Creation of background check system will help keep elderly, disabled safe

WASHINGTON – Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers is the lead Republican cosponsor of legislation to prevent violent offenders from working in long-term care facilities with elderly people with disabilities. The Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act (H.R. 2223) will establish a national criminal background check program. It expands on a successful three-year pilot program in Michigan and six other states, which prevented over 7,200 applicants with a criminal history of violence or abuse from working in long-term care facilities. The bi-partisan bill was introduced by Ehlers and Rep. Joe Sestak (PA-07).

      “Far too many vulnerable adults are harmed in long-term care facilities by people with records of abuse, and our current system of background checks is insufficient in preventing it from happening,” said Congressman Ehlers. “In Michigan, the pilot program proved very successful. This bill will expand that program to ensure that appropriate background checks happen before violent offenders end up working with adults in long-term care, and it will provide safety and peace-of-mind to people staying in these facilities, and their families.”

      The legislation will create a comprehensive nationwide system for national and state criminal background checks for applicants who would be in direct contact with patients in long-term care facilities. The current system of background checks in each state is inconsistent and often fails to detect offenders who frequently change states or jobs. The new system would coordinate state criminal background checks, and would screen applicants against the FBI’s national database.

      The bill has been referred to the House Committees on Ways & Means, and Energy & Commerce, for consideration.