Guidelines for Screening Care Providers

• NCJ Number: 175086
• Author(s): Kay McKinney
• Date Published: February 1999
• Length: 2 pages
• Agencies: OJJDP

Annotation

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has published guidelines for the screening of care providers who work with children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities; the publication recommends a three-step approach to determine the level of screening to use for specific situations.

Abstract

Screening can include criminal background checks, psychological testing, and drug testing. The guidelines do not recommend requiring criminal background checks for all care providers. Instead, they emphasize the importance of tailoring screening procedures to meet the particular needs of each client. The first step is to assess the setting in which the care is provided, the amount of contact an employee or volunteer will have with the individual receiving care, and the vulnerability of the individual receiving care. The second step is to assess the diverse contingencies that could affect screening decisions. The third step is to analyze and select the appropriate level of screening. Appropriate screening methods can reduce the incidence of abuse by care providers, but they cannot guarantee that persons who pass through screening will not abuse those in their care. Relatives and friends of individuals receiving care and organizations and agencies responsible for monitoring care providers also have a role in preventing and recognizing abuse. Information on how to obtain the guidelines