ALL REGIONAL AND COUNTY FSD/CD OFFICES

FREDRIC M. SIMMENS, DIRECTOR
CHILDREN'S DIVISION
JANEL LUCK, INTERIM DIRECTOR
FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION

The purpose of this memorandum is to introduce a new method of background screening for criminal history.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) has partnered with Indentix Identification Services to provide an electronic fingerprint image capture and submission, via Missouri Applicant Processing Services (MOAPS). This process produces criminal results within 5 business days.

Child care provider applicants who are subject to the fingerprint background screening requirement may call 1-866-522-7067 toll free and make an appointment to be fingerprinted. Applicants will also have the option to sign up for MOAPS online, however, during this implementation phase that option is not available.

As a condition of Identix’s agreement with MSHP, an applicant’s appointment with MOAPS must be scheduled within 5 days of their call and take place at a location within 50 miles of an applicant’s residence. When an applicant calls the toll-free number, they must state that they are applying to be a child care provider for the Department of Social Services subsidy payments. The applicant must take a referral letter to their appointment. A copy of the referral letter is attached to this memorandum.

There is an additional charge of $12.95 for MOAPS’s service. Combined with the $38 charge applicants are already required to pay (FBI charge of $24, MSHP charge of $14) a total of $50.95 is due at the time of service. Applicants must bring payment to their appointment. MOAPS accepts payment by personal check, bank check, credit card, debit card, or money order. They do not accept cash. This procedure is explained to the applicant by the MOAPS customer service representative when they make their appointment.

Please note that while results are generated within 5 business days to the MSHP, they are then forwarded to Central Office for evaluation. Results are then sent to the local office. Local offices should receive decisions on fingerprint results within 2 weeks of an applicant’s appointment.

MOAPS customer service representatives will also ask applicants for the names and dates of birth of the children in their care. This information is optional; however, if it is provided, the information will be attached to the applicant’s results received by the local FSD office. This information will assist local FSD staff in authorizing children once the applicant is approved to be a registered provider.

LOCAL FSD OFFICE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Pull all fingerprint cards and fingerprint instruction letters from the existing provider packets and replace them with the referral letter, and MOAPS brochure. Staff may download the MOAPS brochure at http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/Publications/Brochures/MOAPSWebBrochure.pdf.

Staff must ensure that the county office name is entered as the OCA code as indicated on the second page of the referral letter. The OCA is used to route results back to the requesting county office.

MOAPS RESPONSIBILITIES:

When contacted by an applicant, MOAPS customer service will explain the procedures and schedule an appointment. MOAPS will conduct the appointment as scheduled and transmit fingerprint images to MSHP. A daily report will be sent to the Children’s Division Central Office. The report will include:

• Applicant’s identifying information;
• OCA (which identifies the county that Central Office will send the results to);
• Names and dates of birth of the children in care (optional); and
• Outcome of the appointment: successful transmittal of captured images, or rejection. If the outcome is rejection, the reason will be included.

NOTE: If a provider’s fingerprints are rejected, MOAPS contacts the provider to schedule a second appointment for resubmission. If prints are rejected a 2nd time, MOAPS informs the Children’s Division Central Office Early Childhood and Prevention Services Section, who will facilitate a name check screening through the Highway Patrol.

MSHP RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Missouri State Highway Patrol will generate criminal record results and forward them to the Children’s Division Central Office Early Childhood and Prevention Services section. In situations where two fingerprint submissions have been rejected, the MSHP will conduct a background screening based on a name check.

CHILDREN’S DIVISION EARLY CHILDHOOD AND PREVENTION SERVICES SECTION’S RESPONSIBILITIES:

When the results of the electronic fingerprints are received by the Early Childhood and Prevention Services Section, we will evaluate them and send decisions to the local FSD office. Local staff is instructed to follow the current procedures to inform applicants of the final decision of their background screening.

NOTE: An applicant cannot be approved to be a registered family home child care provider until all background screenings are received and cleared for criminal history and child abuse/neglect history.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

In the event a provider contacts the local FSD office to use fingerprint cards, explain the timeframe for processing the fingerprint cards and the benefit of using MOAPS. The results will typically arrive 2 to 3 months after fingerprinting, and the local law enforcement agency that conducts the fingerprinting may charge the provider for the service. If the provider still wants to use the fingerprint cards, their fingerprint submission will be processed based on previous instructions outlined in OEC Memorandum 8 dated 8/26/04: Background Procedure for Family Home Child Care Providers. Provide them with the fingerprint cards on which the ORI ends in 400Z E Child, and a copy of the instruction sheet.

• Remove fingerprint cards and the old instruction sheet from each provider packet;

• Replace them with the MOAPS brochure, accessible via the internet at http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/Publications/Brochures/MOAPSWebBrochure.pdf, and the new referral and information letter, including the county office name, address, and reason fingerprinted on the 2nd page of the letter;

• Instruct child care provider applicants on the process to submit fingerprints;

• Begin this new process immediately;

• Keep a supply of fingerprint cards and the instruction letters in office, in the event an applicant requests to submit fingerprint cards.

FMS:JRL:ES
ATTACHMENT A: FINGERPRINT INSTRUCTION AND REFERRAL LETTER