A story titled “New rules expand background checks” on Kentucky.com picks up information off the Knight Ridder newswire about the increased use of background checks by AmeriCorps. Here’s a quote from the article.
Senior citizens and others participating in the help-your-neighbor AmeriCorps program will now submit to background checks before getting certain assignments, under new federal rules. Volunteers working with the young, the old and the disabled will all be investigated.
AmeriCorps is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which, in turn is an independent federal agency. It was created in 1993 to connect Americans of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities for volunteer service. More than 400,000 men and women have participated. Full time members who complete their service can earn money for college via a federal grant.
According to the news story, AmeriCorps will being doing background checks on volunteers who will be working with the young, the old and the disabled. That includes foster grandparents and senior companions. In all, some 75,000 volunteers will be checked out.
This isn’t entirely new. Some AmeriCorps affiliate programs have been conducting background checks on volunteers in sensitive positions as part of their routine screening process. The new rules make background checks mandatory and set minimum standards that all affiliate programs will need to meet.
For businesses, background checks can prevent hiring crooks or others who might embarrass the company down the road. The reason for the checks at AmeriCorps is much more human.
Mercedes Padilla, who works with the Foster Grandparents program in California, sums it up this way “We just need to protect the people. Just think of it, if it were your parents or your child involved.”