RESOURCES

Office hours: 8am–4:30pm, Monday through Friday (except holidays)

• Email – bccuinquiry@dshs.wa.gov
  Allow one to two business days for a response.
• Phone – 360-902-0299
  Phone support is available from 9-11am, Monday through Friday (there are exceptions depending on availability).
• Website – https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/background-check-central-unit
  The BCCU website contains  helpful information, including an FAQ. BCCU regularly receives questions that are answered on their website. The BCCU recommends reviewing the website and FAQs before contacting them.

DSHS Background Check Authorization Form

Please review the Online Background Authorization Form Guide located on the BCCU website.

Watch the following video for help filling out the Background Check Authorization Form.

If you are still having trouble, please email or call BCCU.

Everyone. All Individual Providers (IP), including Parent Providers, are required to have a background check at the time of hire. A fingerprint background check must be completed within 120 days of their Okay to Provide Care date. Name and date of birth background checks must be renewed every two years. If the IP’s background check is expiring, Consumer Direct Care Network (CDWA) will notify them that it needs to be renewed. CDWA can also request an IP complete a background check, including fingerprinting, outside of these timelines.

Review WAC 388-115-0511 for more information.

During the hiring process or time of renewal, the IP will need to complete the Background Check Authorization Form. The IP submits their 10-digit confirmation code to CDWA. CDWA uses the code and the IP’s date of birth to run the background check through Background Check Central Unit (BCCU).

If the results come back with ‘no record found,’ the IP can continue in their hiring process or employment as normal. No further action is needed.

If results come back with ‘BCCU needs additional information,’ the IP needs to provide the requested information to the BCCU before hiring or employment can continue.

If results come back as ‘review required,’ CDWA completes a Character, Competence and Suitability (CC&S) review to determine if an IP can provide services to the Client(s). IPs may be requested to provide additional information to CDWA. A CC&S will not be required if one was complete in last 5 yr and there are no new charges

If results come back as ‘disqualified,’ the IP’s employment will be terminated. If the IP believes the result information is incorrect, they can contact BCCU or the agency that reported the information.

• BCCU: 360-902-0299; bccuinquiry@dshs.wa.gov
• Washington State Patrol: 360-534-2000
• Department of Corrections: 360-725-8888
• Department of Health: 360-236-4700
• WA Courts – Contact the court that made the decision.

There are instances when BCCU requires additional information to complete the background check. BCCU may send the applicant a request for additional information and ask for court documents and/or an applicant affidavit. More information can be found in this short video or this FAQ page.

Make sure to write the code down! There is no way to get the code after you have exited from the online form. You can provide the code to CDWA by:

• Listing this email address when filling out the background check authorization form: CDWABackgroundCheck@ConsumerDirectCare.com. The code will be sent directly to CDWA using this method.
• You can save/print the confirmation code and call, email, or provide the code in person to CDWA.

Use the DirectMyCare web portal or contact CDWA. BCCU staff can only provide IPs with the date of the last completed background check. BCCU cannot tell IPs if/when they need to have a new background check completed. Use the steps below to find your expiration date.

Step 1: Sign in to your DirectMyCare web portal account.

Step 2: Click on the My Account section

Step 3: Scroll down to the Qualifications section. Find ‘Name & Date of Birth BG Check’ and look at the Expiration Date column to see when it expires.

Please check with CDWA first. BCCU sends the results to CDWA. You can also check the BCCU website turnaround time page to see how long it’s taking to process.

If you had a background check completed by BCCU, complete the Applicant Request for a Copy of Background Check Information Form.

BCCU does not have the ability to correct any errors that have been reported from outside sources. For example, if there is an incorrect charge on your Washington State Patrol Rap Sheet, you will need to contact Washington State Patrol directly. If there is an incorrect charge on your FBI Rap Sheet, you will need to contact the FBI as well as the agency (court/police department) that reported the arrest to the FBI.

Important: Applicants must have a copy of their results readily available in order for BCCU staff to assist. If you don’t have a copy, you can get it by submitting the Applicant Request for a Copy of Background Check Information Form.

Contact CDWA. Fingerprints are performed through Washington State Patrol and the FBI. These entities do not provide BCCU with exact turnaround times. Their turnaround times may vary due to the volume of fingerprints processed.

Contact BCCU for further assistance. BCCU may need to work with the fingerprint vendor to correct any issues. Most times the issue with fingerprinting are user error (IP spelled their name wrong on the form, CDWA has not initiated the FP process and IP jumped the gun, or the IP was run for NDOB with no FP.) It may be helpful to have the IP contact CDWA to troubleshoot before sending to BCCU.

You may have fingerprints that are difficult to capture. This could be due to working with chemicals, wear, or something else. Washington State Patrol must determine that the fingerprints are the best quality. If Washington State Patrol determines the fingerprints are not the best quality, you will need to be printed again.

Once Washington State Patrol accepts the fingerprints, they will send them to the FBI for processing. The FBI will then determine whether the fingerprints are of the best quality. If the FBI rejects the prints, you will need to be printed one more time. If the FBI rejects them a second time, BCCU will request a national name and date of birth check from the FBI and the fingerprint process will be completed.

You will be placed on unpaid administrative hold. You will not be able to provide care for pay during this period. The hold will be removed once the background check process has been completed. It is recommended that you start the renewal as soon as you receive notification. CDWA recommends completing it no later than two weeks before the expiration date. It may be helpful to advise that the notifications will be sent via email, SMS, and DMC. Please be sure to check regularly and ensure that the contact info on file is up to date .