Every prospective individual provider goes through a criminal background check as part of CHAMPS enrollment, run against Michigan's ICHAT system and a federal check. What trips people up is assuming any record disqualifies them — in practice, Michigan's disqualification list is specific, and it's focused on offenses involving abuse, neglect, fraud, and certain violent or drug-related crimes.
What the background check actually covers
The check looks at both Michigan and out-of-state criminal history, and screens against Michigan's Sex Offender Registry and relevant abuse/neglect registries. It's run once at enrollment and can be re-run periodically, particularly at renewal.
Offenses that typically disqualify a caregiver
Convictions most likely to result in disqualification include crimes against vulnerable adults or children (abuse, neglect, exploitation), certain violent felonies, criminal sexual conduct, and healthcare-related fraud. Some disqualifications are permanent; others are time-limited depending on the offense and how long ago it occurred.
What does NOT automatically disqualify you
Older, unrelated misdemeanors, most non-violent offenses from many years ago, and civil matters (like debt or a past bankruptcy) generally aren't part of this specific screening. A record that has nothing to do with abuse, neglect, violence, or fraud frequently does not block enrollment — but "frequently" isn't "always," which is why confirming your specific situation matters more than guessing.
If you're worried about your record
Don't self-disqualify before applying. Talk to your county MDHHS office or one of CarePay Michigan's licensed agency partners about your specific history before assuming you're out of options — and if you're placed with an agency instead of going fully self-directed, their compliance team can often tell you where you stand before you go through full enrollment. See our self-direction guide for how the individual-provider path works end to end.
