Volunteer Information
Mushroom Family Learning Center (MFLC) welcomes and values volunteer participation in our preschool. Pennsylvania Child Protective Services laws require all school volunteers in direct contact with children to obtain background check clearances. Please utilize the following links and information to help you determine the type of clearances that you will need to volunteer at MFLC.
1) Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151) - Issued by the PA Department of Human Services. The fee for this volunteer clearance has been waived. This clearance can be fully obtained via the blue website link above by creating an account and submitting your clearance application online.
2) Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check (Act 34) - Issued by the Pennsylvania State Police. The fee for this volunteer clearance has been waived. This clearance can be fully obtained via the blue website link above.
3) FBI Federal Criminal History Record (Act 114): Visit www.Identogo.com or please call 1-844-321-2101 and listen to the options menu. Appointments to be fingerprinted are not required, but pre‐registration is required either online or by phone. Because these are administered by the federal government, current costs will continue to apply.
During registration, you will have to provide the " DHS Volunteer" service code 1KG6ZJ. Please note the “DHS volunteer” service code would include all volunteer services. It is titled “DHS” because it is a Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Child Protective Services Law requirement.
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. It is strongly encouraged that you contact the site prior to going there as the information on the IDEMIA website may differ from actual hours of operation.
According to the PA Dept. of Human Services website, Cogent is no longer the fingerprinting agency. http://www.dhs.pa.gov/publications/findaform/childabusehistoryclearanceforms/index.htm
OR
If you have been a continuous resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the last 10 years, volunteers do not need to obtain an FBI clearance. You will instead need to print and sign the 10-Year Resident of Pennsylvania Affidavit.
4) National Sex Offender Registry Verification application (NSOR)
What should I do once I receive my clearances?
Originals of the PA Child Abuse and Criminal Records clearances will be mailed to your home address. These originals must be presented to the MFLC Director when you arrive for your first volunteer activity requiring clearances. A copy of each background check will be made from the original and kept on file in the school office. Once all clearances are submitted, you will be issued a volunteer sticker by MFLC for each volunteer activity.
Applicants should also provide to the MFLC Director their PAE Registration # that they received when they registered online for the FBI finger print clearance. Applicants may request a paper copy of the federal FBI Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) when they register to be fingerprinted. This will be the applicants' only opportunity to request a copy.
OR If you have been a 10-year+ resident of Pennsylvania. You will need to give your completed and signed 10-Year Resident of Pennsylvania Affidavit to the MFLC Director, to be kept on file in the school office.
Questions?
Please contact MFLC Director, Gina Lipkin, with any questions you may have about required clearances to volunteer at MFLC or how to obtain them. She can be reached via email or phone (412-531-1225).
1) Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151) - Issued by the PA Department of Human Services. The fee for this volunteer clearance has been waived. This clearance can be fully obtained via the blue website link above by creating an account and submitting your clearance application online.
2) Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check (Act 34) - Issued by the Pennsylvania State Police. The fee for this volunteer clearance has been waived. This clearance can be fully obtained via the blue website link above.
3) FBI Federal Criminal History Record (Act 114): Visit www.Identogo.com or please call 1-844-321-2101 and listen to the options menu. Appointments to be fingerprinted are not required, but pre‐registration is required either online or by phone. Because these are administered by the federal government, current costs will continue to apply.
During registration, you will have to provide the " DHS Volunteer" service code 1KG6ZJ. Please note the “DHS volunteer” service code would include all volunteer services. It is titled “DHS” because it is a Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Child Protective Services Law requirement.
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. It is strongly encouraged that you contact the site prior to going there as the information on the IDEMIA website may differ from actual hours of operation.
According to the PA Dept. of Human Services website, Cogent is no longer the fingerprinting agency. http://www.dhs.pa.gov/publications/findaform/childabusehistoryclearanceforms/index.htm
OR
If you have been a continuous resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the last 10 years, volunteers do not need to obtain an FBI clearance. You will instead need to print and sign the 10-Year Resident of Pennsylvania Affidavit.
4) National Sex Offender Registry Verification application (NSOR)
What should I do once I receive my clearances?
Originals of the PA Child Abuse and Criminal Records clearances will be mailed to your home address. These originals must be presented to the MFLC Director when you arrive for your first volunteer activity requiring clearances. A copy of each background check will be made from the original and kept on file in the school office. Once all clearances are submitted, you will be issued a volunteer sticker by MFLC for each volunteer activity.
Applicants should also provide to the MFLC Director their PAE Registration # that they received when they registered online for the FBI finger print clearance. Applicants may request a paper copy of the federal FBI Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) when they register to be fingerprinted. This will be the applicants' only opportunity to request a copy.
OR If you have been a 10-year+ resident of Pennsylvania. You will need to give your completed and signed 10-Year Resident of Pennsylvania Affidavit to the MFLC Director, to be kept on file in the school office.
Questions?
Please contact MFLC Director, Gina Lipkin, with any questions you may have about required clearances to volunteer at MFLC or how to obtain them. She can be reached via email or phone (412-531-1225).