The Background Buzz Insider
March 7, 2011

Over 90 Percent of Nursing Homes Hire Criminals

More than 90 percent of nursing homes hired employees with criminal convictions according to a new government report released on March 2nd. Government investigators ran background checks on all workers who were employed on June 1, 2009 at 260 nursing homes across the country. The results showed 92 percent of the facilities hired at least one employee with a criminal conviction.

The report, by the Inspector General for Health and Human Services, also says that at nearly half of the nursing homes, "five or more individuals" with criminal backgrounds were hired. Investigators found seven registered sex offenders employed in five different nursing homes. Overall 43 percent of the criminal convictions were for property crimes such as "burglary, shoplifting, writing bad checks."

Forty-three states require nursing homes to conduct some kind of criminal background check. But, only ten states require both a state and FBI background check that would detect convictions in multiple states.The new Obama health care law created a national program for states to standardize federal and state background checks for nursing home employees who interact with residents, but state participation is optional. Ten states including Florida and Missouri have received federal funds to begin implementing the new program. The government picks up the cost of conducting background checks.

According to the Inspector General's report, 98 percent of the nursing homes in the new report indicated they conducted some type of criminal background check.

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20038384-10391695.html

Click Here to Read the report

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