The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) will never ask you to provide credit card numbers or other personal information by phone, text, email, or mail. LARA has identified fraudulent communications impersonating department staff. These scams may include requests for payment or personal information. Please do not respond to these messages and report any suspicious activity to LARA‑Safety@michigan.gov. (This email is for fraud purposes only; messages unrelated to LARA‑related fraud will not receive a response.)
Workforce Background Check
Workforce Background Check (MWBC)
The Workforce Background Check program provides state and federal fingerprint‑based criminal history checks for individuals who have direct access to patients or residents or provide direct services under the facility’s control.
Direct access includes access to a resident’s property, financial information, medical records, treatment information, or other identifying information.
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Covered Facilities & Agencies
- Nursing Homes
- Hospices
- County Medical Care Facilities
- Medicare‑Certified Home Health Agencies
- Hospitals providing Swing Bed services
- Psychiatric Hospitals
- Adult Foster Care
- Homes for the Aged
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Who Must Receive a Background Check
Background checks are required for:
- Employees
- Independent contractors
- Individuals being granted clinical privilege
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Who Does NOT Require a Background Check
- Volunteers, except certain hospice roles or when granted clinical privileges
- Students, unless they are being granted clinical privileges
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Background Check Processing Time
- Most results (approx. 80–83%) are completed within 48 hours.
- The process can take 48 hours to 30 days, depending on image quality and required manual processing.
- Fingerprints rejected by the FBI may require up to six weeks to process.
- A longer processing timeline does not imply that findings will occur.
- Please wait 30 days after fingerprinting before contacting MWBC about results.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
A full FAQ brochure is available for download. It includes information on:
- Authorizing legislation
- Log‑in and account support
- Fingerprinting details (shared results, rejections, delays)
- Quick Check registry preview tool
- Contact information