WHAT is the second criterion. What should be considered diligent in terms of a proper background screening for each person? That really depends on their roles and responsibilities. Do they work with children? Do they handle money? Do they have keys to the building? Do they travel as a chaperone? One size does not fit all! You must tailor your screening program to their roles. You may need to order a driving history (MVR) for chaperones that drive; or a credit report on those that handle finances. Consider Federal Court searches for crimes like embezzlement, trafficking, drug charges, and kidnapping to name a few. Consider the responsibilities for each title, thinking about each area of your organization they will be involved in to decide on the appropriate services for each. A company with a sound reputation and knowledgeable staff, such as Protect My Ministry, will have recommendations to provide.
HOW often? I have always recommended that churches run annual searches on their staff and volunteers and now many insurance companies are making it mandatory for coverage. Many things can happen in a 12 month period, at home or away. It is your responsibility to ensure the staff and volunteers are always clear of potential risk to your church. The only way to ensure your volunteer is still “clear” is to re-screen on a consistent basis. If budget is a concern, know that Protect My Ministry is one of the only background check companies that provides a FREE re-verification of records from the national criminal database for volunteers.
The last thing to consider when creating your policy is a screening provider. One Size Does Not Fit All also applies to background screening providers and their services. For the last 3 years, Protect My Ministry has been partnering with churches to help them effectively screen their volunteers and staff. Now serving over 25,000 churches, schools and nonprofits, we have become the go-to source for background checks and child safety training, online training, and instructional videos.
RELATED: Church Volunteer Training
Our background check services include:
- SSN Verification
- National Criminal Database Search
- National Sex Offender Search
- Re-verification of criminal records
- Alias names
- (1) county or statewide criminal court search (plus mandatory fees)
Our integration with Elexio, ShelbyNext, FellowshipOne, ParishSoft, and many other Church Management platforms streamlines your screening process. Our approach to customer service, screening services and technology is not a One Size Fits All. We take a holistic approach to background screening that promotes confidence and peace of mind.
