New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 8 - SOCIAL SERVICES
Chapter 370 - OVERSIGHT OF LICENSED HEALTHCARE FACILITIES AND COMMUNITY BASED WAIVER PROGRAMS
Part 5 - CAREGIVERS CRIMINAL HISTORY SCREENING REQUIREMENTS
Section 8.370.5.8 - CAREGIVER AND HOSPITAL CAREGIVER EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Universal Citation: 8 NM Admin Code 8.370.5.8

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024

A. General: The responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the act applies to both the care provider and to all applicants, caregivers and hospital caregivers. All applicants for employment to whom an offer of employment is made or caregivers and hospital caregivers employed by or contracted to a care provider must consent to a nationwide and statewide criminal history screening, as described in Subsections D, E and F of this section, upon offer of employment or at the time of entering into a contractual relationship with the care provider. Care providers shall submit all fees and pertinent application information for all applicants, caregivers or hospital caregivers as described in Subsections D, E and F of this section. Pursuant to Section 29-17-5 NMSA 1978 (amended) of the act, a care provider's failure to comply is grounds for the state agency having enforcement authority with respect to the care provider to impose appropriate administrative sanctions and penalties.

B. Exception: A caregiver or hospital caregiver applying for employment or contracting services with a care provider within 12 months of the caregiver's or hospital caregiver's most recent nationwide criminal history screening which list no disqualifying convictions shall only apply for a statewide criminal history screening upon offer of employment or at the time of entering into a contractual relationship with the care provider. At the discretion of the care provider a nationwide criminal history screening, additional to the required statewide criminal history screening, may be requested.

C. Conditional employment: Applicants, caregivers, and hospital caregivers who have submitted all completed documents and paid all applicable fees for a nationwide and statewide criminal history screening may be deemed to have conditional supervised employment pending receipt of written notice given by the authority as to whether the applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver has a disqualifying conviction.

D. Application: In order for a nationwide criminal history record to be obtained and processed, the following shall be submitted to the authority on forms provided by the authority.

(1) A form containing personal identification which has a photograph of the person and which meets the requirements for employment eligibility in accordance with the immigration and nationality act as amended. A reasonable xerographic copy of a drivers license photograph will suffice under Subsection D of 8.370.5.8 NMAC.

(2) A signed authorization for release of information form.

(3) Three complete sets of readable fingerprint cards or other authority approved media acceptable to the department of public safety and the federal bureau of investigation submitted using black ink.

(4) The fee specified by the authority for the nationwide and statewide criminal history screening investigation shall not exceed $74. Of which, $24 shall be applied for the federal bureau of investigation nationwide criminal history screening, seven dollars shall be applied for the statewide criminal history screening. The remaining application fee shall be applied to cover costs incurred by the authority to support activities required by the act and these rules. The fees will not be applied to any other activity or expense undertaken by the authority.

(5) If the applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver must submit another readable set of fingerprint cards upon notice that the fingerprint cards previously submitted were found unreadable, as determined by the federal bureau of investigation or department of public safety, the submission of a second set of fingerprint cards is required, a separate fee will not be charged. A fee shall be charged for submission of a third and subsequent fingerprint sets.

(6) If the applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver has a physical or medical condition which prevents the applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver from producing readable fingerprints using commonly available fingerprinting techniques, the applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver shall submit the fingerprint cards with a notarized affidavit signed by the applicant, caregiver, hospital caregiver, returned to the authority within 14 calendar days, as determined by the postmark, which provides:
(a) identification of the applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver; and

(b) an explanation of, or a statement describing, the applicant's, caregiver's or hospital caregiver's good faith efforts to supply readable fingerprints; and

(c) the physical or medical reason that prevents the applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver from producing readable fingerprints using commonly available fingerprinting techniques;

(d) an applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver meeting the conditions of this paragraph and who has resided in the state of New Mexico for less than 10 years must also submit a 10 year work history in addition to the required affidavits.

(7) All documentation submitted to the authority for the purposes of criminal history screening and for the purposes set forth in 8.370.5.9 NMAC and 8.370.5.10 NMAC shall become the sole property of the authority with the exception of fingerprint cards which shall be destroyed upon clearance by both the federal bureau of investigation and department of public safety. All other submitted documentation shall be retained by the authority for a period of one year from the final date of closure and thereafter shall be archived.

E. Fees: The federal bureau of investigation has a mandatory processing fee with no exceptions. The authority and department of public safety impose a state processing and administrative fee. The fee payment must accompany the fingerprint application, or otherwise be credited to the authority prior to or at the same time with the authority's receipt of the application documents. The manner of payment of the fee is by bank cashier check or money order payable to the New Mexico health care authority or other method of funds transfer acceptable to the authority. Business checks will be accepted unless the business tendering the check has previously tendered a check to the authority unsupported by sufficient funds. Neither cash nor personal checks will be accepted. The fee may be paid by the care provider or by the applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver. The authority will set a fee in addition to the fees imposed by department of public safety and the federal bureau of investigation that will fully and completely cover costs incurred by the authority to support activities required by the act and these rules. The fees will not be applied to any other activity or expense undertaken by the authority.

F. Timely submission: Care providers shall submit all fees and pertinent application information for all individuals who meet the definition of an applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver as described in Subsections B, D and K of 8.370.5.7 NMAC, no later than 20 calendar days from the first day of employment or effective date of a contractual relationship with the care provider.

G. Maintenance of records: Care providers shall maintain documentation relating to all employees and contractors evidencing compliance with the act and these rules.

(1) During the term of employment, care providers shall maintain evidence of each applicant, caregiver or hospital caregiver's clearance, pending reconsideration, or disqualification.

(2) Care providers shall maintain documented evidence showing the basis for any determination by the care provider that an employee or contractor performs job functions that do not fall within the scope of the requirement for nationwide or statewide criminal history screening. A memorandum in an employee's file stating "This employee does not provide direct care or have routine unsupervised physical or financial access to care recipients served by (name of care provider)" together with the employee's job description, shall suffice for record keeping purposes.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Mexico may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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