Journal article
Employee Background Check Policies in Long-Term Care Facilities in the United States
The Gerontologist, Vol.66(4), gnaf306
04/2026
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnaf306
PMCID: PMC13017305
PMID: 41390962
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
Employee background checks can help protect older adults in long-term care facilities. The National Background Check Program (NBCP) offers federal support to strengthen employee background check systems. Yet, regulations on provider requirements, disqualifying offenses, and administrative processes differ across states. We examine differences between NBCP (N = 27) and non-NBCP (N = 23) states across three domains: (1) types of LTC providers required to conduct background checks (2) disqualifying offenses considered by each state, and (3) processes used to administer background checks. We also assess regulatory changes across these domains from 2005 to 2024 across all 50 states.
We conducted policy surveillance of state regulations on employee background check programs applicable to individuals seeking work at long-term care facilities. Our sample includes all 50 states, with 27 receiving an NBCP grant. We assess current regulations across three policy domains and review how these regulations have evolved since 2005, when the NBCP pilot program was initiated.
NBCP states have expanded background check regulations to include a broader range of long-term care providers and disqualifying offenses following the grant. However, minimal differences were observed between the two groups in background check processes such as fingerprinting and registry reviews.
While many NBCP states have adopted measures like disqualifying offenses and RAP back systems, their overall impact on hiring practices, F-tags and quality of care remains uncertain.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Employee Background Check Policies in Long-Term Care Facilities in the United States
- Creators
- Gulrukh Mehboob - University of IowaBrian Kaskie - University of IowaHari Sharma - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Gerontologist, Vol.66(4), gnaf306
- DOI
- 10.1093/geront/gnaf306
- PMID
- 41390962
- PMCID
- PMC13017305
- NLM abbreviation
- Gerontologist
- ISSN
- 1758-5341
- eISSN
- 1758-5341
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Grant note
- National Institute of Aging: R21AG082047 National Institutes of Health
This work was supported by the National Institute of Aging (R21AG082047). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 12/14/2025
- Date published
- 04/2026
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy
- Record Identifier
- 9985090588002771
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