How to Apply for Volunteer Clearances
Important Information for Our Most Valuable Resources – Our Volunteers
Dear Counselors, Medical Support Staff, and All Volunteers:
Thank you for supporting Camp Can Do by contributing your time. As you know, Camp Can Do is very special. It is literally life-changing, and we can’t do it without you.
As responsible camp managers, we must keep our campers and volunteers safe, and part of that is strictly adhering to the Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance Guidelines. In Pennsylvania the law requires background checks on ALL adults (volunteer or paid) working with children and youth.
This means all prospective volunteers must obtain the following clearances. Please apply for these as soon as possible. By law NO ADULT will be permitted on site at camp without the proper Volunteer Clearances.
The review and approval process may take some time. The government bureaus get very busy during the spring months. Please apply as soon as possible and submit all approved clearances to Camp Can Do by e-mail as we are now striving to be completely paperless.
Simply send PDFs or photos of all documents to registration@campcandoforever.org
Many thanks!
Our required clearances include the following:
1. PA State Police (PSP) Criminal Record Check (Form SP 4-164) (Must be updated every year.)
Please note: You can also apply for this clearance on-line. Simply go to: https://epatch.pa.gov/home and click the “Submit a New Record Check (Volunteers Only)” Follow the instructions and then print the “Certification” page and send it to Camp Can Do at: registration@campcandoforever.org
2. Child Abuse History Clearance (DPW) (Form CY-113) (Must be updated every five years.)
Please note: This clearance can also be obtained online at the PA Child Welfare Portal at https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home This requires you to create an online account. Also, when indicating “Purpose of the Clearance”, be sure to indicate “Volunteer.” Please send your completed Clearance to Camp Can Do at: registration@campcandoforever.org.
3. Voluntary Disclosure Statement (American Camp Association – ACA) (Must be updated every year.)
4. Additionally, an FBI Background Check (Must be updated every five years.)
Fingerprint is required for volunteers who have lived outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the last ten (10) years. An estimated $21.35 dollar fee is required. Please pay this when you apply. Request a receipt. Send receipt to Camp Can Do and the fee will be reimbursed to you by Camp Can Do.
To schedule your fingerprint please go to the following website (https://uenroll.identogo.com). You will be asked to enter the service code. Please enter the following 1KG6ZJ then click go. The best option is the top one where you will Schedule your appointment and register. You can also walk in to an Enrollment Center but this is not recommended. You are not required to pay until at the Enrollment Center. You will receive an email confirmation with appointment time, location, and which format of ID you chose to provide.
You may also choose to get your FBI background check completed by Fieldprint (www.fieldprint.com). The turnaround time for this company is very fast, however there is a much higher cost incurred. Camp Can Do will not reimburse you for the use of Fieldprint’s services.
If you choose to submit any receipts to the Camp Can Do office for reimbursement, please allow until September 30th to receive your reimbursement check.
Following the printing/submission of prints, the scanned fingerprints will be electronically transmitted to the FBI as required by federal statute. The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) will receive the Federal Criminal History Record from the FBI. The DPW will send results to the applicant following the verification and screening. You must then submit this to Camp Can Do by email at: registration@campcandoforever.org.
It is important that you send in this information as soon as possible. You will not be allowed to volunteer on site without these clearances.
What if I already have these clearances completed through my church or job?
If you have current clearances that were processed by a third-party vendor or by your place of employment you can send in copies of the background checks instead of applying for new background checks. Please make sure all information is legible and complete.
What if I have issues completing the necessary clearances?
If you have any questions about the background check process, you can call our camp office at (980) 999-0689 or email us at: registration@campcandoforever.org. The earlier you begin registering for your clearances the better chance you will have at getting them completed quickly. The PA Dept. of Public Welfare offices get busy during the months leading up to summer. Please take that into consideration with registering.