Due to increasing changes in the healthcare environment, many healthcare accrediting and regulatory bodies require healthcare employees, students, and volunteers to have completed national background checks prior to working with patients. 

As of July 2006, Columbia Basin College began requiring national background checks for all Health Sciences Division students prior to entering the clinical area.  The background check is requested and paid by the student through a third party company, Certified Background. 

When ordering a background check, the student needs to submit the code "OM56" to ensure the specific elements of the CBC background check are completed.  CBC's Health Sciences Division will be provided with the results of the background check by Certified Background. 

Effective July 1, 2008, a Nationwide Criminal Database search will be included in the background check package.  Please see below for additional details on the specific items included in this background search.  In order to comply with the requirements of clinical facilities, students will need to provide access to their background check to clinical facilities upon request.  Clinical facilities reserve the right to accept or decline clinical students; however, acceptance to each clinical facility is required before a student may enter the clinical facility for any clinical participation related to Columbia Basin College.  In addition to the criminal background check conducted by Columbia Basin College through Certified Background, each clinical facility reserves the right to conduct their own criminal background check prior to allowing the student to enter for clinical participation. 

The background check will include a review of several items, including:

1. Residency History
2. Social Security Verification
3. Current County of Residence
4. Nationwide Criminal Database, including Nationwide Sexual Offender Search
5. Nationwide Healthcare Fraud Abuse
6. U.S. Patriot Act

Upon completion of the background check, students will be provided a code that may be used with the last four digits of the student's Social Security number to access the completed criminal background report.  Upon the request of the clinical facilities, students may be required to provide the clinical facility access to their completed criminal background report before participation in any clinical activities.  Only students approved by the clinical facility are allowed to participate in clinical activities.

Students can also give other schools or employers access to their national background check report by providing their report password and last four digits of the student's Social Security number. 

For additional information and instructions on accessing the required background check, please see the links below.  The background check will cost $50, plus an additional $13 for each additional county showing within the residency history.  Please note, students need to pay for their background check by debit, credit, or purchase order. 

Additional instructions provided by Certified Background as well as a link directly to Certified Background have been provided below. 

Instructions for Certified Background
Link to Certified Background

Please contact the Health Sciences Division office if you have questions or difficulties with this background check process. 

Health Sciences Division office
2600 North 20th
Pasco, WA 99301
(509) 544-8300