Background Check Procedure

Background Check Procedure

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WHAT:
The California Nevada Conference Safe Sanctuaries Guidelines requires a background check for all persons working with children, youth or vulnerable adults. The following is a step-by-step process for completing a background check.

WHO:

Youth & Camping Volunteers / Hired Staff and UMVIM Volunteers are required to do checks through the Cal-Nev Conference Office using the procedure below. Note: Those who were checked with Safe Churches prior to February 2009 will need to be rechecked by the current Conference process. UMVIM Team Leaders are required to manage the process for their teams. A background check that has been done through the Conference with DOJ (Department of Justice) only needs to be done the ONE TIME.

Local Church Volunteers are the responsibility of each local church. Each church can choose the service they would like to use to screen their volunteers.

HOW:

1. Fill out the following:

· Acknowledgement of Responsibility Form (The person managing the background checks for the group only.)

· Volunteer Disclosure Form (For all applicants 18 or older)

· Screening Release Form (For all applicants 18 or older)

· Disclosure & Reference List Form ( For applicants 17 years old or younger)

· Reference Questionnaire ( For applicants 17 years old or younger)

2. As the group's representative, prepare a list of all individuals who will need to be background checked.

· Please include: First, Middle and Last Name, Date of Birth, a list if they are being fingerprinted with a finger print card or by livescan and if they are a volunteer or hired staff. Note: Non-California residents need to use the fingerprint card process while California residents use the livescan process.

· If there are any individuals on your list that you suspect may have been cleared previously, send the group list via email to (umvim@calnevumc.org) first so that they can be verified as needing background checks so we do not duplicate this process unnecessarily.

3. Make a single check payable to the "Cal-Nev Annual Conference" for $20 per Live Scan person (for California residents) OR $60 per fingerprint card person (non-California residents) and attach it to your list. These initial charges cover the criminal history processing fees collected by the DOJ and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Note: All staff for Toyon Kid's Camp, Camp Quest, Toyon LIT, Super Kid's Camp , Super Camp, Lodestar LIT and Sr. High Leadership Camp will have these fees paid for by the Youth & Camping Office. These fees do apply however to all other camps and non-staff positions. Applicants under age 18 do not pay any processing fees - submit references only.

4. Mail all Reference Forms, the Acknowledgement & Responsibility Forms, the list of individuals needing a background check, payment, all Volunteer Disclosure Forms and all Screening Releases in a single packet to: (Please bundle all forms together by the individual, not by type of form.)

                               CA-NV Annual Conference
                               Attn: Eddie Frutchey
                               P.O. Box 980250
                               West Sacramento, CA. 95758-0250

5. If there are people outside of California using fingerprint cards in your group it is at this point that they need to get printed. The local Sheriff's office is a good place to get these done. Instruct these people to get TWO SETS of fingerprint cards, one for the State and one for the FBI check. They will be given the printed cards and will then need to mail them to us at the above address so additional coding can be added before we send them in for processing.

For Live Scan volunteers, a packet will be mailed to the representative that will include instructions from DOJ, and DOJ Live Scan forms (with assigned OCA numbers and the applicants names pre-entered). Please distribute these forms to the group promptly after receiving them.

6. A fingerprint-rolling fee will be collected when you get your fingerprints taken for Live Scan and fingerprint cards. Since this fee varies widely among locations, you will want to review the cost before going to a fingerprinting site. To find the site nearest to you and a listing of rolling fees, visit http://ag.ca.gov/fingerprints/publications/contact.php. Please note: You must present valid photo identification when being fingerprinted. Expired identification information will not be accepted.

· If you are checking on pricing ahead of time via phone be sure to mention that you are being fingerprinted as a "volunteer" for a "non-profit organization." This is important information to give the agent so that they can give you accurate pricing information. Being a volunteer for a non-profit should greatly reduce the rolling fee cost to the volunteer. Be sure to check for any restrictions on method of payment, such as cash or money order only.

· If your group is a larger UMVIM team you may want to investigate having a mobile live scan service come to your team meeting. Doing it this way usually lowers the rolling fee cost and allows everyone to get it done at once.

IMPORTANT!!!
Upon completion of the check, it is CRUCIAL that each applicant return a copy of their Live Scan form to the Conference office. We need this copy promptly so we can have the reference numbers which give us the ability to check up on that volunteer's clearance in the event that there is a delay with the results.

You can gather these copies from your group and send them in together or instruct each individual to send the copy on their own. As the group's representative/leader IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBLITY to follow up with each person to make sure this has been done. If it is not done or if the Live Scan is misplaced the volunteer will be instructed to repeat the process again which will include additional processing fees. Please send copies of the Live Scan forms to:

        CA-NV Annual Conference
        Attn: Eddie Frutchey
        P.O. Box 980250
        West Sacramento, CA. 95758-0250

7. Once an individual has had a DOJ check, DOJ will update us if the person has a subsequent arrest. All you need to do is run their name annually on the National Sex Offender's Registry just for back up at http://www.nsopw.gov. REMEMBER NO NEWS, IS GOOD NEWS!

While most of the time results are returned to the applicant agency within three days, delays can occur. Delays can be caused by poor fingerprint quality, the existence of any criminal information in the applicant's record, birthdates before 1920, and incorrect data submitted on the electronic transaction. You can help prevent delays by making sure the Live Scan operator has entered ALL the information on your Live Scan form CORRECTLY and LEGIBLY. Check the Automated Transaction Identifier (ATI) reference number at the bottom of the Live Scan form and make sure you can read it clearly before leaving the Live Scan site. If you can't read it we won't be able to read it either!

CHECKING ON YOUR CLEARANCE STATUS:
24-HOUR AUTOMATED TELEPHONE SERVICE AVAILABLE - (916) 227-4557.

If your requesting agency does not have results within seven days and digital Live Scan fingerprints were submitted, you can use the automated telephone system to check on your submission. You will need the following information: (1) your date of birth; and (2) the 10-digit Automated Transaction Identifier (ATI) number that appears at the bottom of the Department of Justice form requesting Live Scan fingerprint background checks. The ATI number always appears in the following sequence: 1 LETTER; 3 NUMBERS; 3 LETTERS and 3 NUMBERS.

Once the scan is done, we are at the mercy of the State of California as to how long it takes. It can take as little as 3-5 working days, and as long as 4-6 WEEKS, it is your responsibility to make sure your applicants get through the process in a timely manner.

Finally, please know that screening is only part of the solution. Awareness, training, policy, and procedures complete the Safe Sanctuary Program. If you need help with any of these areas, please feel free to contact:

Online Safe Sanctuary Training Info & General Background Checking Questions
Eddie Frutchey

United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Admin. Asst.

(916) 374-1584

umvim@calnevumc.org

Setting up a Safe Sanctuaries Training at your church & other Safe Sanctuaries Questions
Kelly Newell

Youth and Camping Ministries Director

(916) 374-1515
kellyn@calnevumc.org