Safe Environment

All volunteers at St. Joseph school and parish need safe environment clearances and training. Please view the requirements for volunteers HERE.  

If you plan to volunteer or are still volunteering and your clearances are expiring, please use this checklist to ensure you have the proper background checks. Please note on the checklist that the level of contact would be "Regular". The three clearances needed are the Criminal Record Check, PA Child Abuse History , and Disclosure or FBI fingerprinting, depending upon your residency in PA. If you have been a resident of PA for the past 10 consecutive years, please sign the Disclosure in lieu of the fingerprinting. These three clearances are good for 5 years and then must be renewed. All volunteer clearances, with the exception of FBI Fingerprinting are free of charge. Use the following links to complete the Criminal and Child abuse clearances:

• Criminal Record Check (free for volunteers)– https://epatch.state.pa.us/. Select “volunteer.”
• PA Child Abuse History (free for volunteers)– https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home. To begin, select “create an individual account.”
• If you have lived in Pennsylvania for more than 10 years, please complete this disclosure statement.
• If you have not lived in Pennsylvania for more than 10 years, you will need a Federal Criminal History Report (FBI-Fingerprinting)-Applicants must register prior to going to the fingerprint site at https://uenroll.identogo.com/. Instructions are available on the website. Service codes are now needed:
  • 1KG6Y3 (School) or 1KG6ZJ (Parish)
  • Click on Schedule or Manage Appointment and complete the required information. Payment is made at the time of fingerprinting. For locations, visit https://www.identogo.com/locations/pennsylvania.

The safe environment training required by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is also listed on the volunteer sheet. First, go to www.virtusonline.org to register. Then you can sign up for a classroom training session and also complete the Mandated Reporter II online course. This should be completed ASAP. Volunteers only need to take the Virtus classroom and Mandated Reporter II training one time - this does not need to be renewed. Here is the link for the Mandated Reporter II training:
https://learning.childyouthprotection.org/login/index.php

Please print out all clearance, training certificates and signed documents, and send them to Joyce Castaldi ([email protected]) in the parish office.

For more information on the Safe Environment Program, please review the information presented by the Office for Child and Youth Protection.

For questions about Safe Environment training and clearances, please contact Joyce Castaldi in the parish office at [email protected] or 610-269-8294.