Oklahoma Long Term Care National Background Check Program (OK-SCREEN)

• In April of 2011, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) was awarded a grant from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of $2.6 million dollars to cover 75% of the costs for the exploration and development of a fingerprint based national background check program. In conjunction with our LTC industry partners, House Bill 2582 passed with an effective date of November 1, 2012.The law authorized staggered implementation through rulemaking.
• OSDH partnered with provider groups in the long-term care (LTC) industry, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS), and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) to review current laws and rules applicable to the background check process, industry practice, and finance models for funding a fingerprint based background check program.
• These efforts resulted in HB2582 which was introduced and passed with an effective date of November 1, 2012.
• The legislation creates statutory authority to implement a fingerprint based National Background Check for certain classes of LTC providers.
• The legislation authorizes fingerprint based background checks on all future direct patient access employees of LTC facilities and providers.
• The program will rely on a web portal for registry screening and employment eligibility status.
• Providers will have an account on the OK-SCREEN web portal.
• Authorization for fingerprinting comes after registries are reviewed from the web portal
• Providers can screen applicants on multiple registries from the web portal
• Applicants who are cleared on the registries are authorized for either fingerprinting or an immediate eligibility determination
• New hires will have a continuously monitored criminal history and will not require re-fingerprinting when changing employers within the industry
• A provider pays $19 for the initial fingerprinting or to enroll the eligible applicant as their monitored employee.
• The applicant pays $10 for fingerprinting (“one-time”)
• Disqualified applicants will be notified of their appeal rights
• The eligibility determination is based on a review of the criminal history record obtained from fingerprints and is made by the Department of Health
• Barriers to employment eligibility are established in the law. There are:
  • Screening based barriers
  • Criminal history barriers based on the employment classification
• The program went live February 1, 2014. All facilities were to be in compliance by August 1, 2014. 

• Consent and Release Form

The criminal offenses that disqualify employment and certification for nurse aides and employment for non-technical service workers are effective as of November 1, 2012. See the CNA and NTSW bulletins below addressing those items in the law.

• Employment Disqualifiers in the Long Term Care Security Act (PDF)
• Revised Barrier Offense for Nurse Aides Effective November 1, 2012 (PDF)
• Revised Barrier Offenses for Nontechnical Services Workers Effective November 1, 2012 (PDF)

The Uniform Employment Application for Nurse Aide Staff ODH Form 805 (PDF) is revised based on changes to the list of offenses that are barriers to employment.

The State of Oklahoma amended the existing contract between the Oklahoma Board of Nursing and MorphoTrust USA for the purposes of expediting the implementation of fingerprinting for the Oklahoma Long Term Care National Background Check Program. MorphoTrust USA operates fingerprint collection sites under the name IdentoGO. More sites will be added as the program develops.

What is Live Scan?

• How can I be a fingerprinting site?
• IdentoGO Fingerprinting Sites in Oklahoma [Go here for the most current list of live scan locations]
• Ink Card Fingerprinting Instructions

• Provisional Employment Form
• OK Consent and Release Form
• Employment Disqualifiers Under the LTC Security Act
• Uniform Employment Application for Nurse Aide Staff

New or Updating an Account

• Facility/Provider OK-Screen Account & User Application
• Staffing Agency OK-Screen Account & User Application

How do I update my criminal history records? 

If an employee's last name changes (i.e. marriage or divorce) can the provider update the last name in OK-SCREEN?

No, but a state user will be able to make the change.

Do CNA and nursing students need to be fingerprinted before going to clinical training?

No, the law only applies to employees to the provider.  However if they have criminal charges they should check to see if this will be a barrier to employment in Long Term Care Facilities.

How do you change the Administrator's name in OK-SCREEN?

Administrator name changes have to be processed by the licensing division. They can be reached at (405) 426-8175.

What is RAP Back?

This refers to a RAP Sheet or Record of Arrest and Prosecution and the OK-SCREEN office’s use of electronic criminal history monitoring. For applicants fingerprinted under this program, the OSBI will report to the OK-SCREEN office if an arrest is made after the background check was completed. A potentially disqualifying arrest is monitored for conviction and the employer notified of revoked eligibility if convicted for disqualifying offense. Employers are required to annually update an employee’s status in OK-SCREEN. Employee’s not continuously employed may be dis-enrolled form OK-SCREEN and the Rap-Back program.

How often does a person have to be fingerprinted?

Once, so long as they do not have an extended gap in their employment record in OK-SCREEN. If the OSBI requests confirmation of employment on a person no longer employed in OK-SCREEN they are dis-enrolled and will require fingerprinting at their next application.

Can an applicant under the age of 18 be fingerprinted?

Yes. While a juvenile’s records are sealed, if the juvenile was adjudicated as an adult for any former offense those records would be available to the Department for review. In addition, the juvenile will be enrolled in electronic criminal history monitoring for any potential future offense  in which they are adjudicated as an adult or after reaching the age of 18.

What do "Background Check Started" and Applicant Data Sent" mean? 

Background Check Started means that the application is submitted.

Applicant Data Sent means that they went to the MorhpoTrust site and got far enough through the process to have them call our web service to validate the applicant for an appointment. ( In practical terms, it means that the appointment was created with MorhpoTrust )

The Board of Health approved rules establishing the effective dates for fingerprinting. The Governor approved the rules January 6, 2014, with an effective date of February 1, 2014. See the adopted rule below. Staggered effective dates for fingerprinting begin February 1, 2014. 

• HB2582 Signed Legislation
• HB2582 Legislation Summary
• HB2582 Legislation Benefits
• HB2582 Talking Points
• Chapter 2, Procedures of the Oklahoma State Department of Health, January 6, 2014
• Criminal History Background Check on Employees, Applicants, Contractors, etc. - Employment Screening
• Criminal History Background Checks for Employees - Exemptions

 OK-Screen Training Manual (PDF) 

The Oklahoma Screening and Registry Employee Evaluation Network (OKSCREEN) is the Department’s Web Portal created for providers for the purpose of applicant screening, obtaining authorizations for fingerprinting and determinations of employment eligibility. The following is a PowerPoint demonstration and user manual for your review. If you have observations or feedback on the emerging design please submit those comments to okscreen@health.ok.gov.

Payment through the OK-SCREEN Portal: Payment options in OK-SCREEN are instant credit/debit card, 30 day batch payment via credit/debit card, and E-check.