Kindly apply and submit these forms to us in a timely manner.
If you have lived in Pennsylvania for the past 10 years, consecutively, you only need to complete items 1 (PA Criminal Record Check) and 2 (PA Child Abuse Clearance).
If you have lived outside of Pennsylvania at any point in past 10 years, you will also need to complete item 3 (FBI Criminal Background Check).
Read through the directions below and reach out to us if you need assistance over the phone or in person. Please note a grace period of shadowing alongside a staff member applies to get you integrated to your role while you wait for the Child Abuse and FBI to return. Ask a NextGen staff member about grace period policies.
We are here to help!
1. PA Criminal Record Checks (Free)
Applicants can go to the Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History website and apply for their criminal record check online with the Pennsylvania State Police at:epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp
Click on "New Record Check" (a yellow box) and next to it says Volunteers Only.
On the next web page scroll down and check the box that confirms that you are in fact an unpaid volunteer so the fee will be waived.
Once you submit this clearance, on the last page, click on the words "Certificate Form" in blue letters to view the results and print that certificate. If your application is under review please print out the last page or keep for your records the Control # (starts with an "R"), your name as typed in the application and the date of the submission so you can check on the status of your submission at a later time.
PLEASE PRINT/SAVE YOUR RESULTS.Retain one copy for your records and one copy to be given to the NextGen Admin to have on file for NextGen Ministry.
Your results should be immediate. Either print you results and turn in a hard copy or save as a PDF and send via email.
2. PA Child Abuse History Clearances (Free)
To get started, go to https://www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS
For the Child Abuse History Clearance (Childline) if you DO NOT already have a Keystone ID and Password, click on CREATE INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNT and follow directions on website. When asked for a Keystone ID it's a fancy way of saying a username which you come up with on your own. You will be e-mailed a temporary password. Use this password to log in, then you will be asked to change your password. Please remember your Keystone ID and password so you can log back into your account. Once you go through the application and submit it you should have immediate access to your results. If you do you will see a green box below the E-Clearance ID, click on the link and a PDF will pop up and you can print out the results. If the green box doesn’t show up right away, please use your login information to check on the status at a later time. This could take up to 14 business days to be processed.
Once your account is setup you will:
Click on INDIVIDUAL LOGIN
Then click on ACCESS MY CLEARANCES
Then you use your Keystone ID and Password
Once you are in, click on CREATE CLEARANCE APPLICATION
Once you read that page scroll down and click BEGIN
Page 1 of Application asks: Application Purpose - select the first one if you only need this clearance for Providence Church or any other unpaid volunteer work you do
Volunteer Category: OTHER AGENCY NAME: The Gathering of West Chester Inc
PLEASE PRINT/SAVE YOUR RESULTS. Retain one copy for your records and one copy to be given to Michelle Carstens to have on file for NextGen Ministry. You may also select to have your results mailed to you during your application process.
3. FBI Criminal Background Check ($23 through Department Of Human Services)
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services utilizes IDEMIA to process fingerprint-based FBI criminal background checks. The fingerprint based background check is a multiple step process. For questions about your FBI clearance, please contact the FBI Background Check Unit at 717-783-6211 or 1-877-371-5422.
Appointments to be fingerprinted are not required, but pre‐registration is required. Once registered, you may walk‐in during a location’s posted hours of operation, but scheduling an appointment may lead to lesser/no wait times. In order to pre-register for a FBI background check and/or find a fingerprinting location, applicants should access the IDEMIA website. IDEMIA uses service codes when identifying the authorized purpose for why an applicant is being fingerprinted. This ensures applicants are processed for the correct purpose and agency.
Please visit https://uenroll.identogo.com/
Enter Service Code: 1KG6ZJ (Department of Human Services Volunteer), then click GO
Click: Schedule or Manage Appointment
Read and fill out the online registration form. The online registration form is more than more page, so be sure to click NEXT and follow the directions on the screen.
Once you have registered, visit any of the locations that were listed, or the one in which you set up an appointment with a photo ID to get your fingerprints. Your fingerprint results will be mailed to you.
Please bring in your results and we will make copies of the originals and give you the original for your records.
Please contact NextGen Admin (provkids ) for financial assistance. The cost of this clearance is $23.
Thank you for your cooperation as we strive to keep our kids safe! If you have any questions about your clearances during this process, please contact . No one other than a NextGen Director, NextGen Pastor, or NextGen Admin will view your application or your clearances without your permission.