Volunteer Opportunites & VIRTUS Training

VIRTUS: Protecting God's Children Training

Guide for Being Compliant With the Child Protection Policy
 

Volunteers

Step 1:
Create a Virtus account- www.virtus.org
 
Step 2: 
Complete the volunteer application- HERE

• Bring application and two forms of identification, one photo ID,

Step 3:
Sign up for a Virtus Safe Environment training session.

• Sessions are selected online at www.virtus.org
• A safe environment training class must be completed within 60 days of fingerprinting.
• Submit Policy Acknowledgement Form from the book received in class.

 
Step 4:
Fingerprinting-

• Take the Livescan authorization form to one of the fingerprinting locations along with two forms of identification.
• Please verify that both State and Federal criminal background checks will be done and the cost and payment methods before you go. They vary by location.

 

• Locations - https://www.dpscs.state.md.us/publicservs/fingerprint.shtml
   
• Washington, DC residents may call (202) 727-4409 for location information

 
There have been changes made to our volunteer/employee policies, by the Office of Child Protection & Safe Environment, in order to meet the State of Maryland requirements.  To ensure the safety of our students they are requiring all volunteers to be fingerprinted and attend the child protection class.
 
For those who are not familiar with this policy, the Archdiocese of Washington requires that all persons involved with our children attend the ‘Protecting God’s Children’ training session and also complete a background check through fingerprinting. Please see the compliance guide for instructions.
 
For volunteers who already have an active Virtus account, please be sure to review it, making sure all information is current and that you have St. Ambrose set as a location.
If you have misplaced your User ID and password please do not set up another account.  You should call the Virtus Help Desk at 1-888-847-8870 for this information.
 
If you have an active Virtus account and have been fingerprinted for the Archdiocese of Washington in the past you do not need to be reprinted. If you do not know if you have been fingerprinted for this location, you can find this information on your Virtus account. 
 
If you have an active Virtus account and have had an electronic background check but not fingerprints, you must be fingerprinted by January 31, 2020, to be compliant and keep your account from being inactivated or deleted.
 
St. Ambrose School strictly adheres to these requirements. All volunteers must attend the training and have a completed background check in order to participate with our children.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.  Thank you for your support.