About the Family Care Safety Registry
Background
The passage of House Bill 490 created the Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) and gave the Department of Health and Senior Services, in coordination with the Department of Social Services and the Department of Public Safety, the task of creating the Registry and toll-free access line by January 1, 2001. The passage of SB 48 in 2001 provided further enhancements to the FCSR.
The implementation of the FCSR helps ensure that persons who care for children, the elderly and the physically or mentally disabled can easily be screened. The law requires that every child care and elder care worker hired on or after January 1, 2001, and personal care workers hired on or after January 1, 2002 to register. NOTE: For compliance with section 660.317, RSMo., employees of licensed home health agencies or in-home services providers contracting with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services must register regardless of hire date. Families and other employers may contact the Registry to obtain a background screening at no cost using a toll-free access line, FAX or by mail.
How the Registry Works
The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) created an electronic interface between the computer systems maintained by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Department of Social Services, Department of Mental Health, and the Department of Health and Senior Services. Those wishing to hire a child care, elder-care or personal care worker may contact the Registry using a toll-free access line and obtain background screening information about a caregiver, which includes:
Workers Required to Register
A caregiver who fails to submit a completed registration form to the FCSR within 15 days of beginning employment may be guilty of a class B misdemeanor. Those required to register include employees of:
- A long-term care and residential care facility licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services and the Department of Mental Health;
- a home health agency licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services;
- in-home service providers under contract with the Department of Health and Senior Services;
- a hospice agency licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services;
- the portion of a hospital licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services that has long-term care beds;
- a licensed or license-exempt child care facility or licensed child care home regulated by the Department of Health and Senior Services;
- a child-placing agency licensed by the Department of Social Services;
- a residential care facility for children licensed or operated by the Department of Social Services or Department of Mental Health;
- a group home licensed or operated by the Department of Social Services or Department of Mental Health;
- a foster family home or foster group home licensed by the Department of Social Services or Department of Mental Health;
- a child care or elder care provider who receives state or federal funds for personal care providers who perform routine services or supports necessary for a person with a physical or mental disability to enter and maintain employment or to live independently. This includes those under contract with the Department of Mental Health, Department of Health and Senior Services or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Workers Not Required to Register
- Volunteers (those who do not receive reimbursement for their services)
- Related child care, elder care and personal care workers are not required to register. A related child care worker is defined as someone providing services to a child or children who is the child's or children's grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt or uncle, or sibling living in a residence separate from the child or children. A related elder care worker is defined as someone providing services to an elder who is the adult child, spouse, grandchild, great-grandchild or a sibling of such an elder.
- Child care workers for summer camps or voluntary associations designed primarily for recreational or educational purposes.
How to Register
A person may register two ways:
- By submitting a completed Worker Registration Form, a photocopy of their Social Security card, and a $9.00 registration fee (if applicable), paid by check or money order, to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Fee Receipts Unit, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO, 65102.
- By online registration at www.dhss.mo.gov/fcsr and clicking on the Register Online link. When registering online, payment is made by credit card. You will be charged a nonrefundable $9.00 registration fee and an additional $1.00 processing fee.
Requesting Background Information
Information may be requested in three ways:
- The FCSR maintains a toll-free number for persons to request background screenings on registered caregivers for employment purposes on Missouri data only.
- The Employer Background Screening Request form allows employers to submit an inquiry on multiple employees or prospective employees. Background screening requests for volunteers must be made by form. This form may be submitted via FAX or mail.
- Approved FCSR Internet Users may request screenings through the Internet, by clicking on Requesting a Background Screening.
Registrant Notification
The registrant will be notified in writing each time someone requests information about them from the Registry. The notification will contain the name and address of the business making the request and the background information released.
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