Background Checks and Licensing: What to Verify Before You Hire a Caregiver
Someone is about to be alone in your parent’s home with access to their medication, finances, and safety. Here’s exactly what California requires be checked before that happens — and how to confirm it actually was.
The agency’s own license
Every Home Care Organization (HCO) must itself be licensed by the California Department of Social Services. Look the agency up on the CDSS public license search before anything else — an unlicensed operator has skipped every requirement below.
What’s required for the caregiver, specifically
- DOJ Live Scan fingerprint background check, run through the state’s criminal history database before the caregiver can be placed. Ask the agency to confirm this was completed and cleared — not merely requested.
- Registration as a Home Care Aide with CDSS, which is separately searchable and confirms the background check tied to that specific individual.
- A negative TB test on file, renewed periodically.
- Completion of state-mandated entry-level training (5 hours before starting, plus ongoing annual training).
Questions that go beyond the legal minimum
- How long has this specific caregiver worked for the agency, and can we see references from other families?
- Is the caregiver bonded against theft, separately from the agency’s general liability policy?
- Does the agency do unannounced supervisory visits, or only respond if a problem is reported?
- What’s the process if we ever suspect financial exploitation or neglect?
If you’re hiring a caregiver privately instead
None of the above happens automatically — you’d need to arrange your own Live Scan background check (available through many county sheriff or police department Live Scan sites) and reference checks yourself. See our guide on agency care vs. hiring privately for the full tradeoff, including the household-employer tax obligations that come with it.
If you ever suspect abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation by a caregiver, contact Adult Protective Services immediately — see our elder abuse reporting guide for the exact local number.
Looking for one? See our In-home care agencies directory — every listing is a clearly-labeled, flat-fee placement, never a referral fee, never tied to whether you hire them.