Bottom Line for Kansas Nonprofits
- ✓Any individual 18 or older who regularly volunteers in a licensed childcare facility (KSA § 65-516)
- ✓Personnel (including volunteers in covered roles) at adult care homes licensed under KSA § 39-970
- ✓Home-based childcare providers and residents 18+ in licensed family childcare homes
- +1 more covered roles below
State Laws That Apply to Volunteer Background Checks
Kansas Statutes Annotated § 65-516 — Childcare Background Check
KSA § 65-516 (current)Requires fingerprint-based background checks for all individuals who reside in, work at, or regularly volunteer in a licensed child care facility. Checks must include FBI NCIC fingerprint-based search, KBI state criminal history check, national sex offender registry, and Kansas child abuse and neglect registry. Fingerprints must be reprinted every five years; 2024 was a major renewal year.
Kansas Statutes Annotated § 39-970 — Adult Care Home Act
KSA § 39-970 (2024)Governs background check requirements for personnel in adult care homes (nursing facilities, assisted living, adult day care, residential health care) licensed under the Kansas Adult Care Home Act. KDADS administers criminal record checks through KBI and DCF Adult Abuse/Neglect Registry. Certain exemptions may apply to occasional volunteers.
Kansas Administrative Regulations § 30-47-905
Kan. Admin. Regs. § 30-47-905 (current)Establishes specific background check procedures for child care providers regulated by KDHE, including submission requirements, fingerprint protocols, and documentation standards applicable to regular volunteers in licensed child care settings.
Who Must Be Screened in Kansas
!Legally Required to Be Screened
- •Any individual 18 or older who regularly volunteers in a licensed childcare facility (KSA § 65-516)
- •Personnel (including volunteers in covered roles) at adult care homes licensed under KSA § 39-970
- •Home-based childcare providers and residents 18+ in licensed family childcare homes
- •Healthcare workers and volunteers in KDADS-regulated facilities
Types of Background Checks Required in Kansas
How to Get Background Checks in Kansas
$5 per check — includes national criminal database, sex offender registry across all 50 states, SSN trace, and FCRA Certified Compliance Team review.
Start Free Today →Volunteer Screening in Kansas: What You Need to Know
Kansas is notable for requiring background checks on individuals who 'regularly volunteer' in licensed childcare settings — a term covering consistent, recurring volunteer work rather than one-time visits. The 5-year fingerprint renewal cycle under KSA § 65-516 means organizations must actively track renewal dates and 2024 was a major renewal cycle year. Kansas has a large agricultural nonprofit sector and strong faith-based social service networks, particularly in rural western counties. The 2025 Kansas HB 2052 (enacted Chapter 55) made additional updates to screening procedures — organizations should review the current KDHE guidance for any applicable changes. No Kansas FCRA state analog; federal FCRA governs consumer reporting agency checks.
Compliance Tips for Kansas Nonprofits
- 1
Under KSA § 65-516, the 'regularly volunteers' threshold is key — document how often each volunteer serves in your childcare program. Consistent weekly or monthly volunteers almost certainly meet this threshold and require fingerprint-based screening.
- 2
Track the 5-year fingerprint renewal cycle for each volunteer individually — build a simple spreadsheet with expiration dates, and remember 2024 was a system-wide renewal year meaning many volunteer fingerprint records may be approaching or past expiration.
- 3
KDHE and KDADS are separate agencies with separate background check portals — childcare organizations use the KDHE system, while adult care homes use the KDADS Kansas.gov portal. Using the wrong portal will result in processing delays and potential licensing issues.
- 4
The Kansas child abuse and neglect registry check is administered through DCF, not KDHE — ensure you are requesting this as a separate step from the KBI criminal history check, as these are not combined in a single inquiry.
- 5
Review Kansas HB 2052 (2025, Chapter 55) for any updated screening requirements applicable to your facility type — KDHE periodically updates the childcare background check procedures to align with federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kansas Statutes Annotated § 65-516 — Childcare Background Check apply to my nonprofit?
Kansas law applies to nonprofits with volunteers working in covered roles — typically involving direct, unsupervised contact with children, elderly individuals, or vulnerable adults. Kansas requires comprehensive fingerprint-based background checks for volunteers who regularly work in licensed childcare facilities under KSA 65-516, administered jointly by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).
What happens if we skip background checks in Kansas?
Failing to screen volunteers in Kansas can expose your organization to negligent supervision liability, loss of insurance coverage, and — in sectors with mandatory requirements — regulatory penalties. Under the federal FCRA, running checks without proper procedures also creates compliance risk.
How long does a Kansas volunteer background check take?
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) — administers childcare licensing and KSA 65-516 background check program; Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) — processes state criminal history checks; Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) — administers adult care home criminal record check program through Kansas.gov typically processes checks in KBI state check: 3–5 business days; FBI fingerprint-based national check: 2–5 weeks via KDHE system. VolunteerBadge's national criminal database search returns results instantly for most volunteers.