INDUSTRY NEWS
FINGERPRINT CHECKS WILL SOON BE REQUIRED FOR SOUTH DAKOTA IN-HOME PROVIDERS
The Department of Health Service (DHS) will soon require a fingerprint background check for all employees hired to work in the homes of consumers.
The DHS has not released detailed information regarding this regulation, however, the Department advises employers to review their respective criminal background check policies.
Specifically, in-home health providers will be required to have fingerprinting policies in place for new and current employees. Policies for new employees must be implemented by July 2019 and policies for current employees must be implemented by January 2020. An "in-home provider" might include those "entering the homes of consumers."
Providers may find additional fingerprinting guidance from the DHS Long Term Services and Support (LTSS) Electronic Visit Verification Questions and Answers document:
Following an onsite review last fall, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recommended that South Dakota establish fingerprint background checks for providers that enter the homes of consumers. Currently, providers must conduct a background check to screen for abuse, neglect, and exploitation for all employees hired to work in homes of consumers. Based on CMS' recommendation, LTSS is requiring providers to develop a policy to implement fingerprint background checks for all employees hired to work in the homes of consumers.The policy must be readily available upon request.
Please click here for a full copy of the LTSS document.