A youth basketball coach gives his player a high five as he practices the do's and dont's of coaching youth sports

Policies

TRUSTED COACHES
BACKGROUND CHECK POLICY AND DISCLAIMER

Trusted Coaches (TC) is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to educating coaches on best practices in youth sports. The TC program includes screening for coaches who might present a threat or do harm to children and TC reserves the irrevocable right to exclude coaches from membership based on criteria listed above.  TC’s background check provider (InCheck) performs a criminal record check based on national criminal records.  TC does not perform a credit report for financial information, such as bankruptcies or assets and liabilities; or verify employment or education claims.

Trusted Coaches is NOT an employer of youth sports coaches and makes no determination on whether or not an individual is allowed to coach within a purchasing member organization.

Persons who apply to become a member of Trusted Coaches may not have engaged in any action which, within the discretion of the Trusted Coaches Review Board or their representative or member association, gives rise to a concern over the safety of minors or others involved in Trusted Coaches sponsored programs. If a national background screen indicates that the applicant cannot satisfactorily qualify as a youth coach or otherwise is inconsistent with the Trusted Coaches’ responsibilities, policies and procedures to its member associations, the participants, or the parents of participants, the candidate will not be allowed to become a member of Trusted Coaches.

Nationwide criminal background checks will be conducted on all applicants if requested by their member organizations through the creation of the Organization Season and Role. This background check will verify the applicant’s social security number and address history, and check their criminal conviction history.

Trusted Coaches has the sole discretion to deny membership to potential coaches that may pose a threat to vulnerable subjects, such as children, game officials, administrators, opposing players/coaches and spectators regardless of whether or not the results of the Background Check directly violate any of the listed criteria in this Policy and Disclaimer.

Special Note: Any applicant that submits a background screen application through Trusted Coaches is subject to the listed Policies and Procedures.

WHAT WE SCREEN FOR:

A) A MINOR
Screening includes but is not limited to crimes such as:

– Indecent solicitation of a child
– Abandon/Endanger of a child
– Sexual abuse of a child
– Child molestation
– Child abuse
– Furnishing alcohol to a minor
– Sexual conduct with a minor
– Aggravated sexual abuse/assault of a child
– Indecency with a child
– Kidnapping
– Child Neglect

B) THE USE, POSSESSION, OR SALE OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
Screening includes but is not limited to crimes such as:

– Possession
– Possession with intent to distribute
– Trafficking
– Possession of drug paraphernalia
– Drug Manufacturing and Cultivation

C) THE USE OR THREATENED USE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST A PERSON OR PROPERTY
Screening includes but is not limited to crimes such as:

– Murder
– Theft/Burglary/Armed Robbery/Larceny
– Breaking & Entering
– Assault (Simple and Aggravated)
– Disorderly conduct
– False Imprisonment
– Escape from penitentiary
– Domestic violence/abuse
– Manslaughter
– Harassment

D) A SEXUAL OFFENSE
Screening includes but is not limited to crimes such as:

– Prostitution
– Rape
– Sexual Assault
– Solicitation
– Indecent Exposure
– Statutory Rape
– Child Pornography
– Pimping and Pandering

E) ILLEGAL GAMBLING AND/OR FINANCIAL CRIMES
Screening includes but is not limited to crimes such as:

– Embezzlement
– Fraud
– Identity Theft

UNDER REVIEW / “PRE-ADVERSE ACTION” PERIOD

Applicants are placed “Under Review” and into a “Pre-Adverse Action” period when the results of the background screen return any violation to the listed criteria below.

The preliminary results of the background check will be shared with both the applicant and the applicant member organization. The applicant will be allowed 5 business days to dispute the findings (see below).

The results will be shared with the applicant via encrypted email that will provide access to the documentation.

Crimes that violate the Trusted Coaches criteria for membership include but are not limited to:

  • ANY Felony level conviction in last ten (10) years (Statute of Limitations begins as of "Date of Disposition")
  • More than one (1) Felony on Lifetime Criminal Record
  • ANY crime of a sexual nature
  • ANY crime resulting in loss of life
  • Multiple violent offenses (minimum of 3) on Lifetime Criminal Record
  • ANY Felony level Domestic Abuse convictions on Lifetime Criminal Record
    • More than one (1) lesser level domestic abuse convictions in last ten (10) years
  • Some convictions involving children including Child Endangerment

DENIAL OF MEMBERSHIP: PROCESS AND PROCEDURE

  • Coaches that have been put into a pre-adverse action period will be required to supply additional LEGAL DOCUMENTATION in order to dispute the background screen results. See below for more information.
    • Letters of Reference will NOT be accepted
    • Letters of Appeal are NOT be accepted
  • Crimes of all levels (reckless misconduct, misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor and felonies) will be considered when screening a coach applicant.
  • Upon receipt of information that indicates that an applicant will be denied membership, an email notification will be sent to the applicant.
  • A copy of the screening report with be sent to both the applicant AND the applicants member organization via encrypted email.
  • The applicant will have 5 business days in which to dispute any information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
  • If the applicant does not provide adequate LEGAL DOCUMENTATION to dispute the findings in the background screen:
    • The information reported in the screening report will be deemed true and accurate.
    • The applicant will be sent notification via email that their application to be become a member of Trusted Coaches has been denied.
    • The organization will be sent an email notifying that the applicant has not met the eligibility standards for inclusion into the Trusted Coaches membership program.

MANDATORY REPORTING

The applicants purchasing member organization will be made aware of any crimes resulting in conviction that may cause alarm or jeopardize the applicant’s ability to execute the role of a youth sports coach. The Mandatory Reporting policy does not always result in the applicant being placed into the “Pre-Adverse Action” period.

Trusted Coaches reserves the right to share the results to the applicant’s purchasing member organization at any time.

Trusted Coaches does not automatically report and share the results of the Background Check if the screening report does not return results that fit in either the  "Under Review" or 'Mandatory Reporting" categories.  However, purchasing member organizations may request the Background Screen results for ANY coach at ANY time.

Trusted Coaches will report the following crimes to both the applicant and an applicant’s organization.
They include but are not limited to:

  • ANY Felony conviction on Lifetime Criminal Record
  • Any Crime involving a minor on Lifetime Criminal Record
  • Crimes resulting in the conviction of a lesser level offense that may cause harm to minors

NOTE:  Trusted Coaches cannot and will not make any determination for Background Checks that include any open or pending case case where a formal 'Convicted' or 'Dismissed' disposition has not been found by the court system.  This includes but is not limited to:  Pending cases with hearings scheduled on future court dockets, open cases whereas the completion of probationary terms or diversion programs would render an alternative disposition, etc.

Disclaimer

A Summary of Your Rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act

The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) promotes the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of information in the files of consumer reporting agencies. There are many types of consumer reporting agencies, including credit bureaus and specialty agencies (such as agencies that sell information about check writing histories, medical records, and rental history records). Here is a summary of your major rights under the FCRA. For more information, including information about additional rights, go to http://www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore/ or write to: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street N.W., Washington, DC 20006.

  • You must be told if information in your file has been used against you. Anyone who uses a credit report or another type of consumer report to deny your application for credit, insurance, or employment – or to take another adverse action against you – must tell you, and must give you the name, address, and phone number of the agency that provided the information.
  • You have the right to know what is in your file. You may request and obtain all the information about you in the files of a consumer reporting agency (your “file disclosure”). You will be required to provide proper identification, which may include your Social Security number. In many cases, the disclosure will be free. You are entitled to a free file disclosure if:
    • a person has taken adverse action against you because of information in your credit report;
    • you are the victim of identity theft and place a fraud alert in your file;
    • your file contains inaccurate information as a result of fraud;
    • you are on public assistance;
    • you are unemployed but expect to apply for employment within 60 days.

In addition, all consumers are entitled to one free disclosure every 12 months upon request from each nationwide credit bureau and from nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies. See http://www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore/ for additional information.

  • You have the right to ask for a credit score. Credit scores are numerical summaries of your credit-worthiness based on information from credit bureaus. You may request a credit score from consumer reporting agencies that create scores or distribute scores used in residential real property loans, but you will have to pay for it. In some mortgage transactions, you will receive credit score information for free from the mortgage lender.
  • You have the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. If you identify information in your file that is incomplete or inaccurate, and report it to the consumer reporting agency, the agency must investigate unless your dispute is frivolous. See http://www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore/ for an explanation of dispute procedures.
  • Consumer reporting agencies must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information. Inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable information must be removed or corrected, usually within thirty days. However, a consumer reporting agency may continue to report information it has verified as accurate.
  • Consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative financial or credit information. In most cases, a consumer reporting agency may not report negative information that is more than seven years old, or bankruptcies that are more than ten years old.
  • Access to your file is limited. A consumer reporting agency may provide information about you only to people with a valid need – usually to consider an application with a creditor, insurer, employer, landlord, or other business. The FCRA specifies those with a valid need for access.
  • You must give your consent for reports to be provided to employers. A consumer reporting agency may not give out information about you to your employer, or a potential employer, without your written consent given to the employer. Written consent generally is not required in the trucking industry. For more information, go to http://www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore/
  • You may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report. Unsolicited, “prescreened” offers for credit and insurance must include a toll-free phone number you can call if you choose to remove your name and address from the lists these offers are based on. You may opt-out with the nationwide credit bureaus at 1-888-5678688.
  • You may seek damages from violators. If a consumer reporting agency, or, in some cases, a user of consumer reports or a furnisher of information to a consumer reporting agency violates the FCRA, you may be able to sue in state or federal court.
  • Identity theft victims and active duty military personnel have additional rights. For more information, visit http://www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore/

Trusted Coaches (TC) is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to educating coaches on best practices in youth sports. The TC program includes screening for coaches who might present a threat or do harm to children and TC reserves the irrevocable right to exclude coaches from membership based on criteria listed above. TC performs a criminal record check based on national criminal records. TC does not perform a credit report for financial information, such as bankruptcies or assets and liabilities; or verify employment or education claims.

Trusted Coaches is NOT an employer of youth sports coaches!