YOUTH PROTECTION TRAINING IS MANDATORY
Youth Protection training is required for
* All BSA registered volunteers, regardless of their position.
*All Parents that wish to participate on a regular basis in the Pack.
* New leaders are required to take Youth Protection training.
Youth Protection training must be taken every two years. If volunteers Youth Protection training record
is not current at the time of re-charter, the volunteer will not be reregistered.
If there are not enough volunteer’s in the Pack or Troop who are trained in Youth Protection at the
time of the re-charter, the Pack or Troop will not be re-charted until all of the leaders are trained.
Youth Protection is of paramount importance to the Boy Scouts of America.
Recognizing that this commitment requires sustained vigilance, the BSA has continued to develop and enhance
its efforts to protect youth, regularly consulting with experts from law efforts consistently evolve along with the
ever-changing awareness of the enforcement, child safety, psychology, and other disciplines to ensure its
dangers and challenges facing youth.
The BSA takes a multi-layered approach to youth protection:
(1) local selection of adult volunteers with the support of the national organization,
(2) education and training, and
(3) clear policies such as no "one on one" activities, and immediate reporting of any concerns
Please go to the MyScouting.org site to register and take
or to check on your Youth Protection and reprint your certificate.
NEW VOLUNTEER BACKGROUND CLEARANCES
In and ongoing effort to protect Cub and Boy Scouts in our Scouting movement in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Governor signed into law Act 153 of 2014.
The Laurel Highlands Council requires that
ALL Scout Leaders in the Packs, Troops, and Crews to have background checks completed.
This is in addition to the current requirements of all Scout Leaders to have
Youth Protection completed in order to Re-charter the Pack.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Law
change affects all youth serving agencies,schools, youth sports teams, and more.
The PA Child Protective Services Law changed effective January 1, 2015.
All background checks must be completed using
the provider designated by PA per the requirements of the law.
Volunteers must provide the following:
=> State Police Criminal Record Check
=> PA Child Abuse History Clearance
=> If PA resident for more than 10 continuous years…a complete and notarized Volunteer affidavit
=> If PA resident for less than 10 continuous years…FBI Criminal Background Check
How to Obtain Your Background Clearance Checks:
PA State Police Report: PA Volunteers are Free as of July 25, 2015
PA State Police Criminal Record Checks can be obtained online by visiting the State Police web site: https://epatch.state.pa.us/
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Child Abuse History Report: PA Volunteers are Free as of July 25, 2015
PA Child Abuse History Clearances may be made online: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home
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FBI Criminal Background Waver: If you Have lived in PA for 10 or more years you do not have to complete the FBI Check. Just fill out this Form.
Laurel Highlands Council Pennsylvania Resident Volunteer Verification Form CLICK HERE
Pennsylvania Residents only. West Virginia and Maryland volunteers will need to complete the FBI Criminal Background Check.
FBI Criminal Background Check: To request an FBI Fingerprint Clearance (approximate cost-$27.50):
https://www.pa.cogentid.com/index.htm
Please note: This link will take you to the page managed by Cogent for the state of PA to help individuals attain an FBI clearance.
Please select the Department of Human Service link as your option.
http://www.lhc-bsa.org/About%20Us/Risk%20Management