Families face difficult decisions when selecting a person to care for a family member. One of the fears these families face is that the caregiver they hire has a history of abuse.
Governor Carnahan created a caregiver background screening service through an executive order to assist Missouri citizens in making more informed healthcare and daycare choices for family members. While this service is not intended to be a foolproof way to avoid abusive situations, the service does give families valuable information to determine if a caregiver has a history of abuse or neglect.
Background Screening Services
The State of Missouri, through various departments, offers several services that may provide background information on caregivers as seen below.
- Child Abuse and Neglect
Maintained by: The Department of Social Services
Questions: (573) 522-8024The Child Abuse/Neglect (CA/N) information is maintained by the Children's Division at the Department of Social Services. The database contains the names of individuals who have been determined, through a Department of Social Services case investigation, to be perpetrators of child abuse and/or neglect.
Child abuse and neglect findings include: physical abuse, sexual abuse or sexual maltreatment, educational neglect, medical neglect, physical neglect, or emotional maltreatment.
An individual's name will be added to the database if the Children’s Division case investigation yields a finding of preponderance of evidence, probable cause, reason to suspect, or court adjudication that abuse and/or neglect did occur.
- Child Day Care Licensing
Maintained by: The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Questions: (573) 751-2450The Office of Childhood with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education license any individual or organization providing care to more than four children who are not related to the provider. They inspect Family Child Care Homes, Group Child Care Homes, and Child Care Centers to determine their compliance with the child care licensing rules. Licensing records are open for public inspection.
- Criminal Background Checks
Maintained by: The Missouri State Highway Patrol
Questions: (573) 526-6153Criminal record background checks are available through the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Background check requests are available in two forms: 1) A personal identifier or name-based search which searches information based on the name, date of birth, and social security number of an individual; and 2) Fingerprint search.
The Comprehensive Background Check Request form only allows for name searches. For more information about fingerprint searches, please contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol at (573) 526-6153.
- Employee Disqualification List
Maintained by: The Department of Health and Senior Services
Questions: (573) 522-1119The EDL provides a listing of individuals who are prohibited from employment in long-term care facilities, health care facilities, or by providers that serve the elderly or disabled in their homes. Individuals are placed on the EDL after an investigation establishes that they have abused, neglected or exploited someone under their care.
A potential applicant who is listed on the EDL may not be hired by a licensed long-term care or residential care facility or a home health or hospice agency, and should be screened prior to being hired by an individual for private care.
- Employee Disqualification Registry (EDR)
Maintained by: The Department of Mental Health
The Employee Disqualification Registry (EDR) is a list of individuals disqualified from working with consumers receiving services from the department. Specific rules governing placement on the EDR can be found in Department Operating Regulations and Title 9 Code of State Regulations 10-5.200. The list contains the names of individuals with disqualifying charges of abuse, neglect, and/or misuse of funds who have exhausted their appeal process.
- Family Care Safety Registry
Maintained by: The Department of Health and Senior Services
Missouri's Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) was established by law to promote family and community safety. The registry helps to protect children, seniors, and people with disabilities by providing background information. Families and employers can call the registry's toll-free line to request background information on registered child care, elder care, and personal care workers or to request licensure status information on licensed child care and elder care providers. This service is intended to provide information to help families and employers make informed decisions when hiring employees to work with children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.