Comprehensive Background Check Process
Comprehensive Background Checks
Purpose
All child care providers in licensed child care centers and out of school times, licensed child care homes and registered child care homes must have a background check completed every five years. Background checks are conducted in order to identify information in an applicant’s background to determine whether they are eligible to provide child care services. The background check includes state and federal criminal records, sex offender registry, abuse and neglect checks and other reasonably reliable information about an applicant. If an applicant has lived in another state within the past 5 years, we require them to obtain a background check from that state(s). The background check unit will provide the state’s appropriate forms and instructions to the center or home for completing criminal history and abuse and neglect requests. Completion of these requests is essential in preventing delays.
Regulations
- 8.9.6 NMAC (PDF uploaded Dec. 16, 2022)
Background Check Process:
Licensed Child Care Centers and Out of School Times
Out of School Time programs are licensed centers that care for school-aged children only.
Licensed Child Care Centers and Out of School Times
- Register for fingerprinting by submitting Fingerprint Demographic Form (click to download PDF) to ECECD.BCU@state.nm.us. There is a $44 registration fee which is currently being waived by ECECD (as of July 1, 2020).
- ECECD Background Check Unit will e-mail the registration number. Please take registration number and proof of identification to Gemalto fingerprint location. Fingerprint locations can be found at: aps.gemalto.com/nm/Maps/MapFrame.htm
- Lastly, it is very important to submit the ECECD Child Care Center Packet (PDF uploaded Dec. 16, 2022) along with your fingerprint registration receipt immediately to: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov
- Please note: fingerprint results are only valid for 29 days after the applicant has been fingerprinted. Therefore, please submit packet immediately after the applicant has been fingerprinted to avoid any delays.
- The form may also be mailed or emailed to:
ECECD Background Check Unit
PO Drawer 5619
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502
Email: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov
En español: ECECD Facility Packet in Spanish
Background Check Process: Licensed/Registered Child Care Homes
Licensed/Registered Child Care Homes
- Register for fingerprinting by submitting Fingerprint Demographic Form (click to download PDF) to ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov. There is a $44 registration fee which is currently being waived by ECECD (as of July 1, 2020).
- ECECD Background Check Unit will e-mail the registration number. Please take the registration number and proof of identification to Gemalto fingerprint location. Fingerprint locations can be found at: https://www.aps.gemalto.com/nm/Maps/MapFrame.htm
- Lastly, it is very important to submit the ECECD Licensed & Registered Home Packet (PDF uploaded Dec. 16, 2022) along with your fingerprint registration receipt immediately to: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov.
- We will not know you have been fingerprinted unless we receive your form. The form may also be mailed or emailed to:
ECECD Background Check Unit
PO Drawer 5619
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502
Email: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov.
En español: ECECD Licensed Home Application in Spanish and ECECD Registered Home Application in Spanish.
Child Care Request for Transfer of Background Clearance
A direct provider can submit a request to transfer their background clearance for a period of 180 days after the date of eligibility letter if: they have not been arrested or charged with any crimes, been the alleged preparator of abuse or neglect and have not been a respondent in a domestic violence petition by submitting the ECECD CCDF Transfer Request Form (PDF uploaded Dec. 16, 2022) must be submitted to: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov. The form can also be mailed or emailed to:
ECECD Background Check Unit
PO Drawer 5619
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502
Email: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov
En español: ECECD Transfer Request in Spanish
Inter-State Checks:
New Mexico Child Abuse and Neglect Registry Checks
- State agencies may request a child abuse and neglect search of the Family Automated Client Tracking System (FACTS) in New Mexico for child care applicants living outside of New Mexico. The search will indicate whether an applicant has a record of substantiated child abuse or neglect to include physical abuse, physical neglect, and sexual abuse.
- There is no fee to submit the request.
- The ECECD Abuse and Neglect Request Form (PDF uploaded Dec. 16, 2022) must be submitted to:
ECECD Background Check Unit
PO Drawer 5619
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502
E-mail: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov
Phone: (505) 827-9910
For additional information regarding substantiated reports, please contact Kathleen Hardy, Records Custodian at (505) 841-2955 or Kathleen.hardy@state.nm.us
Inter-State Checks:
Criminal History
- New Mexico is not a National Fingerprint File (NFF) and the FBI does not have direct access to automatically search the criminal history repository therefore, Criminal History for applicants living outside of New Mexico can be obtained by contacting the New Mexico Department of Public Safety at:
New Mexico Department of Public Safety
Law Enforcement Records Bureau
4491 Cerillos Road, Santa Fe,
New Mexico 87507
Phone: (505) 827-9181
Email: Lerb.information@state.nm.us
Website: https://www.dps.nm.gov/
There is a $15 fee per record check, which should be a money order or cashier’s check made payable to the Department of Public Safety. The form must be notarized with original signatures.
Inter-State Checks:
Sex Offender Registry
- The New Mexico Department of Public Safety also maintains New Mexico Sex Offender Registry information. More information can be obtained from:
New Mexico Department of Public Safety
4491 Cerillos Road,
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
Phone: (505) 827-9297
E-mail: dps.sorna@dps.nm.gov
Website: New Mexico Sex Offender Registry
There is no fee to access the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Sex Offender Registry website.