SHR

Q1. Why has it become so complicated just to volunteer to help out with kid's programs and the elderly?

A1. Some people abused their voluntarism so badly that states like Ohio passed laws requiring background checks.

Q2. Does having to fill out an application mean I'm suspected of being a criminal?

A2: No. Filling out an application is pretty much routine everywhere now.

Q3. Will others think I'm suspected of being a criminal if I don't get selected for the role I told everybody I was trying for?

A3: They shouldn't. SHR teaches leadership how to preclude such unfounded gossip.

Q4: What offenses jeopardize a worker’s role with a youth-serving group?

A4: If otherwise qualified, being declined as a volunteer, or being offered a role that lacks direct contact with the children, does not necessarily imply one has a criminal history. (If the role exists, somebody has to perform its duties.) However, Ohio's law says if you've been convicted of these, and the program still uses your services, the children's parents must be told. Program leaderships won't do that because it might violate your privacy, so the only reasonable course is for you to voluntarily withdraw. Ohio names 51 specific crimes and says similar crimes from other states count. Most are felonies involving violence, trafficking, sex offenses, and endangerment. To see how Ohio defines each crime, carefully copy the code paragraph number in red, then click on it and paste it into the search window that appears upper left. Scroll down the list of "hits" until that same number appears. Click that link to read the definition.

Q5: What's the scope of your background check?

A5: Public records from criminal and civil courts, opinions from developed references, referrals to Children's Service agencies, national ever-to-date and daily newspaper arrest notices, sexual offender registries, child abuse registries, driving records, comparisons of counties-lived with compiled records of residence addresses, fingerprint identification for the FBI and from the states presently and previously lived.

Q6: Can you get sealed juvenile records?

A6: Some states routinely include Juvenile arrest and conviction data. Ohio is one of them. SHR doesn't "get" any unlawful, prohibited records, or lawfully confidential records. However, the worker himself or herself may acquire such records as part of SHR's inquiry process, if they are entitled to them, and will be asked to voluntarily present them to their designated program interviewer for confidential discussion with the worker..

Q7: If I choose to withdraw from volunteering, will people suspect me of being a danger to children?

A7: No. SHR advises your leadership how to discourage gossip.

Q8: What if my Program Leader breaks confidence and "leaks" my personal information to others?

A8: SHR reminds leaderships of the serious federal and financial consequences for failing to protect confidential worker data.”

Q9: What information does SHR or my program leadership keep-on-file about me?

A9: A9: SHR only keeps sufficient information to repeat its inquiries and rebuild your information packet all over from scratch if ever needed. Many find that authorizing SHR to keep their fingerprints on file can prove handy and economical when additional fingerprint submissions are needed by other groups.”

Q10: What is contained in the program leader's summary memo?

A10: Only generalities about whether you permitted the program leader's confidential interview, which risk indicators still contained appearance of complaint-potential in his sole opinion, what role was offered, and whether you accepted or withdrew.

Q11: Can I see the memo the Program Leader writes?

A11: Yes. You may request it from SHR, not from the program leader. You can add your own comments to that memo..

Q12: What if some of the background information SHR attributes to me is wrong, or pertains to somebody else?

A12: As a personal benefit to volunteers in programs pursuing accreditation, SHR helps them contact the sources who reported the erroneous data so they can dispute it directly with those sources. However some sources do not keep track of where they got their information. If you dispute personal opinions SHR will convey your concern to those persons and offer them the option to initiate a return-call to discuss the matter if they wish to. While SHR cannot promise to perform the correction work itself (because we do not control the records from which the data was obtained) or to pay fees for you if any are charged, we will help if we can. Call our help line, 888-806-4201.

Q13: If the program leader gets replaced, do I have to go through all this again?

A13: If you consented to an interview before, you have to do it again with the new leader when your role or duties in the program change. No new application is required. Just ask SHR to forward the same old half-page report to the new leader, along with the summary memo from the previous leader..

Q14: What information about me do you make available, to whom, under what circumstances?

A14: The information goes to you first for private discussion and to include your comments. Then it goes to your designated leader along with our decision whether you are insurable in a child-caring role. In the event your background indicates behaviors indicative of child abuse we are permitted by law to confidentially invite scrutiny by professional investigators. If criminal activity is suspected by Law Enforcement we may be compelled to hand over certain records.

Q15: So, is this some sort of central registry or "Black-List" that people can just call-up and find out stuff about me?

A15: No. The New Precautions by SHR contain no process of credentialing, certifying, approving, or otherwise implying fitness for anything, about anybody. There is no "passing" or "flunking" SHR's background checks. The organization earns the Seal of Safer Selection Practice for implementing The New Precautions and for "Selecting" appropriate roles and duties for its volunteer and paid workers.