393.0655  Screening of direct service providers.--

(1)  MINIMUM STANDARDS.--The department shall require employment screening pursuant to chapter 435, using the level 2 standards for screening set forth in that chapter, for direct service providers who are unrelated to their clients.

(2)  EXEMPTIONS FROM DISQUALIFICATION.--The department may grant exemptions from disqualification from working with children or the developmentally disabled as provided in s. 435.07.

(3)  PAYMENT FOR PROCESSING OF FINGERPRINTS AND STATE CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECKS.--The costs of processing fingerprints and the state criminal records checks shall be borne by the employer or by the employee or individual who is being screened.

(4)  EXCLUSION FROM OWNING, OPERATING, OR BEING EMPLOYED BY A DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDER RESIDENTIAL FACILITY; HEARINGS PROVIDED.--

(a)  The department shall deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke a license, certification, rate agreement, purchase order, or contract, or pursue other remedies provided in s. 393.0673, s. 393.0675, or s. 393.0678 in addition to or in lieu of denial, suspension, termination, or revocation for failure to comply with this section.

(b)  When the department has reasonable cause to believe that grounds for denial or termination of employment exist, it shall notify, in writing, the employer and the direct service provider affected, stating the specific record which indicates noncompliance with the standards in this section.

(c)  The procedures established for hearing under chapter 120 shall be available to the employer and the direct service provider in order to present evidence relating either to the accuracy of the basis of exclusion or to the denial of an exemption from disqualification.

(d)  Refusal on the part of an employer to dismiss a direct service provider who has been found to be in noncompliance with standards of this section shall result in automatic denial, termination, or revocation of the license, certification, rate agreement, purchase order, or contract, in addition to any other remedies pursued by the department.