Before someone enters an adult care home, background checks are required for:
- Operators and anyone who owns a five percent or more direct or indirect interest in the care home
- Staff, volunteers, contractors and temp workers
- Family members who live in the care home
- Visitors
This rule only applies to people 16 years old or older.
Residents and their visitors are not required to have background checks. Additionally, background checks are not required for people employed by a private business that provides services to residents.
How to Submit Background Checks, Caregiver Applications and Payments
Bring the Background Check (285.83 KB) or Caregiver Application and Background Check (308.27 KB) in person to the ACHP office. Also remember to bring your current photo ID and fee.
Renewal background checks and applications can be emailed to advsd.adult.carehomeprogram@multco.us or faxed to 503-988-5722 . Include a copy of current photo ID, front and back. Pay fees over the phone via credit card at 503-988-3000. If your background check has expired, you must resubmit it in person.
Remember, if a resident from a different population moves into a care home, caregivers must complete a new Caregiver Application and Background Check (308.27 KB) for the new population.
Background checks should not be sent to licensers. They need to be processed by the ACHP business services team.
Background Check Questions
After you submit a caregiver application or background check request, you will receive an email from bcu.orchards@dhsoha.state.or.us with a link to complete the disclosures and authorization portion of the background check.
When you click on this link, be prepared to answer these questions. If you do not provide all relevant information, your background check request may be denied.
- Have you been outside of Oregon for more than 60 days in a row during the past five years? If yes, provide dates, locations and names used at that location.
- Have you ever been charged, arrested, adjudicated or convicted of a crime? If yes, list all charges, arrests, adjudications or convictions and the outcome, regardless of how long ago.
- Have you ever been named as a perpetrator of abuse, or had a founded or substantiated report of abuse or neglect of an adult?
Operators Can Process Background Checks
Care home operators have the option to become certified to process their staff’s background checks. First an operator must become a qualified entity designee. Request training material from the Oregon Background Check Unit training coordinator at 503-378-5470 or bcu.info@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
As a qualified entity designee, operators can only process background checks for their own staff. They cannot process background checks for operators.
If an operator submits a background check for a staff member, and the Oregon Background Check Unit notifies them about a negative outcome – such as denial, or approval with restrictions – they must notify the ACHP in writing within 24 hours.
Caregivers and resident managers are still required to submit an application to the ACHP. If an operator processed their background check, attach a copy of the Oregon Background Check Unit approval letter to the application before submitting it. Remember, staff cannot work in a care home without ACHP approval.
