Pennsylvania state background check information for Disaster Relief volunteers:
Background checks help us vet our volunteers and protect our integrity in the eyes of those we serve. Every BRN Disaster Relief Volunteer is required to provide their own clearances but there may be several paths for getting it done (see below). They are a requirement for being credentialed as one of our volunteers. Background checks must be redone every five years (if you have not moved in the past five years) from the expiration date of your last clearance. BRN DR will try to remind you when your clearances are coming due.
For PA volunteers, it is possible to get both background checks free through your church especially if you are involved with children’s, youth, or special needs ministries. But you would need to check with your church on that one. This option doesn’t exist for NJ volunteers.
If you already have current background checks for your work or church, other ministry, school, Little League, etc., you can send a scan of the report to brndr.clearances@gmail.com OR you can have the person responsible for maintaining these records fill out a Clearance Verification Form (PDF below) and email it to brndr.clearances@gmail.com.
If you do not have current background checks, you should either 1) Ask your church to assist you in getting them, 2) Get the free volunteer background checks yourself (PA only), or 3) purchase them yourself:
For Both of the Free PA Background Checks . . .
· Go to Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
1. Follow the instructions for Online Submission. Apply as a “volunteer.”
2. Create an individual login and follow the prompts through the application process.
3. After the application is processed, usually in 7-10 days, you will need to log back in and download the clearance.
4. Scan and Email the clearance to brndr.clearances@gmail.com.
AND
· Go to Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Clearance
1. Follow the instructions for Online Submission. Apply as a “volunteer.”
2. Scan and Email the clearance to brndr.clearances@gmail.com.
To Purchase Your Background Checks . . .
· For PA residents, the cost is $10.95. Go to
https://www.ministryopportunities.org/BaptistConvPANJ.
· For NJ residents, the cost is $29. Go to
https://www.ministryopportunities.org/BCPANJ
For both of the self-purchase sites, your report will automatically be sent to
Why the difference in cost between NJ and PA? It has everything to do with how the states share their criminal records with other states. But the type of information I am receiving is the same (a criminal record check and a sexual abuse clearance).
Questions can be sent to disasterrelief@brnunited.org
