Diocese of Kalamazoo

DIOCESAN POLICY ON CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECKS

Purpose:
The Diocese of Kalamazoo values the safety of children in its care, its employees and volunteers, and the people whom it serves. Accordingly, the diocese must take prudent measures to protect its human and material resources. Effective September 2, 2003, the Bishop of Kalamazoo mandates that criminal history background checks be conducted for all church personnel as well as volunteers working in any parish or diocesan institution who have contact with a child, the elderly or persons with disabilities. Criminal history background checks are required in addition to proper screening, interviewing and reference checks conducted by all hiring agents. These checks will be done at least every five years.

General policy regarding screening:
All paid Church personnel (clergy, religious and lay) including those paid by stipend shall have a criminal history background check whether they provide services to the diocese, parish, school, other diocesan institution. This policy is not applicable to school personnel covered by Public Act 99 of Public Acts of 1992.

Volunteers who regularly are entrusted with unsupervised contact with a child, the elderly, or persons with disabilities shall have a criminal history background check.

Vendors or outside contractors will be requred to give proof that their employees who have access to our children, have had a criminal background check and can be placed in a position involving unsupervised contact with a minor.

Procedure:
Time: At the time of application for employment or assignment or request to volunteer, the Applicant shall be provided with a copy of this policy. Incumbent Church personnel and volunteers will be provided with a copy of this policy at the time their names are checked.

Requirement: A criminal history background check is a condition for employment or volunteering. Non-compliance with the policy will result in loss of employment or volunteer position.

Responsible Agent:
Requests for a criminal history background check will be conducted through the Office of the Chancellor of the Diocese of Kalamazoo.

The Office of the Chancellor of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, 215 North Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 48226, Telephone (269) 349-8714,ext. 116 Facsimile (269) 349-6440, will serve as a resource to hiring agents and volunteer coordinators.

Catholic schools will follow the requirements of the Revised School Code as administered by the Office of Schools.

Cost:
The cost of the criminal history background checks for all those not covered by Public Act 99 of Public Acts of 1992 will be $10 per individual. Checks should be made payable to the Diocese of Kalamazoo and submitted with the authorization form(s) by the requesting parish, school or agency.

Type of Background Search:
All Church personnel and volunteers other than those required by law to have a fingerprint criminal history background check will be required to have a criminal records history background check. It is expected that records searches can be conducted through the internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) maintained by the state police.

All school staff as prescribed by law shall have a fingerprint criminal history background check.

Criminal history background checks will encompass all places where the person has lived for the past seven years. If the person has worked outside the state of Michigan, a CBC will also be done in that state.

Compliance Monitoring:
Each parish, school or agency of the diocese shall submit an annual report on the compliance with these policies in connection with the annual financial report and/or required reports submitted to the Office of Catholic Schools.

Further verification of compliance with this policy will be reviewed at the time of diocesan audits of parishes or diocesan institutions.

Communicating Results of Criminal History Background Checks:
Upon receipt of the results of the criminal background check the Chancellor shall communicate, as appropriate, with the parish or institution.

The Chancellor, in consultation with the hiring entity, legal counsel and other appropriate individuals, will make a final determination regarding future service of the Church personnel or volunteer.