SB 883 Summary

• Amends the Mental Health Code to establish criminal history check requirements for employees, independent contractors, and clinical privilege holders at psychiatric facilities who have direct access to patients or residents.

• Prohibits employment or privileges for individuals convicted of relevant federal crimes, violent felonies, sex offenses, abuse/neglect crimes, firearm offenses, or drug diversion crimes, with varying lookback periods ranging from 1 to 15 years or lifetime depending on offense type.

• Requires psychiatric facilities and staffing agencies to conduct criminal background checks through the Department of State Police, including fingerprint submission to the FBI, and prohibits facilities from charging employees or contractors for these checks.

• Establishes an automated fingerprint identification system database maintained by the Department of State Police to track submitted fingerprints and provide automatic notification if subsequent arrests match previously submitted prints.

• Adds Section 134b to allow the Department to temporarily suspend fingerprinting requirements during declared states of emergency, such as Executive Order No. 2020-30.