Skip to main content
ToggleMenu

Criminal Background Check and other GRCC Health Program Requirements

All prospective health students are required to submit to a criminal background check (CBC) to be eligible for all GRCC Health Programs.

Failure to complete a CBC will result in either denial of admission, suspension, or dismissal from a health program as stated in the GRCC Catalog.

  • Dental Auxiliary (both Hygiene and Assisting)
  • Nursing (both Practical and Associate Degree)
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant
  • Radiologic Technology

GRCC Health students criminal background check procedure

Preliminary Background Check Form

Beginning July 1, 2016, students will be responsible for ICHAT.

Students must:

Conduct your own ICHAT online and email the results, along with the Preliminary Background Check Form, to GRCC Health Admissions at healthprograms@grcc.edu

OR

Bring the Preliminary Background Check Form, with $10 cash or check, to the GRCC Police Department or the Health Admissions Office.

Students may pick up a Preliminary Background Check Form at the Health Admissions Coordinator located in 600 College Park Plaza.

Students should also be aware that before entering the actual clinical/fieldwork components of their chosen program, they will be required to submit to a more extensive criminal background check in the form of being fingerprinted by GRCC Police.  The PDF form for this process is available on the curriculum webpage for each program.  There is currently a $63 charge for this service.

The results of the CBC are maintained by GRCC Police and may be kept on file by the Program Director.

Public Health Code Act 368

All GRCC health students are subject to Public Health Code Act 368 of 1978 including Chapter 333.20173 and section 20173a.

As a result of the Public Health Code Act 368 of 1978 change, effective May 2002, under the law, a nursing home, county medical care facility, or home for the aged would be prohibited from employing, contracting with, or granting privileges to an individual who would be providing direct care to patients or residents without first running a background check if he or she has been convicted of the following:

  • A felony or an attempt or conspiracy to commit a felony within the 15 years immediately preceding the date of application for employment or clinical privileges or the date of the execution of the independent contract.
  • A misdemeanor involving abuse, neglect, assault, battery, or criminal sexual assault conduct or involving fraud or theft against a vulnerable adult as that term is defined in the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.145m, or a state or federal crime that is substantially similar to a misdemeanor within the 10 years immediately preceding the date of application for employment or clinical privileges or the date of execution of the independent contract.

Effective April 1, 2006 Public Health Code 368 was amended to include section 20173a: Section 20173a includes many misdemeanors formerly excluded also, the statute of limitations has changed on some misdemeanors from 10 years to 3 and 5 years depending on the offense. To see the bill in its entirety visit Senate Bill No. 621.

Public Health Code Act 368 Chapter 333.20173 states: If an applicant has not been a continuous resident of Michigan for the past three years, the applicant will be required to obtain a CBC through the use of fingerprints.

If the background check does not receive clearance, the student’s admission will be forfeited, placed on hold, or delayed until the next available opening in the program. Additionally, it is advised that students apply for this early, as without clearance, admittance into a health program may be delayed or forfeited.

Please follow the specific Health Program guidelines:

Nursing: The student will follow the criminal background check procedure for Grand Rapids Community College health programs. Additional CBC’s are required to be submitted to the Nursing Programs office at least one month prior to any clinical rotation that requires a CBC. You must have a CBC before starting any clinical at a long term care and many acute care facilities. The facility will make the decision to accept or not accept the student based on his or her previous criminal record.

Radiologic Technology: The student will follow the criminal background check procedure for Grand Rapids Community College health programs. Upon receiving clearance, a student will be admitted to the Radiologic Technology Program and allowed to begin his or her clinical placement when appropriate. If the background check does not receive clearance, the student’s admission will be forfeited, placed on hold, or delayed.

If upon review of the background check it is found that a student has a misdemeanor or felony, a student must apply to the ARRT for a ruling on the impact of their criminal background on their eligibility for certification and registration. Students cannot take the registry exam and thus practice as a Radiologic Technologist without approval from ARRT. Failure to secure eligibility status (allowed to take the registry exam at the end of the RT Program) from ARRT will result in denial of admission to the program. The fee for this application is $100.00 which is non-refundable and will be paid by the student. To obtain the ARRT Pre-application for Review of Eligibility: Contact the American Registry for Radiologic Technologists at www.arrt.org and click on ethics – or log on directly to print off the “Pre-Application Review of Eligibility”. This pre-application should be completed and the results shared with the Program Director prior to initiating an Educational Development Plan with the Department at the point of admission into the program.

Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA): The student will follow the criminal background check procedure for Grand Rapids Community College health programs. Upon receiving clearance, the student will be admitted to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program. If the background check identifies a felony conviction, the student must contact the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT) for early determination review (1-301-990-7979) the fee for this review is $100.00 and is paid for by the student. Please check the NBCOT web site at www.nbcot.org for the specific information that must accompany the early determination request. Type in “Character Review” in the search box and follow the directions under Early Review, if you answer “yes” to any of the questions listed below. The student must notify the OTA program director of the early determination results.

  • Have you ever been charged with or convicted a felony?
  • Have you ever had a professional license revoked, suspended, or subject to probationary conditions?
  • Have you ever been found by any court to have committed negligence, malpractice, recklessness, or willful or intentional misconduct which resulted in harm to another?

In addition to contacting NBCOT students must contact the Michigan Registration Board ((517) 335-0918) if there is a misdemeanor or felony criminal record. The student will speak to personnel regarding Criminal Convictions and Disclosure and identify the crime and discuss implications for state registration. The student will contact the Occupational Therapy Assistant program director and indicate the person contacted and report the decision of the Michigan Registration Board. A second background check is required prior to the fieldwork placements to comply with the facility’s regulations. The facility will make the decision to accept or not accept the student based on his or her previous criminal record.

Dental Auxilary: The student will follow the criminal background check procedure for Grand Rapids Community College health programs. Upon receiving clearance the student will be admitted to the respective dental program and allowed to begin his or her clinical courses when appropriate. If there is a problem revealed in the background check, the student’s admission will either be forfeited or delayed until the issue is satisfactorily resolved.

According to the State of Michigan Department of Community Health, if you have ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, it may stop you from being able to obtain your dental license. This type of information is reviewed on an individual basis. The Department of Community Health will review your file and make a decision at that time. Please keep in mind that they do take into account the type of conviction, the age when the incident occurred, and the time that has elapsed since the conviction. For more information, please check the website for the Department of Community Health www.michigan.gov/healthlicense .

Additional requirements for Health Program students

Substance Abuse: Students who fail to pass a drug screen as required by their clinical agencies will be denied placement at their clinical sites and thus will be unlikely to complete their program requirements.

Immunizations: Health students are required to have current immunization records. A failure to maintain current immunizations will result in a student being withdrawn from his or her clinical site and not completing his or her clinical requirements.

Transfer