Nearly 1,000 Minnesota PCA applicants are stuck in background check limbo
MORA, Minn. – Amidst Minnesota's personal care assistant (PCA) staffing shortage, there are some people who want to work but can't.
Tammy Heuer is going on three months without pay because of bureaucratic backlogs. She describes herself as "quasi-employed."
Heuer says a Cambridge home care agency has hired her, and she's taking care of her partner with a disability, Randy, at their home in Mora, but she's not getting paid for it.
"The background check hasn't cleared yet, and so I can't start working," Heuer said. "[The agency] said the day they get the word, I'm good. I did all the training. I did everything else I needed to."
Heuer submitted her background check with the Minnesota Department of Human Services nearly three months ago.
When she calls for an update, an automated message says, "The current status of [the] application is in process and requires more time to complete. At this time, we do not have an anticipated date of completion."
"It's very frustrating," Heuer said. "I know [Randy] needs the care, so I know it was the right thing to do to be able to be here for him."
Heuer says Randy has severe mental illness, hallucinating or becoming otherwise disoriented. She quit her previous job to help him full time.
The state says Heuer is one of about 950 PCA background checks caught up in the backlog.
A DHS spokesperson told WCCO they're working to address the high volume of applications, saying, "In some cases, more time is needed to complete the study when DHS staff need to review criminal history or maltreatment records, or obtain information from other states … Because background studies can take time, families should account for that in the hiring process."
DHS says it received more than half a million background checks last year, and 85% are cleared in a couple days.
Here is the full statement from DHS:
DHS requires individual PCAs to go through an enrollment process that includes meeting personal care assistant criteria, completing training and submitting a background study. DHS is aware that some providers and study subjects are experiencing delays with background study determinations as the volume of background study applications has increased and providers transitioned back to fingerprint-based studies from emergency studies.
In April 2020, DHS modified certain background study requirements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included temporarily suspending fingerprint and photo requirements. DHS began transitioning back to fingerprint-based studies in September 2021. This transition required conducting fingerprint-based background checks for over 70 provider types with more than 35,000 entities for new workers and resubmitting studies for those with emergency studies, who were required to have a fingerprinted-based study by Jan. 1, 2023, when emergency studies were no longer valid.
We are actively working to address the high volume of background study requests received from providers as quickly as possible. It is important to note that 85% of background studies are cleared within 24 to 48 hours. In some cases, more time is needed to complete the study when DHS staff need to review criminal history or maltreatment records, or obtain information from other states. Currently, DHS has approximately 950 PCA studies awaiting eligibility determination. Providers and study subjects can call our help desk (651-431-6620) to receive assistance or check on the status of their study.
In 2022, DHS has received over 500,000 background study applications from Minnesota providers, and we continue to receive between 3,900 and 7,100 fingerprint studies per week.
Because background studies can take time, families should account for that in the hiring process.
RELATED: New contract is major win for Minnesota PCAs and people with disabilities
