Background screening
Attendants work alone, in private homes, with adults who may not be able to protect themselves. Screening is the program’s main structural safeguard against that being exploited, and it is not negotiable.
The Family Care Safety Registry
Missouri operates the Family Care Safety Registry (RSMo 210.900 to 210.936), administered by the Department of Health and Senior Services. It is a central registration and background screening system for people who work with children, the elderly and people with disabilities.
Registration and screening through the Registry is part of becoming an attendant. It pulls together criminal history and the state’s abuse and neglect records into a single check that employers can rely on.
What is checked
- Criminal history.
- Child abuse and neglect records.
- Adult abuse and neglect records, including the Employee Disqualification List maintained by DHSS.
- Identity and work authorization, verified separately as part of employment.
Screening requirements are set by the state and change from time to time. We will tell you precisely what applies when you apply. We will not place anyone in a home before required clearances are complete.
What disqualifies someone
Not every record is a bar. Offences involving violence, abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable people are treated most seriously, as are findings on the Employee Disqualification List. Other records may not prevent employment at all, depending on what they are and how long ago they occurred.
Disclose up front. A record you tell us about is a conversation about context. A record we discover after you told us there was nothing ends the application — not because of the offence, but because of the answer.
What consumers should know
You choose your attendant, including when that person is your own relative. Screening still applies. If someone you want to hire cannot be cleared, we will tell you that they cannot be employed — we will not tell you what is on their record, because that is their information, not yours.
If you have concerns about someone already working in your home, call us. If you believe you are being harmed, call the Missouri Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-392-0210. More on reporting →
Rescreening
Clearance is not permanent. Attendants may be rescreened periodically, and an attendant is obliged to tell us promptly if they are charged with or convicted of an offence while employed. Failing to report it is itself grounds for termination.
Questions about screening? Ask before you apply.
Call (314) 809-6655 for a free consultation, or text (314) 886-5902. We serve St. Louis City, St. Louis County and Missouri communities within about 40 miles of our office.