e. Criminal and Child Abuse Background Checks for Unlicensed Providers

The department shall check the state’s child abuse registry at application and periodically according to a schedule established by the department to determine if the provider has a substantiated history of child abuse or neglect.

The department shall check the state and national criminal history of any unlicensed provider that is suspected of having a conviction for sexual assault of a minor or other related crime in accordance with the requirements of section 17b-750 of the General statutes.

The department shall conduct criminal background checks for unlicensed providers pursuant to the requirements of sections 17b-749k and 17b-750 of the Connecticut General Statutes.

Providers shall be informed of the requirements to conduct criminal and child abuse background checks and shall supply the department with fingerprints and any other information required to conduct the background check when requested by the CCAP administrator. Providers shall be given a minimum of thirty days to return the requested information to the department.

The department may charge the provider for any fees charged by the State Police or the FBI for conducting the criminal background check. The department may deduct the fee from payments made to the provider or require the submission of payment with the fingerprints. A provider who does not submit fingerprints, fees or other information when requested shall be ineligible for payments until such time the provider complies with the request.

Assistance shall not be delayed pending the completion of a criminal or child abuse background check unless evidence exists to warrant a delay, except as specified in subdivision (f) of this section.