Categories: New York State
04.12.2020
In response to increasing concerns regarding staffing shortages related to COVID-19, the background check process required of authorized OMH programs has been temporarily modified. OMH posted guidance that outlines the following:
- Any current employee of OMH or an OMH licensed, funded, or approved program; an Office of Addiction Services and Supports certified, funded or authorized programs; an Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), or OPWDD approved providers; or Office of Children and Family Services operated, licensed or certified programs who has already completed a background check, is eligible to be employed in an OMH Authorized Program without the need to perform a new Criminal Background Check (CBC), Staff Exclusion List (SEL) check, or Statewide Central Register (SCR) check.
- New employees who have not gone through a background check are eligible to work unsupervised, as long as such individual does not appear on the SEL and has completed the OMH Executive Order 202.13 Criminal History Information Attestation form; provided, however, that the program should limit the unsupervised contact of such employee to the extent practicable.
- An appointment for fingerprinting shall be scheduled at the time the prospective employee fills out the hiring paperwork, with the scheduled appointment occurring no later than 5 business days after the prospective employee’s first scheduled day of work. Where efforts to secure an appointment within such time period cannot be made, the Authorized Program should contact the OMH contact person at cbc@omh.ny.gov for assistance in securing such appointment, as soon as practicable.
Please see the OMH guidance for more details and instruction.