Federal Background Check Pilot Program

Background

The Federal Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 created a pilot program to test whether establishing federal fingerprint-based background checks can reduce the incidence of abuse, neglect and misappropriation of resident funds. The pilot also studied the new policy's affordability, feasibility and effectiveness relative to alternative strategies for abuse and neglect prevention training.

Background Check Pilot Entities and Counties:

Wisconsin's pilot required long term care entities (nursing homes, long-term care hospitals, intermediate care facilities for persons with mental retardation, hospices, home health agencies, community based residential facilities housing more than 9 persons, personal care worker agencies) to conduct fingerprint-based federal background checks in four counties:

• Dane from March 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007
• Kenosha from March 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007
• La Crosse from February 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007
• Shawano from March 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007

Affected providers followed a seven step Pilot Background Check Process.

Background Check Pilot Overview & Evaluation Information:

• Wisconsin Federal Background Check Pilot Program (PDF, 31 KB)

• WI Caregiver Background Check Pilot Executive Summary (PDF, 48 KB)
• WI Background Check Pilot Program Final Report (PDF, 228 KB)
• WI Abuse Prevention Training Program Final Report (PDF, 666 KB)
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Background Check Pilot Program (exit DHS) 

Background Check Pilot Questions and Answers:

• Wisconsin Federal Background Check Pilot Question and Answer - Answers most common questions asked about pilot

Background Check Pilot Training and Materials:

• Wisconsin Federal Background Check Technical Training (PDF, 619 KB) 

• Pilot Background Check Process

• Links and Resources

Background Check Pilot Hiring Data:

• Spreadsheets with hiring data for caregivers covered by pilot

Contact:

Shari Busse
Director, Office of Caregiver Quality
Shari.Busse@dhs.wisconsin.gov
(608) 264-9876
(608) 264-6340 fax

Abuse and Neglect Prevention Training:

• The Wisconsin Caregiver Project (exit DHS)

Contacts for Questions:

Jan Navis
Training Coordinator
Jan.Navis@dhs.wisconsin.gov
(608) 264-6748
(608) 264-6340 fax

PDF: The free Acrobat Reader^® software is needed to view and print portable document format (PDF) files. Learn more.

Last Revised: March 30, 2011