Background Checks

In accordance with the Diocesan Policies for the Protection of Children and Youth (https://bit.ly/GASafeChurch, p. 9) all organizations are required to screen volunteers, employees, and members of leadership. Background checks are done through Praesidium Academy, which is the organization that also provided our Safe Church Training modules. 

 

Each congregation should have at least one administrator for Praesidium, paid or volunteer, who can submit background check requests. Once the request is submitted, the person being screened will log in to their Praesidium account and complete the Background Check module, in which they will provide the information required to complete the background check. This allows all information to be encrypted and securely transmitted.

 

Standard Background Checks cover the national databases and the current county of residence. Premium Background Checks cover national databases and all counties of residence from the last seven years. The usual cost for each background check is approximately $25. The only variations are when Motor Vehicle or Credit Check options are added, or when multiple counties must be checked.

 

In order to request background checks, each congregation must be set up in advance with Praesidium. If your congregation does not have this set up completed, or if you need additional information on how set up an administrator or, if you are an administrator, how to request a background check, please contact Canon Joshua Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org.