in order to determine the character, competence, and suitability of any applicant or service provider to have unsupervised access, the secretary of the department of social and health services and the secretary of the department of children, youth, and families may require a fingerprint-based background check through both the Washington state patrol and the federal bureau of investigation at any time, but shall require a fingerprint-based background check when the applicant or service provider has resided in the state less than three consecutive years before application, and:
(a) Is an applicant or service provider providing services to children or people with developmental disabilities under RCW 74.15.030;
(b) Is an individual sixteen years of age or older who: (i) Is not under the placement and care authority of the department of children, youth, and families; and (ii) resides in an applicant or service provider's home, facility, entity, agency, or business or who is authorized by the department of children, youth, and families to provide services to children under RCW 74.15.030;
(c) Is an individual who is authorized by the department of social and health services to provide services to people with developmental disabilities under RCW 74.15.030; or
(d) Is an applicant or service provider providing in-home services funded by:
(i) Medicaid personal care under RCW 74.09.520;
(ii) Community options program entry system waiver services under RCW 74.39A.030;
(iii) Chore services under RCW 74.39A.110; or
(iv) Other home and community long-term care programs, established pursuant to chapters 74.39 and 74.39A RCW, administered by the department of social and health services.
(2) Long-term care workers, as defined in RCW 74.39A.009, who are hired after January 7, 2012, are subject to background checks under RCW 74.39A.056.
(3) To satisfy the shared background check requirements provided for in RCW 43.216.270 and 43.20A.710, the department of children, youth, and families and the department of social and health services shall share federal fingerprint-based background check results as permitted under the law. The purpose of this provision is to allow both departments to fulfill their joint background check responsibility of checking any individual who may have unsupervised access to vulnerable adults, children, or juveniles. Neither department may share the federal background check results with any other state agency or person.
(4) The secretary of the department of children, youth, and families shall require a fingerprint-based background check through the Washington state patrol identification and criminal history section and the federal bureau of investigation when the department seeks to approve an applicant or service provider for a foster or adoptive placement of children in accordance with federal and state law. Fees charged by the Washington state patrol and the federal bureau of investigation for fingerprint-based background checks shall be paid by the department of children, youth, and families for applicant and service providers providing foster care as required in RCW 74.15.030.
(5) Any secure facility operated by the department of social and health services or the department of children, youth, and families under chapter 71.09 RCW shall require applicants and service providers to undergo a fingerprint-based background check through the Washington state patrol identification and criminal history section and the federal bureau of investigation.
(6) Service providers and service provider applicants, except for those long-term care workers exempted in subsection (2) of this section, who are required to complete a fingerprint-based background check may be hired for a one hundred twenty-day provisional period as allowed under law or program rules when:
(a) A fingerprint-based background check is pending; and
(b) The applicant or service provider is not disqualified based on the immediate result of the background check.
(7) Fees charged by the Washington state patrol and the federal bureau of investigation for fingerprint-based background checks shall be paid by the applicable department for applicants or service providers providing:
(a) Services to people with a developmental disability under RCW 74.15.030;
(b) In-home services funded by medicaid personal care under RCW 74.09.520;
(c) Community options program entry system waiver services under RCW 74.39A.030;
(d) Chore services under RCW 74.39A.110;
(e) Services under other home and community long-term care programs, established pursuant to chapters 74.39 and 74.39A RCW, administered by the department of social and health services or the department of children, youth, and families; and
(f) Services in, or to residents of, a secure facility under RCW 71.09.115.
(8) Service providers licensed under RCW 74.15.030 must pay fees charged by the Washington state patrol and the federal bureau of investigation for conducting fingerprint-based background checks.
(9) Department of children, youth, and families service providers licensed under RCW 74.15.030 may not pass on the cost of the background check fees to their applicants unless the individual is determined to be disqualified due to the background information.
(10) The department of social and health services and the department of children, youth, and families shall develop rules identifying the financial responsibility of service providers, applicants, and the department for paying the fees charged by law enforcement to roll, print, or scan fingerprints-based for the purpose of a Washington state patrol or federal bureau of investigation fingerprint-based background check.
(11) For purposes of this section, unless the context plainly indicates otherwise:
(a) "Applicant" means a current or prospective department of social and health services, department of children, youth, and families, or service provider employee, volunteer, student, intern, researcher, contractor, or any other individual who will or may have unsupervised access because of the nature of the work or services he or she provides. "Applicant" includes but is not limited to any individual who will or may have unsupervised access and is:
(i) Applying for a license or certification from the department of social and health services or the department of children, youth, and families;
(ii) Seeking a contract with the department of social and health services, the department of children, youth, and families, or a service provider;
(iii) Applying for employment, promotion, reallocation, or transfer;
(iv) An individual that a department of social and health services or department of children, youth, and families client or guardian of a department of social and health services or department of children, youth, and families client chooses to hire or engage to provide services to himself or herself or another vulnerable adult, juvenile, or child and who might be eligible to receive payment from the department of social and health services or the department of children, youth, and families for services rendered; or
(v) A department of social and health services or department of children, youth, and families applicant who will or may work in a department-covered position.
(b) "Authorized" means the department of social and health services or the department of children, youth, and families grants an applicant, home, or facility permission to:
(i) Conduct licensing, certification, or contracting activities;
(ii) Have unsupervised access to vulnerable adults, juveniles, and children;
(iii) Receive payments from a department of social and health services or department of children, youth, and families program; or
(iv) Work or serve in a department of social and health services or department of children, youth, and families-covered position.
(c) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of social and health services.
(d) "Secure facility" has the meaning provided in RCW 71.09.020.
(e) "Service provider" means entities, facilities, agencies, businesses, or individuals who are licensed, certified, authorized, or regulated by, receive payment from, or have contracts or agreements with the department of social and health services or the department of children, youth, and families to provide services to vulnerable adults, juveniles, or children. "Service provider" includes individuals whom a department of social and health services or department of children, youth, and families client or guardian of a department of social and health services or department of children, youth, and families client may choose to hire or engage to provide services to himself or herself or another vulnerable adult, juvenile, or child and who might be eligible to receive payment from the department of social and health services or the department of children, youth, and families for services rendered.
[ 2021 c 203 § 2; 2019 c 470 § 12; 2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 § 225; 2012 c 164 § 506; 2011 1st sp.s. c 31 § 17; 2011 c 253 § 2; 2009 c 580 § 6; 2007 c 387 § 1.]
NOTES:
Effective date—Retroactive application—2021 c 203: See notes following RCW 43.43.832.
Effective date—2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 §§ 102, 104-115, 201-227, 301-337, 401-419, 501-513, 801-803, and 805-822: See note following RCW 43.216.025.
Conflict with federal requirements—2017 3rd sp.s. c 6: See RCW 43.216.908.
Finding—Intent—Rules—Effective date—2012 c 164: See notes following RCW 18.88B.010.