Georgia Criminal History Check System (GCHEXS)

The Georgia Criminal History Check System (GCHEXS) allows facilities licensed by the Georgia Department of Community Health to receive employment eligibility determinations as required the Health Care Facility Rules, and Regulations for criminal background checks.

Long-Term Care Facility Types that are permitted to use GCHEXS:

• Adult Day Care
• Assisted Living
• Home Health
• Hospice 
• Intermediate Care Homes
• Nursing Homes
• Personal Care Homes
• Private Home Care

State and federal fingerprint-based criminal history background checks are required to be conducted on prospective owners, owners, administrators, directors, managers, and job applicants who have direct access to clients.

“Direct access” means having, or expecting to have, duties that involve routine personal contact with a patient, resident, or client, including face-to-face contact, hands-on physical assistance, verbal cuing, reminding, standing by or monitoring or activities that require the person to be routinely alone with the patient’s, resident’s, or client’s property or access to such property or financial information such as the patient’s, resident’s, or client’s checkbook, debit and credit cards, and resident trust funds.

Exempt positions listed on the  Chart of Professional Exemptions from the Background Check Requirements  are not required to be entered into GCHEXS as long as the employer checks with the applicable licensing board to verify that the license is in good standing.  

Owners of a long-term facility may request a facility account in GCHEXS by submitting the GCHEXS Access Request Form. Once a facility account is created, owners or administrators will be able to enter background check applications, check registries such as the federal OIG List of Excluded Individuals and GA Professional Licenses, access and print employment eligibility determination letters.

Staffing agencies providing employees to a long-term care facilities will need to submit a copy of the contract between the staffing agency and the long-term care facility prior to accessing GCHEXS.

Determination Letters will be issued based on background check information received in GCHEXS. If an applicant has been arrested for a disqualifying crime and the crime was not dismissed, they will receive an unsatisfactory determination. Applicants may appeal unsatisfactory determinations through the DCH Office of Inspector General Appeal process. The Long Term Care appeal process will be outlined in the unsatisfactory letter.

LTC Background Check Frequently Asked Questions 

Any additional questions regarding fingerprinting or the background check process can be sent to [email protected].

Additional Facility Types permitted to use GCHEXS

Narcotic Treatment Programs

Criminal Background Checks for Applicant/Owner are required prior to the issuance of any new license. The applicant of the business or agency applying for the license shall be required to submit a records check application so as to permit the Department to obtain a criminal history background check. After initial licensure, the owner shall be required to submit evidence of a satisfactory background check to the Department every three (3) years.

111-8-53 RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR NARCOTIC TREATMENT PROGRAMS

Narcotic Treatment Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)   

Any additional questions regarding fingerprinting can be sent to [email protected].

Medicaid High Risk Providers

Medicaid High Risk Providers must first begin the application process through the Medicaid Management Information System. Facility/Owner information from your application will be sent electronically to GCHEXS. 24-48 hours after GCHEXS receives the information, the individual requiring a fingerprint-based background check will receive an email from the GCHEXS system requesting the additional demographic information needed to complete the fingerprint application. Please read the email and follow the steps to complete the fingerprint process. Once the process is complete, a determination letter will be sent to the facility.

Any additional questions regarding fingerprinting can be sent to [email protected].

Additional Fingerprinting Information

If you need a state of Georgia, fingerprint-based background check for a waiver program or any reason other than listed above, please visit the Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS) to create an account and/or schedule a fingerprint appointment.

Non-Criminal Justice Applicant’s Privacy Rights and Privacy Statement

GAPS/Fieldprint (agency admin portal site)

GAPS/Fieldprint (applicant scheduling and agency enrollment site)

Contact Information