FCSR Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Family Care Safety Registry?

Missouri's Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) was established by law to promote family and community safety. The registry helps to protect children, seniors, and persons with disabilities by providing access to background information. Background information consists of Missouri data only and is obtained from the following sources:

State criminal records maintained by the Missouri State Highway Patrol
Sex Offender Registry information maintained by the Missouri State Highway Patrol
Child abuse/neglect records maintained by the Missouri Department of Social Services
The Employee Disqualification List maintained by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
The Employee Disqualification Registry maintained by the Missouri Department of Mental Health
Child-care facility licensing records maintained by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Foster parent licensing records maintained by the Missouri Department of Social Services

Who is required to register with the Family Care Safety Registry?

← Family Care Safety Registry

Any person hired on or after January 1, 2001 as a child-care or elder-care worker; hired on or after January 1, 2002 as a personal care worker; and any person hired on or after January 1, 2009 as a mental health worker, as defined in §210.900 RSMo, is required to make application within 15 days of the beginning of employment. It is the responsibility of the caregiver to register with the FCSR. Those required to register include employees of:

A long-term care or residential care facility licensed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) or the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH);
A home health agency licensed by the DHSS;
An in-home service provider under contract with the DHSS or DSS;
A hospice agency licensed by the DHSS;
A hospital licensed by the DHSS that has long-term care beds;
A licensed or license-exempt child care facility or licensed child care home regulated by the DESE;
A residential care facility for children licensed or operated by the DHSS or DMH;
A child placing agency or a residential care facility for children licensed by the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS);
A foster family home or foster group home licensed by the DSS or DMH;
A group home licensed or operated by the DSS or DMH;
A personal care provider who performs routine services or provides necessary support for a person with a physical or mental disability to enter and maintain employment or to live independently. This includes those under contract with the DMH, DHSS, and DSS;
A caregiver who receives state or federal funds for the care of a child, senior or disabled person.

What does "registered" mean?

If an individual is "registered," they have completed the FCSR registration form or online registration, and paid the applicable fee. Their name will be listed in the FCSR database of caregivers, allowing employers to request their background screening results. Those wishing to hire a caregiver may contact the FCSR to obtain background screening information about registered individuals.

How does a person register?

A person may register in one of two ways:

By submitting a completed Worker Registration Form, a photocopy of their Social Security card, and the $15.00 registration fee, paid by check or money order, to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Fee Receipts Unit, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO, 65102.
By online registration. When registering online, payment is made by credit or debit card. You will be charged a non refundable $15.00 registration fee and an additional $0.55 processing fee.

What if I don't have a Social Security number or card?

The FCSR is required by 210.906, RSMo, to request the valid Social Security number of the person registering. Per regulation 19 CSR 30-80.030, the application for registration must include the valid Social Security number. The FCSR will accept the following for Social Security number verification:

Copy of Social Security card
Copy of driver’s license, ONLY if Social Security number is listed on the license
U.S. military ID card with Social Security number listed on the card

If the facility where you will be employed or placed does not have an alternative requirement for background check, such as checking criminal history through the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s system, you will need to obtain a Social Security number to register with the FCSR.

Apply for a new Social Security card or a request a new copy here: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/

Can a person voluntarily register?

Yes. Any person not required to register may also be included in the registry if such person voluntarily applies for registration, supplies the required information, meets the requirements outlined in Chapters 210.900 to 210.936 RSMo., and pays the registration fee.

Are employees of public schools required to register with the Family Care Safety Registry?

Effective August 28, 2004, Section 168.133, RSMo, was enacted and sets forth background screening requirements for employees of public school districts. Although the FCSR is referenced in the statute language, the DHSS does not interpret Section 168.133, RSMo, to require school districts to register their employees with the FCSR in order to be in compliance with the statute. Any questions related to background screening requirements for employees of public school districts may be directed to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Educator Certification Unit, 573-751-0051.

Section 168.133, RSMo, also requires certain volunteers to have a criminal background check. These checks can be performed through the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Missouri Automated Criminal History System (MACHS) and require no registration. Any questions about the use of MACHS can be directed to the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 573-526-6153.

How often must a person register?

A person needs to register only one time. To verify that a person is registered with the FCSR, click on the link Is A Person Already Registered? and type in the Social Security number.

Are all caregivers required to pay the registration fee?

Anyone who resides in a Missouri foster family home or foster group home, or who is employed by a child placing agency or a residential care facility for children licensed by the Missouri Department of Social Services, is not required to pay the $15.00 registration fee.

All other caregivers must pay the registration fee, including foster parents and their family members in other states.

What is the penalty for not registering?

Any caregiver as defined in §210.900, RSMo, who fails to submit a registration to the FCSR within 15 days of beginning employment may be found guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

Can an employer submit a Worker Registration form and pay the registration fee for an employee?

Employers may submit a Worker Registration form and pay the fee for their employee(s), but the employee must complete the Worker Registration form and provide a copy of the Social Security ca

How is background information requested from the Family Care Safety Registry?

Information may be requested in three ways:

By telephone: The FCSR operates a toll-free call center for persons to request background screenings on registered caregivers for employment purposes. Call the FCSR toll-free line at 866-422-6872. The call center is available weekdays between 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m, excluding state holidays.
By Fax/Email/mail: The Employer Background Screening Request Form allows employers to submit an inquiry on multiple employees or prospective employees. Refer to the form for the fax number, email address, or mailing address to submit your signed form.
By Internet: Approved FCSR Online Users may request screenings via the Internet, by clicking on Online Background Screening Login.

Who can receive background information from the Family Care Safety Registry?

The Missouri laws that created the Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) require that we only conduct screenings for a requester with a direct employment relationship (current or prospective) with a caregiver in a child care, long term care, personal care, or mental health care setting. The same laws also allow certain Missouri state agencies to use FCSR information for their duties related to care provider licensure or regulation.

How is "employment purposes" defined in Chapter 210.921, RSMo?

"Employment purposes" includes direct and prospective employer-employee relationships, or the screening and interviewing of persons or facilities by those persons contemplating the placement of an individual in a child-care, elder-care, mental health or personal-care setting.

How can I receive background screening information for non-employment purposes?

The Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) allows anyone with a completed and up-to-date registration to request a self-screening. The quickest way to request a self-screening is by calling the FCSR toll-free line, 866-422-6872, weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. The FCSR will deliver the registrant’s self-screening results by encrypted email, and the registrant may print or save the screening results letter attached to the email.

How is information from the Family Care Safety Registry disclosed?

An eligible screening request must be made before background information is disclosed by the Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR). Both the requester and the individual screened will receive screening results. Disclosure may be limited to listing if there are matches or no matches to any of the seven Missouri-only databases checked, but in many cases the FCSR may provide specific information when there are database matches.

If there are database matches and the eligible requester cannot receive the specific information the FCSR is able to provide—as may happen with telephone-requested screenings when the requesting provider is not licensed or contracted as a care provider with a Missouri state agency—specific information may be requested in writing.

Requesting employers who received match-only screening results can submit a written request for specific information by fax, by mail, or attached to an email. Written requests must include the name and social security number of the individual screened, as well as the employer’s address and name and signature of the person making the request. Specific information will be provided to both the employer and to the individual by encrypted email or mail.
The individual screened who received match-only screening results can submit a written request for specific information by mail, by fax, or attached to an email. Written requests must include name, address, social security number and/or FCSR registration number, and be signed by the individual. Including an email address with the written request may expedite receipt of the results. Specific information will be provided only to the individual by encrypted email or mail.

Whenever specific information is provided, the specific information for any matches to the seven Missouri-only databases checked in an FCSR screening will be provided simultaneously. For example, if a specific information letter for criminal history was provided and no other specific information was provided at the same time, all databases were checked, and the screening resulted in a match only for criminal history.

How do I update my personal information?

Registrants may contact the FCSR by telephone to make name and contact information changes. Call the FCSR toll-free line at 866-422-6872. The call center is available weekdays between 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m, excluding state holidays.

If unable to call the FCSR toll-free line, you may submit a newly completed and signed Worker Registration form to update your information.

How are background results delivered?

Background results are delivered as an attachment to an encrypted email or via U.S. mail. Certain providers can apply for access to receive result letters via a secure online account. Background results are not faxed.

Can I appeal my FCSR background results?

State law allows a limited appeal process through the Family Care Safety Registry. A registrant may appeal the accuracy of the transfer of information to the FCSR within 30 days of receiving the FCSR background information. The appeal must be in writing and include the date of the FCSR screening in question as well as the registrant’s name, social security number, date of birth, mailing address and phone number. It must also include a statement describing the information the registrant believes to be incorrectly transferred. The written request to appeal the accuracy of the transfer of information to the FCSR must be sent to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, ATTN Family Care Safety Registry, PO Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102, or via email to fcsr@health.mo.gov.

The FCSR appeal process does not affect the substance of the background information. The registrant should contact the state agency that maintains the information reported in the FCSR screening for questions about the substance of the background information and whether any appeal process is available through that agency.

If I have information on my record, will it restrict me from working?

Although the FCSR provides the background screening, all questions regarding eligibility to work should be directed to the agency regulating the employer.

What is the penalty for misusing information obtained from the Family Care Safety Registry?

Any person who uses the information obtained from the registry for any purpose other than outlined in sections 210.900 to 210.936, RSMo, could be found guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

How will the Family Care Safety Registry handle Amendment 3 expungements?

Some changes related to Amendment 3 of the Missouri Constitution took effect on December 8, 2022, including the ability to expunge certain marijuana offenses from criminal history. The Family Care Safety Registry is not involved in the process of granting expungements or amending criminal records. Under the terms of Amendment 3, courts are allowed up to 12 months to complete the process of expunging cases that are deemed eligible. Since the Family Care Safety Registry is required by law to obtain information regarding criminal background checks from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the results we provide in response to screening requests will reflect the records as shown by the Highway Patrol at the time the request is made. If you have questions about expungements, including whether a particular case qualifies or the timeline for an expungement being processed, you should contact an attorney or the Court in which the criminal case originated.

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