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I'm curious is it required of camps accredited with the ACA to do background checks on counselors? I mean if the camp does everything else but doesn't do the background checks will they not get the accreditation? Or would they still pass if that is the only thing missing?

I work in Maine and there's a bill that mentions that Maine itself doesn't require counselors to go through a criminal background check. Our camp does background checks so we are overly worried about it. The concern was/is that in the meeting the topic of fingerprinting came up. They also mention the the Department of Health here may make the guidelines for hiring counselors. Not sure what the outcome concerning international staff would be.

The meeting did mention utilizing ACA guidelines but not sure if the ACA thing would necessarily be the way they want.

Criminal background checks are not an automatic pass/fail requirement for ACA accreditation.

Hi Mainer -

Just wanted to let you know what was going on in good old Massachusetts. We have Board of Health (BOH) regulations that stipulate we must do background checks. We also have immunization requirements that are stipulated by the BOH. As far as ACA accreditation - we are accredited, but I don't know if that is just because of the background checks. Also, I do know that we do NOT do fingerprinting, we submit a CORI/SORI sheet to the state and they let us know if our staff passes. (That's a criminal and sex offender registry that is checked). The only problem I can see with this is that if the staff is international - in which case we would have to do the check in Mass and then in their country as well. Just a couple of thoughts. Thanks for listening.

As stated above, the background checks are not required for accreditation, but I believe that most camps have policies in place for doing background checks. This can be a problem if you hire international staff, staff from states outside your own, and minors (under 18). I would recommend that you do the checks though, as it is a good safeguard.

As an interviewer for one of the international staff recruiting agencies, I can reassure you that all international staff (from the UK anyway) have to get clearance from the Criminal R

Sorry, my reply was sent before I'd finished it, so I'll contiue....

anyway, all UK staff for camps need to obtain clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau. This involves filling out a comprehensive form at the interview. The form asks for details of name(s) addresses, convictions etc. etc. Every applicant has to provide 3 forms of ID, including photographic ID, which the interviewer checks carefully.

Besides international camp staffing organisations, all institutions based in the UK which include 'vulnerable' populations (schools, homes for the elderly etc.) use the CRB check, before employing anyone! It is an excellent way to weed out undesirables and it's about as foolproof as you can get!

There are 3 levels of check, the most rigorous being the enhanced version, which is the one required by the int'l camp staffing organisations.

Hi!
I do back ground and child abuse checks on all my counselors. WV only has a criminal but the camp where I work at is in PA. I was from WV and my staff was from PA. So we had background checks from WV and the rest for my staff from PA. I do not see anything wrong with it. I think it is a good idea but also can be costly and how do you decide who to screen. I only screned the ones I hired or were fairly sure about hiring.

What is the best way to perform a criminal background check on potential employees and what is the cost associated with performing the check? Thanks in advance!

I also think so.


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A few things...first off, its my understanding (per info that was given to us by the company we use for background checks) you are only allowed to perform a background check on an individual who you have offered a position to. You need to let them know that you are performing the background check, as they have the right to know whats on that check if it effects their employment. Background checks often will show you both charges that an individual has faced as well as the disposition (whether the charge was dismissed or what they faced). You are legally entitled to rescind a job offer based on a guilty conviction, etc, however you cannot rescind a job offer based on charges that have been dismissed.

I would highly recommend using one of the background check companies that is business partners with the ACA (we use Nat'l Background Investigations and they've been great to do business with). Realize, though, that background checks are often state by state and even county by county, so you can check a staff member who is from Georgia, but if they do something on spring break in Florida, it may not show up on the check. Any good background check company will help you figure out the best check for you.