House Bill 6039 Summary

• Amends the Mental Health Code to clarify criminal history check requirements for psychiatric facilities and other facilities serving patients, including specific disqualifying crimes and time periods for employment or clinical privileges.

• Establishes comprehensive criminal history background check procedures requiring facilities to check state police records, relevant registries, and Federal Bureau of Investigation databases for applicants with direct patient access.

• Disqualifies individuals convicted of relevant federal crimes (lifetime ban), violent felonies or abuse-related felonies (15-year lookback), other felonies (10-year lookback), and specified misdemeanors (3-10 year lookbacks depending on offense type).

• Allows conditional employment with direct supervision while awaiting criminal history results if applicant signs written statement attesting to eligibility, but requires immediate termination if results reveal disqualifying offenses.

• Requires facilities to establish automated fingerprint identification system database with state police for ongoing notification when individuals are arrested for disqualifying crimes, and directs department to maintain web-based registry system for facilities and staffing agencies to monitor employees.