Volunteer Background Checks for Michigan Organizations
Organizations rely on volunteers in positions that can involve significant trust, responsibility and access. For Michigan nonprofits, churches, youth programs and other volunteer-based organizations, the challenge is determining what level of background screening is appropriate for each role.
Background Check Central helps Michigan organizations build volunteer screening programs based on the responsibilities of the position, the people the volunteer may interact with and the information the organization reasonably needs to make an informed decision.
As a Michigan-based background screening company, we provide more than access to a criminal-record search. We help organizations determine what should be checked, which searches are appropriate and what the resulting information actually means.
Need help determining the appropriate screening for your volunteers?
Talk with a Background Check Central screening specialist.
Background Screening for Michigan Volunteers
There is no single background check that is right for every volunteer.
A volunteer working at a fundraising event may present very different screening considerations than someone who regularly works with children, transports participants, handles money or has unsupervised access to vulnerable individuals.
An effective volunteer screening program starts with the role, not with a predetermined package of searches.
Depending upon the position, screening may include criminal-history research, identity and address-history information, sex-offender registry searches, motor vehicle records or other appropriate records and verification services.
The objective is not to collect as much information as possible.
It is to obtain relevant information appropriate to the responsibilities and potential risks associated with the position.
For a broader overview of available screening services, explore our volunteer background checks.
Michigan Organizations We Help Screen Volunteers
Background Check Central works with organizations that depend on volunteers in many different capacities, including:
- Nonprofit organizations
- Churches and religious organizations
- Youth programs and youth sports organizations
- Camps and recreational organizations
- Charitable organizations
- Community organizations
- Educational and mentoring programs
- Organizations serving older adults or vulnerable populations
The appropriate screening can vary significantly among these organizations—and sometimes among different volunteer positions within the same organization.
A Michigan church, for example, may use one screening standard for an occasional event volunteer and another for someone working regularly with children. A nonprofit may screen a volunteer driver differently from someone assisting with administrative work.
That is why we believe volunteer screening should be role-based rather than one-size-fits-all.
What Can a Volunteer Background Check Include?
Depending upon the organization and volunteer position, a screening program may include one or more of the following:
Criminal History Searches
Criminal-record research can identify relevant records within the jurisdictions being searched. The appropriate scope may depend on where an individual has lived and the responsibilities associated with the volunteer position.
Sex Offender Registry Searches
For organizations serving children or vulnerable populations, sex-offender registry searches may be an important component of the screening process.
Identity and Address History
Identity-related information can help establish identifying information and identify jurisdictions that may be relevant when conducting criminal-history research.
Motor Vehicle Records
When volunteers will drive an organization’s vehicle, transport participants or drive as part of their volunteer responsibilities, a motor vehicle record may provide important information about driving history.
Additional Screening
Some positions or organizations may warrant additional searches or verification depending upon the volunteer’s responsibilities and the organization’s screening policy.
Depending on the position, additional services may include social media background checks, when appropriate and conducted in accordance with applicable requirements.
The important question isn’t simply, “Do we run background checks?”
It is:
“Are we running the appropriate background checks for what this volunteer will actually be doing?”
Michigan Volunteer Background Check Requirements
Michigan does not have one universal background-check requirement that applies to every volunteer at every type of organization.
Instead, screening requirements can depend upon the organization, the services it provides, whether it operates in a regulated environment, the population being served and the volunteer’s particular responsibilities.
Certain Michigan programs and regulated settings have specific background-check or clearance requirements. Organizations operating within those environments should determine which requirements apply to their particular program and personnel.
Other organizations may not be subject to the same specific screening mandates but may nevertheless establish their own volunteer-screening policies based upon their responsibilities and risk-management objectives.
This distinction is important.
A screening practice that is appropriate for one Michigan organization may not necessarily be appropriate—or sufficient—for another.
Background Check Central can help organizations determine the types of screening services available for their volunteers. Organizations should obtain appropriate legal or regulatory guidance when determining the specific requirements that apply to them.
What Is an ICHAT Background Check?
Michigan organizations researching volunteer background checks frequently encounter ICHAT, the Michigan State Police Internet Criminal History Access Tool.
ICHAT provides access to certain public criminal-history information maintained by the Michigan State Police.
It can be a useful source of Michigan criminal-history information, but organizations should understand what an ICHAT search represents—and what it does not.
An ICHAT search is not the same thing as a comprehensive volunteer background-screening program.
For example, Michigan State Police states that ICHAT does not provide several categories of information, including federal records, juvenile records, traffic records and criminal-history information from other states.
That distinction can matter considerably.
A volunteer may currently live in Michigan but have lived, worked or attended school elsewhere. A Michigan-only criminal-history search is designed to search Michigan information; it does not become a nationwide investigation simply because the individual now resides in Michigan.
For many organizations, the better question therefore isn’t:
“Did we run an ICHAT search?”
It is:
“Did we conduct screening appropriate to this person’s history and the responsibilities we are giving them?”
Michigan Criminal Records Are Only One Part of Volunteer Screening
One of the most common misconceptions about background screening is that a “background check” is a single database search.
Effective screening is better understood as a process.
Consider two prospective volunteers:
One has lived in Michigan for decades and will assist with occasional community events.
Another recently moved to Michigan after living in several other states and will regularly transport children.
Those two individuals present very different screening considerations.
Simply conducting the same Michigan criminal-history search on both may satisfy an organization’s internal requirement that “a background check was completed,” but it doesn’t necessarily mean the screening was designed around the responsibilities of the position.
A thoughtful screening process can consider factors such as:
- Where the individual has lived
- Whether the position involves children or vulnerable individuals
- Whether the volunteer will drive
- Whether the position involves financial responsibility
- Whether the volunteer will have unsupervised access to participants
- Applicable regulatory or organizational requirements
The goal is not more screening for the sake of more screening.
The goal is the right screening for the role.
Volunteer Background Checks for Michigan Churches
Churches and religious organizations frequently depend upon volunteers to operate ministries, youth programs, educational programs, camps, transportation and community activities.
Those responsibilities can vary enormously.
Someone helping set up tables for an annual event does not necessarily present the same screening considerations as a volunteer working regularly and independently with children.
Background Check Central can help Michigan churches establish screening practices appropriate to different volunteer responsibilities.
For a more detailed discussion, see our Michigan Church Background Checks resource.
Volunteer Background Checks for Michigan Nonprofits
Michigan nonprofits can have similarly diverse volunteer populations.
Some volunteers may assist with fundraising or administrative functions. Others may interact directly with children, older adults or vulnerable populations, transport clients, enter homes, handle money or represent the organization in the community.
Rather than automatically assigning every volunteer the same screening package, organizations can identify the responsibilities associated with different positions and establish appropriate screening standards.
See our Michigan Nonprofit Background Checks resource for additional information.
Why Michigan Organizations Use Background Check Central
Background Check Central is a Michigan-based background screening company serving employers and organizations that want more than access to an automated screening platform.
Our approach is particularly well suited to small and midsize organizations that may not have a dedicated compliance department or internal background-screening specialist.
Screening Based on the Position
We can help identify screening options based upon what the volunteer will actually be doing rather than automatically applying the same package to every position.
Experienced Human Support
When a question arises, our clients can speak with knowledgeable people who understand background screening.
Broader Screening Capabilities
When appropriate, screening can extend beyond a Michigan-only criminal-history search to address other jurisdictions, records or verification needs.
A Michigan-Based Screening Partner
Because Background Check Central is based in Michigan, Michigan organizations aren’t simply another account being processed through a national high-volume screening platform.
We combine professional screening capabilities with the accessibility and service of a Michigan-based company.
Building a Consistent Volunteer Screening Program
Individual background checks are important, but organizations can benefit from thinking beyond individual searches.
A consistent volunteer-screening program can define:
- Which volunteer positions require screening
- Which searches correspond to particular responsibilities
- When screening occurs
- Whether and when volunteers are rescreened
- How driving responsibilities are handled
- How screening information is reviewed
- How the organization documents its process
Creating that structure can help organizations make screening decisions more consistently rather than determining the process from scratch every time a new volunteer joins.
Background Check Central can help organizations evaluate available screening options and develop a practical approach appropriate to their volunteer population.
Frequently Asked Questions About Michigan Volunteer Background Checks
Are background checks required for volunteers in Michigan?
There is no single Michigan rule requiring the same background check for every volunteer in every organization. Specific requirements may apply to certain regulated programs, facilities, positions or activities. Organizations should determine the requirements applicable to their particular circumstances and may also establish screening standards beyond minimum legal requirements.
What background check should a Michigan nonprofit run on volunteers?
That depends upon the volunteer’s responsibilities. Factors can include whether the individual works with children or vulnerable populations, drives, handles money, has unsupervised access to participants and has lived outside Michigan.
Can Michigan organizations use ICHAT to screen volunteers?
ICHAT can provide certain Michigan criminal-history information and may be useful as part of a screening process. Its scope is limited, however, and organizations should determine whether additional searches are appropriate for the volunteer position.
Does ICHAT search criminal records outside Michigan?
No. ICHAT is a Michigan criminal-history resource. Michigan State Police identifies several categories of information that are not included, including criminal-history information from other states.
Should church volunteers receive background checks?
Many churches screen volunteers, particularly individuals working with children, youth or vulnerable populations. The appropriate screening depends upon the role, organization and any requirements applicable to the particular program.
Should volunteer drivers have their driving records checked?
When driving is part of the volunteer’s responsibilities, a motor vehicle record can provide information directly relevant to that role. Organizations should establish screening requirements appropriate to their transportation activities and insurance or regulatory obligations.
How often should volunteers be rescreened?
There is no single rescreening interval appropriate to every Michigan organization. Frequency can depend upon applicable requirements, organizational policy, the volunteer’s responsibilities and the type of information being monitored.
What information can a volunteer background check include?
Depending upon the role, screening can include criminal-history searches, sex-offender registry searches, identity and address-history information, motor vehicle records and other appropriate searches or verifications.
Talk With a Michigan Background Screening Specialist
If your organization relies on volunteers, the first decision doesn’t have to be which background-check package to purchase.
Start by determining what information you reasonably need for the positions you are screening.
Background Check Central can help Michigan nonprofits, churches, youth programs and other organizations evaluate their volunteer screening needs and select appropriate screening services.