2005 Washington Revised Code RCW 43.43.832: Background checks — Disclosure of information — Sharing of criminal background information by health care facilities.

(1) The legislature finds that businesses and organizations providing services to children, developmentally disabled persons, and vulnerable adults need adequate information to determine which employees or licensees to hire or engage. The legislature further finds that many developmentally disabled individuals and vulnerable adults desire to hire their own employees directly and also need adequate information to determine which employees or licensees to hire or engage. Therefore, the Washington state patrol identification and criminal history section shall disclose, upon the request of a business or organization as defined in RCW 43.43.830, a developmentally disabled person, or a vulnerable adult as defined in RCW 43.43.830 or his or her guardian, an applicant's record for convictions as defined in chapter 10.97 RCW.

(2) The legislature also finds that the Washington professional educator standards board may request of the Washington state patrol criminal identification system information regarding a certificate applicant's record for convictions under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The legislature also finds that law enforcement agencies, the office of the attorney general, prosecuting authorities, and the department of social and health services may request this same information to aid in the investigation and prosecution of child, developmentally disabled person, and vulnerable adult abuse cases and to protect children and adults from further incidents of abuse.

(4) The legislature further finds that the secretary of the department of social and health services must establish rules and set standards to require specific action when considering the information listed in subsection (1) of this section, and when considering additional information including but not limited to civil adjudication proceedings as defined in RCW 43.43.830 and any out-of-state equivalent, in the following circumstances:

(a) When considering persons for state employment in positions directly responsible for the supervision, care, or treatment of children, vulnerable adults, or individuals with mental illness or developmental disabilities;

(b) When considering persons for state positions involving unsupervised access to vulnerable adults to conduct comprehensive assessments, financial eligibility determinations, licensing and certification activities, investigations, surveys, or case management; or for state positions otherwise required by federal law to meet employment standards;

(c) When licensing agencies or facilities with individuals in positions directly responsible for the care, supervision, or treatment of children, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults, including but not limited to agencies or facilities licensed under chapter 74.15 or 18.51 RCW;

(d) When contracting with individuals or businesses or organizations for the care, supervision, case management, or treatment of children, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults, including but not limited to services contracted for under chapter 18.20, *18.48, 70.127, 70.128, 72.36, or 74.39A RCW or Title 71A RCW;

(e) When individual providers are paid by the state or providers are paid by home care agencies to provide in-home services involving unsupervised access to persons with physical, mental, or developmental disabilities or mental illness, or to vulnerable adults as defined in chapter 74.34 RCW, including but not limited to services provided under chapter 74.39 or 74.39A RCW.

(5) Whenever a state conviction record check is required by state law, persons may be employed or engaged as volunteers or independent contractors on a conditional basis pending completion of the state background investigation. Whenever a national criminal record check through the federal bureau of investigation is required by state law, a person may be employed or engaged as a volunteer or independent contractor on a conditional basis pending completion of the national check. The Washington personnel resources board shall adopt rules to accomplish the purposes of this subsection as it applies to state employees.

(6)(a) For purposes of facilitating timely access to criminal background information and to reasonably minimize the number of requests made under this section, recognizing that certain health care providers change employment frequently, health care facilities may, upon request from another health care facility, share copies of completed criminal background inquiry information.

(b) Completed criminal background inquiry information may be shared by a willing health care facility only if the following conditions are satisfied: The licensed health care facility sharing the criminal background inquiry information is reasonably known to be the person's most recent employer, no more than twelve months has elapsed from the date the person was last employed at a licensed health care facility to the date of their current employment application, and the criminal background information is no more than two years old.

(c) If criminal background inquiry information is shared, the health care facility employing the subject of the inquiry must require the applicant to sign a disclosure statement indicating that there has been no conviction or finding as described in RCW 43.43.842 since the completion date of the most recent criminal background inquiry.

(d) Any health care facility that knows or has reason to believe that an applicant has or may have a disqualifying conviction or finding as described in RCW 43.43.842, subsequent to the completion date of their most recent criminal background inquiry, shall be prohibited from relying on the applicant's previous employer's criminal background inquiry information. A new criminal background inquiry shall be requested pursuant to RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.842.

(e) Health care facilities that share criminal background inquiry information shall be immune from any claim of defamation, invasion of privacy, negligence, or any other claim in connection with any dissemination of this information in accordance with this subsection.

(f) Health care facilities shall transmit and receive the criminal background inquiry information in a manner that reasonably protects the subject's rights to privacy and confidentiality.

(g) For the purposes of this subsection, "health care facility" means a nursing home licensed under chapter 18.51 RCW, a boarding home licensed under chapter 18.20 RCW, or an adult family home licensed under chapter 70.128 RCW.

(7) If a federal bureau of investigation check is required in addition to the state background check by the department of social and health services, an applicant who is not disqualified based on the results of the state background check shall be eligible for a one hundred twenty day provisional approval to hire, pending the outcome of the federal bureau of investigation check. The department may extend the provisional approval until receipt of the federal bureau of investigation check. If the federal bureau of investigation check disqualifies an applicant, the department shall notify the requestor that the provisional approval to hire is withdrawn and the applicant may be terminated.

[2006 c 263 § 826; 2005 c 421 § 2; 2000 c 87 § 1; 1997 c 392 § 524; 1995 c 250 § 2; 1993 c 281 § 51; 1990 c 3 § 1102. Prior: 1989 c 334 § 2; 1989 c 90 § 2; 1987 c 486 § 2.]

*Reviser's note: Chapter 18.48 RCW was repealed in its entirety by 2002 c 223 § 2.      Findings -- Purpose -- Part headings not law -- 2006 c 263: See notes following RCW 28A.150.230.      Short title--Findings -- Construction--Conflict with federal requirements--Part headings and captions not law--1997 c 392: See notes following RCW 74.39A.009.      Effective date -- 1993 c 281: See note following RCW 41.06.022.      Index, part headings not law -- Severability -- Effective dates -- Application -- 1990 c 3: See RCW 18.155.900 through 18.155.902.