(a) (1) The State Department of Public Health, prior to issuing a new license, shall obtain a criminal record clearance for the administrator, program director, and fiscal officer of the proposed adult day health care center. The department shall obtain the criminal record clearances each time these positions are to be filled. When the conditions set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 1265.5, subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1338.5, and paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1736.6 are met, the licensing and certification program shall issue an All Facilities Letter (AFL) informing facility licensees. After the AFL is issued, facilities shall not allow newly hired administrators, program directors, and fiscal officers to have direct contact with clients or residents of the facility prior to completion of the criminal record clearance. A criminal record clearance shall be complete when the department has obtained the person’s criminal offender record information search response from the Department of Justice and has determined that the person is not disqualified from engaging in the activity for which clearance is required.

(2) The criminal record clearance shall require the administrator, program director, and fiscal officer to submit electronic fingerprint images to the Department of Justice.

(3) An applicant and any other person specified in this subdivision, as part of the background clearance process, shall provide information as to whether or not the person has any prior criminal convictions, has had any arrests within the past 12-month period, or has any active arrests, and shall certify that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the information provided is true. This requirement is not intended to duplicate existing requirements for individuals who are required to submit fingerprint images as part of a criminal background clearance process. Every applicant shall provide information on any prior administrative action taken against him or her by any federal, state, or local government agency and shall certify that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the information provided is true. An applicant or other person required to provide information pursuant to this section that knowingly or willfully makes false statements, representations, or omissions may be subject to administrative action, including, but not limited to, denial of his or her application or exemption or revocation of any exemption previously granted.

(b) A past conviction of any crime, especially any crime involving misuse of funds or involving physical abuse shall, in the discretion of the department, be grounds for denial of the license, and shall be grounds to prohibit the person from providing services in an adult day health care center.

(c) Suspension of the applicant from the Medi-Cal program or prior violations of statutory provisions or regulations relating to licensure of a health facility, community care facility, or clinic shall also be grounds for a denial of licensure, where determined by the state department to indicate a substantial probability that the applicant will not comply with this chapter and regulations adopted hereunder.

(d) No applicant which is licensed as a health facility, community care facility, or clinic may be issued a license for an adult day health care center while there exists a subsisting, uncorrected violation of the statutes or regulations relating to such licensure.

(e) The department shall develop procedures to ensure that any licensee, direct care staff, or certificate holder for whom a criminal record has been obtained pursuant to this section or Section 1265.5 or 1736 shall not be required to obtain multiple criminal record clearances.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may provide an individual with a copy of his or her state or federal level criminal offender record information search response as provided to that department by the Department of Justice if the department has denied a criminal background clearance based on this information and the individual makes a written request to the department for a copy specifying an address to which it is to be sent. The state or federal level criminal offender record information search response shall not be modified or altered from its form or content as provided by the Department of Justice and shall be provided to the address specified by the individual in his or her written request. The department shall retain a copy of the individual’s written request and the response and date provided.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 483, Sec. 17. Effective January 1, 2008.)