Home Care Registry

A Home Care Registry, also known as Home Aide or Home Health Registry, is a data set containing information on home care workers that have completed a state approved training program. Each state has their own registry separate from the others. In most states, the specific information is supplied by the workers themselves, or a third party like a home care agency, meaning those registries cannot guarantee accurate results.

Home Care Registry Information and Verification

Hiring teams need to perform extra levels of verification to ensure the data is matched to the correct person, or partner with a background screening provider to verify on your behalf. Each state records slightly different information, however, all of them will contain the individual’s name, company, job title, and name of the training or certificate they received to obtain their title.

State-Specific Registry Examples

Across the United States, home care registries serve as essential tools for verifying worker qualifications and compliance. However, the decentralized nature of these systems presents unique challenges. In most states, the information is supplied by the workers themselves or third-party agencies like home care organizations, which means no single registry can guarantee completely accurate results. This decentralized approach requires employers to develop comprehensive verification strategies that account for varying state requirements while maintaining consistent internal standards.

New York State Registry

New York’s Home Care Registry, for example, contains additional information on the subjects’ eligibility for employment. Workers who apply for employment with a home care services agency in New York State, are required to undergo a background investigation. The NYS Department of Health will then review the information found in the investigation, and determine if the individual is fit for employment. The New York State Home Care Registry will return a “yes”, “no”, or “unknown” for the individuals’ employment eligibility.

California State Registry

California takes a different approach through its Home Care Aide Registry (HCAR), administered by the Department of Social Services. California requires all Home Care Organizations (HCOs) to be licensed and their affiliated Home Care Aides (HCAs) to be registered before providing services. The California registry offers public access to verify both HCO licenses and HCA registrations, including details such as registration numbers, current status, and any administrative actions. This comprehensive approach provides employers with detailed information while ensuring regulatory compliance.

Best Practices for Hiring Teams

Given the variations between state systems, employers should not base their decision solely on the Home Care Registry results, as the information could be out-of-date or inaccurate. Proper due diligence is required to verify an individuals’ identity, and confirm the information in any state’s registry is accurate. Partnering with a professional background screening provider adds assistance with your verification process, so your hiring teams can be sure the information they receive is relevant and accurate.