Safe Environment

All volunteers at St. Joseph school and parish need Safe Environment Clearances and Training. Please view the requirements for volunteers HERE.  For more information on the Safe Environment Program, please review the information presented by the Office for Child and Youth Protection.

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". 

Required Safe Environment Clearances
The three clearances needed are the Criminal Record Check, PA Child Abuse History, and  FBI fingerprinting, (or Disclosure Statement, depending upon your residency in PA). 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. 

To obtain your clearances, please use the following links: 

• Criminal Record Check (free for volunteers)– https://epatch.pa.gov/home.
  • 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.”
• FBI Fingerprining (or Disclosure Statement, depending on your residency in PA).
  • 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 online prior to arrival at the fingerprint location. To register, visit: https://uenroll.identogo.com/. and follow the instructions available on the website. Service codes are now needed:
    • St. Joseph Parish Service Code: 1KG6ZJ 
    • 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.

Required Training
Volunteers only need to take the Virtus classroom and Mandated Reporter II training one time - this does not need to be renewed. 

• Safe Environment/Protecting God's Children - www.virtusonline.org
  • Follow website website instructions to regisrer for a classroom training session.
• Mandated Reporter II Online Course
  • https://learning.childyouthprotection.org/login/index.php
  • This course should be completed ASAP. 

Submitting Your Completed Clearances & Trainings to St. Joseph Parish
Please print out all clearance, training certificates and signed documents, and send them to Joyce Castaldi ([email protected]) in the parish office.
 

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