Ohio Valley Region, Inc. of USA Volleyball: Background Screening Policy
Policy
USA Volleyball has mandated that all Regional Volleyball Assocations, including the OVR, require background screening for individuals who will interact with juniors in any sanctioned activity.
Starting for the 2004-2005 USA Volleyball season, all individuals registering with the Ohio Valley Region, Inc. of USA Volleyball who will interact with juniors in any sanctioned activity must agree to background screening.
The following individuals who intend to register, affiliate, and/or participate with a juniors' volleyball club or team in the Ohio Valley Region will be screened:
- Juniors' club directors
- Juniors' club administrators
- Juniors' team representatives
- Juniors' coaches
- Juniors' trainers
- Juniors' tournament directors
- Chaperones
- Professional officials registered in the OVR
- Professional officials registered elsewhere but working in the OVR
Background screens are valid for 2 calendar years (not 2 seasons). Coaches who turn 18 during the season must be screened immediately on turning 18.
If you are in doubt about whether you must agree to background screening, contact us at background@ovr.org.
Out-of-region officials who work OVR juniors' events must complete background screening prior to working OVR events. Background screening takes approximately one week (but may run longer), so plan accordingly. If an out-of-region official's background screening is not completed before the date of his or her assignment, he or she may not work in the OVR.
Junior members are any members under the age of 18. A background screen will not be required for those individuals who will be classified as junior players or those members not associated with junior activities. Members who are subject to background screening will be screened every two years. The Ohio Valley Region, Inc. retains the right to require additional background screens at any time.
Clubs and teams must enforce the penalties resulting from a negative background screening report. Failure to do so is grounds for automatic suspension of membership privileges to participate in sanctioned junior events and/or activities.
If a Region is made aware of infractions that would disqualify an individual from any duties that currently require background screens, the Region should request the individual in question resubmit to a background screen before his or her duties are reinstated. If the individual refuses to be re-screened, then he or she should not be allowed to continue performing in that capacity.
All registered individuals of USAV and each RVA have the Right of Due Process. The RVAs (Regional Volleyball Associations) of USAV will not register, or allow to be registered, any individual who refuses to consent to a background screen if they intend to participate in RVA-sanctioned events with registered junior members.
Background Screening Disqualifiers: February 5, 2007 Update
From: Margie Mara
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 1:15 PM
To: ROD
Subject: BGS disqualifiers
Dear Regional Leadership-
The disqualifiers for the background screening were changed two years ago after the $2 million settlement with the two high school/club players who were molested by their volleyball coach. The change in wording is listed below.
Original language: I understand that disqualification from all junior events and/or activities will result if I have ever been found guilty, pled guilty or pled nolo contendere for sexual abuse, molestation, physical abuse, felony aggravated assault or assault of a minor, murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, and corruption of the morals of a minor.
Current language: I understand that disqualification from all junior events and/or activities will result if I have been found guilty, pled guilty; or pled nolo contendere for All Sex offenses regardless of time limit; Felony Violence and Felony Drug offenses in the past 10 years; any misdemeanor violence offences in the past 7 years; any multiple misdemeanor drug and alcohol offenses within the past 7 years; or any other crimes against children.
Last year, ten new coaches were disqualified who would not have been disqualified prior to the change. This season we are running into the situation where coaches who were screened two years ago are being re-screened under the new disqualifiers. I am aware of four coaches who have or may inquire concerning the process to appeal their disqualifications. As you can imagine, this is a very emotional situation for the coaches and all of the people in the club. The coaches are not denying the finding. They are asking that they be given a waiver based on the fact that they passed the screening previously and have since been active, positive, contributing members of their clubs and regions. We suspect that most of the convictions are alcohol and/or drug related. These coaches will be eligible again in the future since the time frames for these offenses are seven and ten years.
Our risk managers have advised that we do not make exceptions to our rules. The Executive Committee supported this advice.
By policy, all disqualified individuals have the right to dispute the findings of the background screening directly with the RVA’s approved Background Screen Vendor (SSCI). By signing the Consent and Waiver Release Form, the individual agrees to the conditions of the screening and the disqualifiers.
The applicant can appeal only the Criminal Record Findings with SSCI. There are no other appeals.
The insurance committee annually reviews the disqualifiers and Kevin Wendelboe, chair of the committee, has confirmed that this will be done again in May.
Margie Mara
Senior Director
USA Volleyball
Process
Every person required to submit to Background Screening must complete, sign, and date the Consent and Waiver Release form. These forms will be submitted and the applicant cleared before the applicant may participate in sanctioned junior events and/or activities.
Upon receipt of the above described documents, the Ohio Valley Region, Inc. will request that Southeastern Security Consultants, Inc. (SSCI) perform the background screen. All information received as a result of a background check will be strictly confidential. Notice of clearance or disqualification for all applicants will be provided via e-mail to:
- The designated person of the RVA where the person is registered.
- USA Volleyball National Office
A notice of automatic disqualification will be sent by the screening service to the hiring or using entity.
The complete profile will be provided directly to an automatically disqualified individual, along with a copy of the Summary of Your Rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and a notification that the person is prohibited from participating in RVA/USAV sanctioned junior activities or events. The disqualified person may appeal the disqualification directly to the screening company. Persons automatically disqualified are excluded from participation in any RVA-sanctioned juniors' events or activities.
Automatic disqualifiers for participation in sanctioned juniors' events and/or activities
Disqualification from all junior events and/or activities will result if I have been found guilty, pled guilty; or pled nolo contendere for All Sex offenses regardless of time limit; Felony Violence and Felony Drug offenses in the past 10 years; any misdemeanor violence offences in the past 7 years; any multiple misdemeanor drug and alcohol offenses within the past 7 years; or any other crimes against children.
Falsification of information on any membership application or the consent/release form is grounds for membership revocation or denial of membership.
For details of what the total search includes, visit Southeastern Security Consultants, Inc.'s website, www.ssci2000.com, and go to the ESIX-USA Sports link.
Enforcement
It is the responsibility of the entity hiring or using those individuals who are disqualified to make sure the person does not participate in RVA-sanctioned Junior events and/or activities.
Penalty
Failure of an entity to request background screening or enforce disqualification is cause for suspension of all members of the offending entity until background screening and enforcement requirements are met.
OVR Registration
For the 2004-2005 season the Ohio Valley Region will again support online registration (www.ovr.org/register/), very similar to that of 2003 and 2004.
If you are registering any individuals requiring background screening (on behalf of a club, team, or yourself), have a completed Consent Waiver Release Form for each of those individuals before registering. In addition, if you are registering others on behalf of a juniors' club, also complete a Club Contact Form.
Promptly mail those completed forms with your completed OVR Waivers, Juniors' Coaches' Code of Ethics forms, and registration fees.
Providing your information online is only the first step of registration. Your registration is not complete until your fees and completed forms are received. If you require background screening, your registration is also not complete until your background screening results come back Clear.
Because of the new background screening requirement, your forms and fees must reach the address at the top of each form within 7 calendar days of registration. Pre-registrations not meeting that requirement will be deleted. Pre-registrations for individuals whose background screens come back as Record will also be deleted.
Forms and Documents
| 1. | Consent Waiver Release Form | |
| 2. | Club Contact Form | |
| 3. | Fair Credit Reporting Rights |
