The tragic revelations of widespread child abuse by trusted Catholic priests have been a wake-up call to the church and other nonprofit organizations which provide services to children and other vulnerable populations such as the elderly and disabled.

In response to these abuses and the continued increase in reported sex crimes, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America and, to their credit, the Catholic Church, have developed comprehensive volunteer and staff screening programs to protect the children they serve. Such screening programs are becoming a standard requirement for organizations that provide services to children.

Most insurance carriers now require such screening as a condition of binding coverage. Effective screening policies will minimize the risk of abuse for your organization, protect children and other vulnerable groups, and minimize the potential catastrophic financial implications that an abuse incident could have on your organization.

How we help our clients:

• Ensure that staff and volunteer applications and interviews request appropriate information that does not violate state privacy laws
• Research criminal background check options to identify best solution for your organization’s needs and budget
• Create a screening process that can be administered largely by volunteers
• Provide on-line training (customizable to your organization’s program) for volunteer program directors on screening issues and process
• Create and help implement a system of accountability to ensure compliance to your organization’s screening policy
• Create a review process and eligibility standards for applicants who are flagged for some previous criminal activity