About the Webinar:
This session provided an in-depth overview of Florida’s Background Screening Clearinghouse, a centralized system that streamlines the employee screening process for charter schools and other care providers. Taylor Haddock and David Pinsky from the Agency for Health Care Administration explained how the Clearinghouse consolidates background checks from multiple state agencies (AHCA, DCF, APD, and DOE) into a single, efficient platform. They demonstrated the system’s key features, including how to register organizations, submit screening requests, track application status, and manage results. The presenters emphasized that while the Clearinghouse handles the administrative processing, charter schools retain full responsibility for making final employment decisions based on screening outcomes.
The presentation also covered important procedural details such as the five-year rescreening requirement, proper handling of exemption requests when disqualifying offenses are found, and troubleshooting common issues like name mismatches or missing results. Attendees learned about the benefits of using the Clearinghouse, including cost savings (no fingerprinting fees after initial screening), faster processing times, and simplified compliance tracking. The speakers encouraged charter schools to transition to this system and provided resources for technical support, noting that while AHCA manages the technical platform, the Department of Education remains responsible for policy guidance related to charter school screening requirements.
AHCA/DOE Background Screening Clearinghouse for Charter Schools
Presenter:
- Taylor Haddock, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Agency for Health Care Administration
- Mr. David Pinsky, Unit Manager, Background Screening Unit, Agency for Health Care Administration