Volunteers screened before working with children, elderly
By Jeff Schweers, USA TODAY
November 4, 2009
Astronaut High School senior Sha'nokwa Shellman says she doesn't know what she'd do without Laura Saavedra. Saavedra, the school's network technology technician, has been a volunteer mentor to Shellman, a 17-year-old Titusville, Fla., cheerleader, for four years, guiding her through driving lessons and college entrance exams, and helping out with homework and books. "If I forget my lunch money I can call her," Shellman said.
Before Saavedra became a mentor in the district-wide program, she went through a criminal background check - gladly, she said. "You don't want someone with felonies or sex offenders," Saavedra said. "We want to protect our children against that."
Across America, nearly 62 million people volunteered at least once last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If they worked with children, the elderly and the disabled they were likely screened for criminal red flags including drug felonies, domestic violence, child abuse, sex crimes.
Using background checks to screen volunteers has grown steadily since 1993, when the National Child Protection Act became law, said Jennifer Chandler, vice president of the National Council of Nonprofits. Amended in 1998 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton, it enabled organizations and businesses to use national fingerprint-based criminal history checks to screen out volunteers with criminal records.
Around the same time, organizations began to lobby at the state level "to give them wiggle room to get access to that information," Chandler said.
"Most savvy nonprofit leaders that use volunteers working with vulnerable populations understand that some level of background checking is expected," Chandler said. Also, she said, the public demanded such scrutiny from nonprofits and became more willing to sue over negligent recruiting. Background checks protect against liability, she said.
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Why veriFYI?
How well do you know your volunteers or perspective employees? In fact, you can never be too certain about the people you work with, especially when they work with those who are already at risk. That's why there's veriFYI. With veriFYI, your organization has an efficient, cost-effective resource to perform thorough, nationwide background checks on both employee and volunteer applicants. veriFYI also serves as an integral part of your risk management strategy by helping deter offenders from applying. In addition, many insurance companies actually require a national background check. veriFYI fulfills this requirement and no other provider can give you access to the Texas private DPS that includes juvenile records. |
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Who Needs veriFYI?
Whether operating as a nonprofit agency, a faith-based organization, or an organization such as a youth sports league - any tax-supported entity or agency with a 501(c) (3) status that serves a vulnerable clientele should use veriFYI. Simply put, the importance of adding a comprehensive background check program to your group's staffing policy cannot be overstated.
What Does Each State Provide?
Sex Offender Records are now available in ALL 50 States and Washington, D.C |
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What is veriFYI?
Screening out inappropriate individuals from staff or volunteer positions protects clients from harm and reduces the risk of lawsuits filed against your agency. That's why TANO (the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations) has partnered with veriFYI, a comprehensive background check program that encompasses a variety of ways to obtain criminal history. The standard search that veriFYI offers is a multi-jurisdictional search with a social security trace that includes:
· State records. Most state records show offenses and convictions committed in certain states. Information is taken from Department of Corrections records, Sexual Offense records, Department of Public Safety (DPS) records, Bureau of Investigations records or Administrator of the Courts records where applicable.
· Texas State records. Available only in Texas. This typically includes all prior arrests and convictions, including adjudicated records and juvenile offenses committed in Texas. Information is reported by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
· Social Security trace. To verify identity and ensure that the person being checked is, in fact, who they say they are. This trace includes out-of-state residence information as well.
· Multi-State database search of national criminal and sex offender records. This will scan databases from around the country to find records of arrest, conviction or sexual offense perpetrated from reporting states. |
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What Does Each Search Cost?
There are several search options to choose from and are listed below by cost:
National Search and Social Security - $ 7.30 This multi-state search also includes the Social Security Trace, Sexual Offender Database, and includes the Texas DPS records. Texas Motor Vehicle Search ONLY - $12.50: This searches only the Texas Driver's License database.
Motor Vehicle Search (excluding Texas) - $16.50: This searches the Driver's License database according to the state license number you provide, excluding Texas.
National Search and Social Security with Texas Motor Vehicle Search - $19.80: This search includes the basic search and a search of only a Texas driver's license.
National Search and Social Security with Motor Vehicle Search - $23.80: This search includes the basic search and a search of any state driver's license (except Texas). |
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