Falls Creek Youth Camp requires that each church perform criminal background checks on all sponsors 18 years of age or older attending with their group. Below, the BGCO has offered a few recommendations as service providers for these checks. These providers all charge a nominal fee for their services; check with each service provider for pricing verification. Churches are not required to use the recommended service providers and may choose any reputable provider of background checks of their choice. The organizations listed below are provided as a means of convenience and easy reference.
Background checks are run by service providers on behalf of the CHURCHES. The CHURCHES will be responsible for the information contained in the reports and maintain it in privacy. FALLS CREEK will not seek possession of, nor view the reports. What FALLS CREEK will require is the single-page Background Check Compliance Sheet, that warrants the checks were run. This form is available to be downloaded here.
FALLS CREEK will honor background checks for 18 months from the date of the check. PLEASE READ THROUGH THE FAQs AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE THOROUGHLY. If you still have questions please contact our offices at 405-942-3000 x4645.
OPTION #1:
SHIELD CHECKS
www.shieldscreening.com
800-260-3738
Cost: $10.50 per check
OPTION #2:
PRAESIDIUM CHECKS
http://www.praesidiuminc.com/bgco.php
817-801-7773
Cost: $11.50 per check
OPTION #3:
TRAK-1 CHECKS
https://www.trak-1.com
800-600-8999
Cost: Either $16.00 or $21.00 per check (starting March 1st, 2012)
These prices are not guarantees and are subject to change without notification. Please check with all Background Check Service Providers for strict pricing information.
FAQ:
Why are background checks now required?
For years, Falls Creek has “strongly encouraged” churches to run background checks on their sponsors. We have changed the language and the policy to “require” them because we desire with all diligence to protect the lives of students and the reputations of churches. With the growing number of incidents at schools, camps, and other institutions, we feel it is definitely time for this requirement to be made at Falls Creek.
How long does it take to receive a background check?
Typically, it only takes a few hours for reports to be available. Since there are exceptions to every rule, most service providers set their “guarantee” at 24-48 hours.
How often do I need to run a background check on my sponsors?
Falls Creek will honor all background checks for 18 months, starting from the date the background check was run. This means, for example, if a church runs the checks on their sponsors a month before camp, they will not need to run those checks again the next year on those same sponsors. However, any NEW sponsors in the following year would require background checks at that time. This will hopefully help churches save money on the annual expense of these checks.
Can I use a company other than the companies that are listed here?
Yes, you may. You just need to inform us that the checks were run by using the Background Check Compliance Form. This document will be required at the time of registration on Monday at camp.
When is the best time to run a background check?
We recommend running the background checks 2-3 weeks before camp. This allows you to solidify your sponsor list, receive your reports back from the checks, time to deal with any hits that may show up on those reports, and to replace any sponsors if need be. This also ensures that given the 18 month window, within which Falls Creek will honor the checks, returning sponsors for the following year will not require the checks to be run in that year.
One of my sponsors is attending an additional week with a different church. Can I verify that they have already run a check on them, or should I run another?
If a sponsor is attending with a different church, that church will need to run a check on them also. A background check on an individual is information intended to be held in confidence by the institution requesting the check.
What constitutes a sponsor?
Background checks should be performed on all individuals designated as sponsors on your Falls Creek registration list, who are 18 years of age or older. If a student is 18 and attending as a camper, and not a sponsor, no check is required.
My budget is tight – how can I pay for these, and will this prevent smaller churches with smaller budgets from attending Falls Creek?
The vast majority of people respect the need for these types of checks on those who work with students. We suggest letting your church know the number of sponsors you intend to bring to camp and the expected costs to be incurred by running these background checks. For SAC (Smaller in Attendance Churches) who bring 6 sponsors the cost could be as low as $63.00. For a larger church that brings 40 sponsors, the low end cost might be $420.00. Churches understand these costs are minimal in comparison to the cost of litigating a lawsuit related to a suspected incident involving a student. However, if you foresee the cost of these checks causing a real financial burden on your group’s ability to participate, please call the youth ministry office of the BGCO (405-942-3000 x4645) for further fund raising ideas.
Will my background check from another organization substitute?
No, a background check on an individual is information intended to be held in confidence by the institution requesting the check. If your place of employment has run a background check on you, that check belongs to them, and cannot be transferred to us. Every church is required to run their own background checks on each person attending as a sponsor (18 years of age or older).
What happens if we get a hit on a background check?
Each church will make their own determinations about the information received from the background checks. However, any hit that involves a crime related to the harm of a child should automatically disqualify that individual as a sponsor. Churches should consult with legal counsel and make considerations regarding other information such as: what other crimes, if any, would merit disqualification; the date of the crimes; the person’s spiritual condition at the time of the incident and since; etc.