Background check grant awarded to Kentucky

background checks on those who care for the disabled and the elderly. At Carmel Home in Owensboro residents get continuous care and administrators say they’re picky when it comes to hiring. “With new employees we are mandated to do a background check. We do one on the local level and also on the state level,” Sister M. Francis Teresa says. However, a study showed that92% of nursing homes across the nation employ at least one individual with a criminal background. “I don’t know of any facilities that do continuous background checks on employees when hired. I mean we could tell if someone gets their name in the paper but normally we would not know if an employee has committed a crime,” Sister Teresa says. A significant benefit of this grant means that employers will be able to run continuous background checks on staff, rather than just performing one pre-employment background screening. Furthermore, anyone seeking work in nursing, personal care homes, assisted living and residential centers for adults with mental disabilities will undergo these checks. Previously, the cost of such screening means that there has always been a backlog of background checks – with this sort of funding, the checks can be done in a prompt and appropriate manner. The state has not yet announced when the new system will take effect, but Kentucky is certainly leading by example, and we look forward to seeing more states receive similar grants funding to ensure the safety and security of our most vulnerable citizens.]]>