Criminal Background Checks: Act 153 of PA

Criminal Background Check Clearances Required Under Act 153 of 2014

Pennsylvania State Police Access to Criminal History (PATCH)

• Cost: Free*
  
• Sent: Electronically or mailed if record indicated
  
• Timeframe: Immediate to 6 weeks depending on response
  

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance  

• Cost: Free*
  
• Sent: Electronically and Mailed (if selected)
  
• Timeframe: Up to 14 days from receipt of application
  

FBI Fingerprinting

• Cost: $21.35**
• Sent: Mailed
• Timeframe: 2-4 weeks

*A volunteer may only receive the PATCH and Child Abuse background checks free of charge once every 57 months and only upon online certification of volunteer (unpaid) status.

**A volunteer may obtain the FBI clearance at any IdentoGO site of their choosing and will be responsible for the costs associated with the clearance. Villanova University has established a process through its Department of Public Safety (an IdentoGO site since July 2018) wherein it will pre-pay for the clearance on behalf of the student volunteer.  The instructions on how to obtain the FBI clearance through this process are below. 

If you have lived outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the last 10 years, you are required to complete all three criminal background checks.  If you have been a continuous resident of Pennsylvania for the last 10 years, in lieu of the FBI Fingerprinting, you can complete a PA Resident-Volunteer Affirmation form which swears and affirms that you have: (1) been a PA resident for the last 10 years, (2) filed requests for PATCH and Child Abuse History Clearances, (3) have not been named as a perpetrator of a founded report of child abuse as defined by PA law and (4) have not been convicted of any crime that precludes you from volunteering.  

Background check certifications are valid for 60 months from the date issued.   The three criminal background checks obtained as a volunteer can be used at Villanova and other volunteer organizations provided they are valid.  Similarly, background checks obtained for employment purposes can be used for volunteer positions.

The reverse however, is not true.  The law does not allow criminal background checks obtained as a volunteer to be used for employment purposes.

In addition to the background check clearances, please note that volunteers must also meet education and training requirements in order to participate in programs and activities involving minors.  Please review the Education section of this website to learn in greater detail about the education and training requirements. 

Student volunteers may complete the following background checks on their own or meet with their Program Director to complete. As of July 25, 2015 both the Pennsylvania State Police Access to Criminal History (PATCH) and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance are free to obtain for all volunteers. Please note: A volunteer can only receive background certifications free of charge once every 57 months.

Pennsylvania State Police Access to Criminal History (PATCH) (https://epatch.pa.gov/home). You will be required to submit your social security number.

• Click on the New Volunteer Record Check button on the main logon page to run your free volunteer check.
• Read the online instructions carefully, then mark and accept the Volunteer Acknowledgement Section.
• Complete the information on the Personal Information screen and click Next.
• Please make sure that once you have completed the criminal background check that you print or save the certification form with the logo in the background.  Click here for an example of the PA State Police Response for Criminal Record Check.
  
  • Double click on the control number.
  • Double click on the blue hyper link “Certification Form” near the center of the page.
  • If the request returns a response of Record, you will not be able to print a certification form.  A record response will be mailed to the address provided.
• If you are unable to print or save the results at this time you will need to document the Control Number, your name as it appears on the request, and the date of the request.  This information is necessary in order to retrieve your record check at a later date.
• Please upload a copy of the clearance results to your Personalized URL for further review.  See Uploading Clearance Results for additional instructions.

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance (http://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home)

• Please make sure that you know where you have resided and whom you have resided with since 1975. You will need this information to complete the on-line form.
• Please also note that once you go into the site, it will ask you for a Keystone ID. You will need to create this login. It will later ask you to create a password, among a series of security questions.
• Click on Create Clearance Application.
  
• This clearance is free for volunteers starting on July 25, 2015.  Please make sure you select VOLUNTEER as the purpose for the application.
• You will receive an email notification when the results are available. You can request a paper copy sent to your home address.
• Click here for an example of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance.
• Print or save the results once they are available and upload a copy to your Personalized URL for further review. See Uploading Clearance Results for additional instructions.

FBI Fingerprinting (https://uenroll.identogo.com) (Updated 8/30/2018)

Below is the process VU student volunteers will need to follow for Villanova University to cover the associated costs for the FBI clearance check ($21.35).

• Student volunteers will be sent the Authorization (Coupon) Code and Site Code from their Program Director via their Personalized URL prior to registering.
• The registration process is completed online at https://uenroll.identogo.com. 
• You will be prompted to enter a Service Code to begin enrollment. 
• Student volunteers will register under the Department of Human Services (DHS). The Service Code for DHS volunteers is 1KG6ZJ. 
• On the next screen select Schedule or Manage an Appointment.
• The next few screens will collect essential information such as name, date of birth, address, etc. You will need to complete all required information. You must indicate you have an Authorization (Coupon) Code. Please note that you are now able to request that your clearance results be mailed to your local address at Villanova University which may expedite your receipt and, in turn, your ability to upload the results via your Personalized URL as explained in the Uploading Clearance Results section below. 
• You will be prompted to select a required proof of identification to bring with you when being fingerprinted.  The site will provide a list of acceptable documents.  VU Public Safety has requested that applicants bring a driver’s license or state ID card, if possible.
• On the Location selection screen in the "Search for an Enrollment Center by Postal Code, City and State, or Airport Code” field you will enter the Site Code provided to you on your Personalized URL.  Please note that you cannot copy and paste the code into this field. With this code you will be able to walk in to VU Public Safety to have your FBI fingerprints done.
• Select the Garey Hall location and click Next.
• Enter your Authorization (Coupon) Code and click Next.
• On the Appointment Date and Time screen, check the box for Walk In and then Submit.
• Please print your Service Summary Report or record your Universal Enrollment Identification number (UEID).  The UEID will assist VU Public Safety in retrieving your registration.
• Once the registration is complete you will receive a confirmation email.   
• Take the confirmation email or your UEID along with the preferred method of identification you selected during the registration process and your Authorization Code to the VU Department of Public Safety for fingerprinting (24 hours/day; 7 day/week).
• The fingerprint scan process takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and will require your picture to be taken.  
• Registrants will receive their results in the mail. Please note that you are now able to request that your clearance results be mailed to your local address at Villanova University which may expedite your receipt and, in turn, your ability to provide the results via your Personalized URL as explained in the Uploading Clearance Results section below. 
• Once the results are obtained, upload a copy to your Personalized URL for further review and keep the original.  See section on Uploading Clearance Results for additional instructions.  Please do not upload a copy of your FBI confirmation email.

For printable instructions on registering for the FBI clearances along with screenshots, please click here.