Volunteer Clearances
Here at Bethany BFC, providing a safe environment for kids is of the utmost importance, so we've created this page to help our volunteers navigate the process of completing necessary background checks before they are allowed to work with any kids under the age of 18 in our Bethany programs. Check out the instructions below, and contact Nancy Marshall or Chris O'Connell directly or via email (bethanybfcclearances@gmail.com) if you have any questions or need any assistance.
All New Volunteers
We are grateful to have you join the team! If you have been regularly attending Bethany BFC for 6 months, here are the steps you should take:
Click links below to view, print, and sign these two documents:
Download THIS DOCUMENT for your own records and reference.
Complete BACKGROUND CHECKS below according to instructions on this page.
Complete MANDATED REPORTER TRAINING, if you haven't already (strongly recommended).
Background Checks
PA Criminal Record Check
Ask yourself, "Have I gotten a new PA State Police Criminal Record Clearance in the past 5 years?"
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If the answer is yes: please submit a hard copy to Nancy Marshall or Chris O'Connell, or send a PDF to: bethanybfcclearances@gmail.com, then continue to the green box.
If the answer is no: below are the step-by-step instructions to receive new clearances.
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Step-by-step Instructions to receive a new PA State Police Criminal Record Clearance
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Please go to https://epatch.pa.gov and click on the first button which states, "New Volunteer Record Check" (If you are using a mac, sometimes the link sends you to the wrong page. You should be able to click the black, yellow and red badge in the upper left hand corner to get you back to the correct webpage where you will see the "New Volunteer Record Check" button.)
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Read the terms and conditions page before checking off the box confirming that this is for volunteer purposes. Then click "Accept".
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Fill out all required sections before clicking next. Use "Bethany Bible Fellowship Church" as the Volunteer Organization Name. The church’s phone number is (215) 855-2449.
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Check your information before clicking "proceed".
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Fill out all required sections before clicking "Enter This Request".
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You will find the same page is given, but blank. Do not fill anything out again. Click "Finished" at the bottom of the page.
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Click submit on the next page.
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Click on your Control Number (i.e. R12345678) If you do not see a control number, you may have to click on your name first and then you will be able to click on the control number.
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Click on "Certification Form" at the bottom of the page.
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Print this form out and please submit a hard copy to Nancy Marshall or Chris O'Connell, or send a PDF to: bethanybfcclearances@gmail.com.
Please continue to the green box below.
PA Child Abuse History Clearance
Ask yourself, "Have I gotten a new PA Child Abuse History Clearance in the past 5 years?"
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If the answer is yes: please submit a hard copy to Nancy Marshall or Chris O'Connell, or send a PDF to: bethanybfcclearances@gmail.com, then continue to the gray box below.
If the answer is no: below are the step-by-step instructions to receive new clearances.
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Step-by-step Instructions to receive a new PA Child Abuse History Clearance
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Please go to https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home
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Click on "Create Individual Account" (Unless you have already created an account previously. In that case, you should log in and skip to step 6 below to apply for a new child abuse history check.)
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Follow instructions to create your individual account and click "next".
- Your Keystone ID is a username that you create for the PA Child Abuse Portal.
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Check your e-mail to receive your temporary password.
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Once you have created your account, go back to the PA Child Abuse Home Page and click "Individual Log-in"
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Enter your username and password, log in and follow the instructions to finish setting up your new password.
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Congratulations! You can now log in with your username and new personal password.
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Check the bubble saying that you have read the terms and conditions before continuing to the next page.
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You may read over the information on the "Learn More" page before hitting the continue button in the lower right-hand corner of your screen.
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You will find a box towards the top of the page that says "Create Clearance Application". Click on that first button.
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You have arrived to the "Getting Started" page. You will notice a section in the middle of the page entitled "Volunteer Applicants" which explains that this is a free service. At the bottom of the page, click the begin button on the lower right-hand side.
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Application Purpose Page: Select the first bubble which starts by saying "Volunteer Having Contact with Children".
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Under Volunteer Category, select other.
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Under Agency Name, type "Bethany Bible Fellowship Church"
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Applicant Information: Place the appropriate information into each required field. When finished, click next.
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Current Address: Place the appropriate information into each required field. Make sure to click the bubble notifying that you would like a paper version of the certificate sent home. When finished, click next.
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Previous Address: Place the appropriate information, if needed, into each required field. When finished, click next.
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Household Members: Place the appropriate information into each required field. When finished, click next.
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Application Summary: Review all information and make sure that it is correct before clicking next.
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eSignature: Confirm that you have not received a free background check within the last 57 months, if that is true. Next, type in your signature at the bottom of the page before clicking next.
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Application Payment: Click "no" when asked if the organization provided an authorization code. Then click next.
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YOU ARE FINISHED with your Child Abuse History Clearance! Congrats! You made it! Check your e-mail for confirmation. When you receive the paper copy of your clearance, you can submit a hard copy to Nancy Marshall or Chris O'Connell, or send a PDF to: bethanybfcclearances@gmail.com.
Please continue to the gray box below.
FBI Fingerprinting
Question #1: Have you lived outside of Pennsylvania in the past 10 years?
If the answer is yes, you have been a resident of a state other than PA in the past 10 years, then proceed to question #2.
If the answer is no, then you do not need FBI fingerprints! Instead, you can print and sign THIS DOCUMENT to swear/affirm that you do not need an FBI fingerprint check. Please submit the hard copy to Nancy Marshall or Chris O'Connell so that we can keep it in your file in place of the FBI fingerprint check. And now you're finished!
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Question #2: Have you gotten an FBI background check (fingerprints) done in the past three years?
If the answer is yes: please submit the original copy to Nancy Marshall or Chris O'Connell so that we can make a copy of it.
If the answer is no: below are the step-by-step instructions to receive new clearances.
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Step-by-step Instructions to receive new FBI History Check (Fingerprints)
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Click "Get Fingerprinted" in the top right corner of the page.
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Select Pennsylvania in the drop-down menu and click "GO."
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Click on the "Digital Fingerprinting" box.
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Enter the correct "Service Code" (Volunteers: 1KG6ZJ ~ Staff: 1KG738) and click "GO."
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Click on "Schedule or Manage Appointment" at the top of the page.
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Fill out all required information in each section, clicking "Next" at the bottom of the page each time. The final step will involve setting up a fingerprinting appointment at the time and place that is most convenient for you.
**Note: you should enter the church's info in the "Employer Information" section, DO NOT enter your own employer's info.
**Note: in the "Personal Questions" section, when it asks you if you have an "Authorization Code" you should select "No." The fee for the fingerprinting should be about $23 for volunteers, and if you need to be reimbursed by the church, turn in a copy of your receipt to the church office. -
Go to the IdentoGO location you chose at the time you chose for your appointment, taking all necessary documents, to have your fingerprints taken.
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When you receive your report, please print it and submit it to Nancy Marshall or Chris O'Connell and we will make a copy for our records.
When you've completed all the above steps, you're finished with your background checks! To be fully prepared, we strongly recommend that you complete Mandated Reporter Training, as described below.
Mandated Reporter Training
If you have completed mandated reporter training in the past 5 years through another business/organization, please indicate that on your Volunteer Info Sheet.
If not, we offer group training for Mandated Reporters periodically, and we strongly recommend that you sign up for that, or go to https://www.ilookout.org/login, create an account, and complete the training on your own. The individual training program takes about 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on how fast of a reader you are. When you are finished, submit a hard copy to Nancy Marshall or Chris O'Connell, or send a PDF to: bethanybfcclearances@gmail.com.