Background Screening

The National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI) is the only national background screening services specifically dedicated to the protection of children. NCSI is the choice of many of the most renowned and reputable organizations and corporations in the world including the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

NCSI’s background screening programs are recognized as the “Standard of Care” in the youth-serving industry. NCSI was formed in partnership with the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS), with the goal of significantly increasing the level of safety for our youth.

The U.S. All Star Federation has elected to implement the same comprehensive screening that the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee requires all National Governing Bodies to follow for members involved with minor athletes.  NCSI applies the USPOC Guidelines to its background screening, focusing its efforts, systems, and expertise directly into seven identified risk factors using multiple vendors to ensure client organizations will meet and exceed due diligence.  The screening includes:

• Social Security Number validation;
• Name and address history records;
• Two independent Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal Database searches covering 50 states plus DC, Guam, and Puerto Rico;
• Federal District Courts search for the district(s) where the individual currently lives or has lived during the past seven years, going back the length of time records are available and reportable based on the name and address the Individual provides and the developed address history records;
• County Criminal Records for the county (or counties) where the individual currently lives or has lived during the past seven years, going back the length of time records are available and reportable for each county searched based on the name and address the Individual provides and the developed address history records;
• Two Sex Offender Registry database searches of all available states, plus DC, Guam, and Puerto Rico;
• Multiple National Watch Lists;
• Comprehensive International Records search U.S. citizens who have lived outside of the United States for six consecutive months in any one country, during the past seven years;

• Contact John Miller, Senior Client Services Manager with NCSI:
  Email: JohnM@ncsisafe.com
  Toll Free: (866) 833-7100 x109
  Phone: (440) 542-9690
• Indicate that you are with the USASF and would like to set up a Club Account with Club Share to the USASF

If you set up a CLUB ACCOUNT it is important that you instruct your employees as follows:

• They MUST enter YOUR Club Account Self Registration number on the NCSI site
• Once their determination has been returned to your organization – the coach MUST log into their USASF Coach profile and click START BACKGROUND CHECK to SHARE their determination with the USASF. For Personnel, your program administrator will log into your USASF program profile and will SEND BACKGROUND CHECK INVITE to the Personnel needing to share their screening. The Coach or Personnel will follow the on screen prompts, answer all the questions and give the permissions to share with the USASF and submit their request to share. They will not be asked to pay again.

You are responsible for informing your employees of the steps they must take to complete the background screening process AND share their screening with the USASF.

Owners, Coaches, Personnel (age 18 and older), and Adult Athletes on Open teams (born in 2001 or earlier, is 19 years and older or will be as of December 31, 2020)

1. Log in to your profile at USASFmembers.net.
2. On your MY PROFILE,  go to DASHBOARD.
3. Click START BACKGROUND CHECK.
4. Proceed with the screening application as prompted.
5. Make payment.
6. A confirmation email will be sent to you once your screening has been submitted. If you do not receive a confirmation email, your screening has not been submitted.
7. Once NCSI renders the determination, it will post directly to the profile.

Personnel (non-coaching adults that interact with minors)
Before a background check can be initiated for a personnel member, the program administrator must send a background screening invite:

1. From the program’s membership portal, go to PERSONNEL.
2. Select the individual(s) for whom you wish to initiate a background check.
3. Click SEND BACKGROUND CHECK INVITE.
4. The personnel member will need to log into their email and follow the instructions included.
5. Please note: The invitation email is SPECIFIC to the individual recipient. They must follow that link so that their personnel profile may be updated once NCSI has rendered the determination.

If you have any questions or problems submitting your information, contact NCSI directly:

Email: applicantservices@ncsisafe.com
Phone: (440) 542-9833
Toll free: (866) 833-7100

For technical support with your USASF profile, contact greenlight@usasf.net.

After the National Council for Safety Initiatives returns a GREEN LIGHT determination, the applicant must then AUTHORIZE SHARING their determination to the USASF.

Share from CLUB ACCOUNT (Club Account)  to USASF:

Owners, Coaches & Adult Athletes

• Go to usasfmembers.net
• Log into your member profile
• Click “Start Background Screening Now.”
• Select “no” when asked “Is this your first time doing a background screen with NCSI?”
• Identify yourself by entering your name, DOB and SSN or Applicant ID and DOB when asked
• Sign the consent form

Personnel

• Program logs into usasfmembers.net and sends background check invite link to personnel’s email
• Personnel follows the link in their email
• Select “no” when asked “Is this your first time doing a background screen with NCSI?”
• Identify yourself by entering your name, DOB and SSN or Applicant ID and DOB when asked
• Once they have established who you are it will take you to a screen to sign consent to share this information with the USASF – sign and complete

Share from USASF to CLUB ACCOUNT:

If you have previously completed a background check with the USASF Direct Processing Portal and you would like to share the determination with a CLUB ACCOUNT, follow the instructions below are the instructions for the share from USAF to a club:

• Go to www.ncsisafe.com and
• Click “Start Background Screening Now.”
• Enter the 8-digit self registration number for the club
• Select “no” when asked “Is this your first time doing a background screen with NCSI?”
• Identify yourself by entering your name, DOB and SSN or Applicant ID and DOB when asked
• Sign the consent form

NCSI handles ALL aspects of the screening process from start to finish saving time, money and the legal issues associated with the many liabilities involved in background screening. NCSI helps organizations meet and exceed due diligence by navigating them through the complex maze of ethical, legal and financial challenges.

The USASF offers 2 options for our Organization Members:

OPTION 1: Direct Processing

• Owners and coaches (ages 18 and older) affiliated with their program will apply directly through their membership portal by clicking START BACKGROUND CHECK on their dashboard.
• Adult athletes on open teams born in 2001 or earlier (is 19 years and older, or will be as of December 31, 2020) affiliated with their program will apply directly through their membership portal by clicking START BACKGROUND CHECK on their dashboard. 
• Personnel age 18 and older will receive an “Invite” from the Program Admin through the personnel list in the program profile.
• NCSI shares the “Red Light/Green Light” report with the USASF
• USASF updates the coach/owner profile to indicate a “Green Light” report was issued
• The Applicant is upgraded to an Eligible Member as long as all other membership requirements have been met
• The USASF is not permitted to share any information provided on the background screening

OPTION 2: Club Account Processing
Many organizations prefer to have an account with NCSI to manage their internal process for background screenings of their employees, potential employees and volunteers. With a club account, the member organization has access to the complete record for all applicants who apply using the organization’s self registration number.

• USASF Member Organization must first set up a club Account with the National Council of Safety Initiative [see How to Set-up a club Account]
• The applicant applies directly through the NCSI portal using the organization’s self registration number
• NCSI shares the “Red Light/Green Light” report with the Club Organization
• The applicant must then SHARE their report with the USASF [see Instructions for Club Share to USASF]
• USASF updates the coach/owner profile to indicate a “Green Light” report was issued
• Coach/Owner is upgraded to a Professional Member as long as all other membership requirements have been met

Important Items to note for Option 2:

• The Club Account grants the Organization full access to the Red Light/Green Light Report
• The Club Account provides the USASF Member Organization flexibility with payment options (the Club organization can pay for background screenings or have applicants pay NCSI directly)

The fee for each screening is $21.25 which includes the screen fee of $20 and a processing fee of $1.25. Each applicant will pay this fee themselves unless a Club Account administrator provides them with a self-registration number that is tied to the organization pay Club Account. Occasionally there will be counties that require additional fees. The applicant is responsible for all fees associated with their background screening.

• Read all instructions on all pages before completing anything or agreeing to any terms or conditions
• NCSI will contact you directly if there are any questions, problems or issues related to your specific information.
• An email address is required when completing the background check as our contact with you will largely be electronic.
• Add ncsisafe.com to your list of acceptable domains in your email program to receive notifications from us.
• The background check generally takes 10 business days to complete.
• You may check your status on our website under the “Check Your Background Screening Status” link at www.ncsisafe.com.

Background checks will be valid for two, single-year membership terms, expiring on July 31 two years from the year of completion. Example: A background check completed April 10, 2020 will expire July 31, 2022 AND a background check completed November 1, 2020 will expired on July 31, 2022 as it pertains to the USASF qualifications for professional membership

It is important to note that NCSI runs a re-check application on the 12-month anniversary of each applicant’s initial screening. If something in the applicant’s history were to change and NCSI were to issue a red light, the member would no longer be eligible for membership within the USASF.

A reportable record or disclosure that contains a disposition or resolution of a criminal proceeding, other than an adjudication of not guilty, or the existence of pending charges, for any of the below criminal offenses will be flagged as a Red Light Review, meaning it does not meet the initial screening criteria and the individual will be subject to the USASF’s policies and procedures to determine the individual’s level of access and involvement with regard to athlete interactions, USASF member facilities and Sanctioned Events (as defined below):

1. Any felony; and
2. Any misdemeanor involving:
   1. All sexual crimes, criminal offenses of a sexual nature to include but not limited to; rape, child molestation, sexual battery, lewd conduct, possession and distribution of child pornography, possession and distribution of obscene material, prostitution, indecent exposure, public indecency, and any sex offender registrant;
   2. Any drug-related offenses;
   3. Harm to a minor, including, but not limited to, offenses such as child abandonment, child endangerment/neglect/abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and DUI with a minor;
   4. Violence against a person, force, or threat of force (including crimes involving deadly weapons and domestic violence);
   5. Stalking, harassment, blackmail, violation of a protection order, and/or threats;
   6. Destruction of property, including arson, vandalism, and criminal mischief; and
   7. Animal abuse, cruelty, or neglect.

Criminal offenses include “Attempted Crimes” in the above classifications.

Applicants will be asked the following questions during the process and will respond with a YES or NO:

1. Have you ever been convicted, or do you have a pending charge, of a felony?
2. Have you ever been convicted, or do you have a pending charge, of any lesser crime involving force or threat of force against a person?
3. Have you ever been convicted, or do you have a pending charge, of any lesser crime of a sexual nature or classified as a sex offense including but not limited to “victimless” crimes of a sexual nature such as prostitution, pornography, indecent exposure
4. Have you ever been convicted, or do you have a pending charge, of a lesser crime involving controlled substances (not paraphernalia or alcohol)?
5. Have you ever been convicted, or do you have a pending charge, of a lesser crime involving cruelty to animals?
6. Are you a sex offender registrant?
7. Have you ever been convicted, or do you have a pending charge, of a lesser crime involving harm to a minor?