Mental Health Service Employment Background Checks in Australia

Australian National Character Check (ANCC) provides nationally coordinated criminal history checks to people working in Australia's mental healthcare industry.

Check timeframes: 70 percent of the checks are returned to applicants within 24 hours. Results are emailed on the same day they are received. Approximately 30 percent of checks may be referred to one or more police agencies and can take longer than 15 business days or more to be returned, due to the manual nature of this process.

Do you work in HR in an Australian mental health centre and need background checks for workers? Australian National Character Check (ANCC) provides a streamlined solution for nationally coordinated criminal history checks via our business portal.

Please apply for your nationally coordinated criminal history check via the individual portal here.

If the purpose of the check is for employment, individual applicants should select the “Employment” check category on their application form. If the purpose of the check is for licensing, please select the “Licensing” check category on the application form.

Businesses (mental healthcare industry) seeking bulk background checks can apply for access to the ANCC Business Portal.

Mental health is essential to our overall well-being, and seeking professional help can be critical in managing mental health conditions. However, the vulnerability of mental health patients necessitates that mental health service providers exercise the utmost care in their recruitment processes. In Australia, employment checks ensure that only trustworthy and qualified individuals are employed in mental health service positions.

This web page delves into the intricacies of employment checks for mental health service employment in Australia and their importance in promoting safe and quality mental health services for all Australians.

An employment background check (officially called a nationally coordinated criminal history check) verifies an individual's criminal record or history. It is often conducted by authorized third-party providers who search databases and records to determine whether an individual has a criminal history or pending charges.

Employers often require nationally coordinated criminal history checks to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable populations, such as children or the elderly. The scope and depth of a check may vary based on the organization's requirements and the level of responsibility or trust required of the individual. Sometimes, a check may be mandatory for certain professions or industries.

Background checks are essential in mental health service employees to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals who receive mental health services. Mental health patients are often compromised and may be more susceptible to abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that mental health service providers hire individuals with the qualifications and integrity to provide quality care and support.

Employment background checks help mental health service providers identify potential criminal history, including convictions or charges related to violence, abuse, or neglect. This information is critical in determining an individual's suitability for employment in mental health service positions. Background checks also help identify individuals who may pose a risk to mental health patients, ensuring that they are not hired for jobs that involve direct patient care.

Overall, employment checks are essential to mental health service employment, promoting safe and quality care for mental health patients and protecting their rights and well-being.

Here's how you can get a background check for mental health service employment

You can apply for the check through a check provider. The process involves filling out an online form with your name, address, DOB, and other vital details. You'll also have to upload identification documents including:

• ✔ One commencement of ID document
• ✔ One primary use in community document
• ✔ One secondary use in community documents

You'll also have to pay the application fee, depending on your background check provider.

Once the check provider receives your application, they ensure your application details and identification documents are valid.

The system they use runs a name-matching algorithm to pull a potential match from its database. If it doesn't find a match, the system instantly returns a 'no disclosable court outcome (NDCO)'. However, suppose the system finds a match. In that case, it forwards the potential criminal record for manual processing, where they ensure that the criminal record belongs to the applicant. If that's the case, they apply the spent conviction scheme to determine which of those criminal records are releasable before sending the final result back to the check provider.

Your employment check provider will notify you once they receive the check result.

The processing time for an employment check in Australia may vary depending on the jurisdiction where the background check is conducted and the number of criminal records. Generally, it can take anywhere from 1 to 15 working days.

Informed consent implies that the employer must inform the applicant of how the employment check result will affect the hiring process before seeking approval.

The frequency of employment checks for mental health service employment may vary depending on the jurisdiction and the requirements of the employer or organization. In general, national crime checks are required at the time of initial work. They may be required periodically, such as every 1-3 years, depending on the employer's policies and the risk associated with the position.

ANCC provides excellent employment check services for mental health professionals. Whether you're looking to break into the industry or you're a hiring manager, our portals make criminal history check processing seamless.

ANCC's portal is suited for mental health professionals (including psychologists, clinical social workers, counselors, and more) seeking employment. Our innovative platform makes it easy to order, track, and monitor your background check application.

Managing background checks is a huge pain point for hiring managers. Thankfully, ANCC's business portal makes it easy to order, track, monitor, and compare multiple background check applications in real time. As a hiring manager, you now have a reliable employment background check provider you can trust to make the best hiring decisions.