The bill seeks to enhance the background check process for home care workers in Washington State by revising existing laws governing the screening of long-term care workers. It stipulates that the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) cannot automatically disqualify individuals from working with vulnerable adults or children based solely on certain criminal convictions if a specified period has passed since the conviction, with defined timeframes for various offenses. Notably, the bill clarifies that these provisions do not apply to background checks for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families or certain department employees. Additionally, it introduces new requirements for character, competence, and suitability reviews, allowing employers to avoid redundant checks for individuals previously reviewed for nonautomatically disqualifying convictions.

Moreover, the bill establishes a state registry for long-term care workers with substantiated abuse or neglect findings, enhancing transparency and safety for vulnerable populations. It also expands the definition of individuals subject to background checks to include contractors with unsupervised access to vulnerable adults. A new term, "Review required result," is introduced to describe background check outcomes that require further evaluation of an individual's suitability for working with vulnerable populations. The bill mandates the department to adopt rules for implementing these changes, including guidelines for conducting background checks for individual providers and home care agency providers, ensuring the protection of vulnerable adults in care settings.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 43.20A.715, 74.39A.056
Substitute Bill: 43.20A.715, 74.39A.056
Engrossed Substitute: 43.20A.715, 74.39A.056
Bill as Passed Legislature: 43.20A.715, 74.39A.056