USCAA Clearances Process
The USCAA is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for our young athletes. Ensuring all volunteers meet the necessary clearance requirements is a critical part of this commitment. To streamline this process and enhance our efficiency and security, effective July 1, 2024 we transitioned to a new vendor, ClearCheck, for volunteer clearance verification.
New Users
Complete the brief form below to start the process with ClearCheck. Once submitted, you will receive instructions via email on how to complete the process.
Existing Users
Access your account using the link below. If you no longer have your Invite Code or are access your account for the first time, click the "Lost your code" button to resend it. You will also be able to access/download previously submitted clearance documents.
Any questions or concerns on this process should be directed to: [email protected].
USCAA Clearance Policy
1. Purpose
The Upper St. Clair Athletic Association (USCAA) strongly supports the involvement of parents/guardians and community volunteers to enhance youth sports. Accordingly, the USCAA Board encourages the use of a variety of opportunities for parent/guardian and community volunteers subject to certain requirements and procedures set forth in this policy.
2. Authority
The USCAA Board may adopt and enforce reasonable rules and regulations governing coach volunteers and their participation in the activities of the USCAA.
3. Delegation of Responsibility
The USCAA Board President, or designee shall promulgate any further rules, forms, procedures, etc., to fully implement this policy that will help provide for the safety and security of each participant, maintain the privacy of confidential participant information and respect the authority of the USCAA Board overseeing the volunteers. The USCAA President is given the authority to interpret this policy.
4. Definitions
Direct Contact with Children - the possibility of the care, supervision, guidance or control of children or routine interaction with children.
Volunteer - adult who provides a service without compensation, remuneration or other consideration for coaching/supervising any USCAA program. If an individual or the organization employing the individual is receiving any consideration for the services provided, they are not a volunteer and are not governed by this policy.
Adult - individual 18 years of age or older.
5. Clearance Guidelines
Required Clearances
Clearances are required for all unpaid adult volunteers who are responsible for the welfare of a child or have the possibility of caring for, supervising, guiding or controlling children or routine interaction with children, regardless of the number of hours or frequency of the contact. In the case of the USCAA, that includes all Board approved Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches.
In addition, paid 3rd party coaches and organizations/vendors who will have direct, on-going contact with children must have approved clearances. It is the responsibility of the individual sports commissioner to contact the USCSD with the names of the organization/coaches who will require clearances.
No person who is required to submit clearances will be permitted to volunteer if the criminal history or child abuse reports/clearances required by this policy evidence an offense, which would preclude such individual from providing services under the Child Protective Services Law (see Disqualifying Offenses).
Volunteering is a privilege, not a right. Even if a volunteer has obtained the required background clearances, the USCAA retains the right to exercise discretion in permitting the individual to serve as a volunteer.
Waiver of Federal Criminal History Record Check (Fingerprint)
A volunteer may NOT have to submit the Federal Criminal History Record (Fingerprint) if the volunteer submits a sworn affidavit (in the form of the Volunteer Request for Waiver of FBI – Federal Criminal History Record Check affirming that the volunteer:
a. Has been a resident of the Commonwealth of PA for the entirety of the previous ten (10) years; and
b. Has never been convicted of a Disqualifying Offense in PA or any other state or jurisdiction, including foreign jurisdictions.
Cost of Clearances
The costs of obtaining the required clearances shall be the responsibility of the volunteer.
Volunteers required to obtain clearances may apply to the USCAA for reimbursement of the cost of the clearances if financial hardship can be established and obtains approval by the President of the USCAA.
Age/Renewal of Clearances
When first submitted, the clearances cannot be more than thirty-six (36) months old. After the first submission, clearances must be updated every sixty (60) months from the oldest date on the clearances.
Duty to Notify
If, after the date of the clearances, the volunteer is arrested or convicted of a Disqualifying Offense, or named as a perpetrator of a founded report of child abuse, the volunteer must provide written notice to the Upper St. Clair Athletic Association within seventy-two (72) hours of the arrest or conviction.
Willful failure to do so has criminal implications and may jeopardize your ability to volunteer. Please notify the USCAA Clearances Administrator [email protected].
Early Renewal Right
If the USCAA has a reasonable belief that a volunteer has been arrested or convicted of a Disqualifying Offense or was named a perpetrator in a founded report of child abuse or the volunteer has given notice of an arrest or conviction of a Disqualifying Offense, the USCAA, at its expense, shall immediately require the volunteer to submit updated clearances.
Disqualifying Offenses
1. Ever convicted of an offense similar in nature to the following crimes, under the laws or former laws of the United States or one of its territories or possessions, another state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a foreign national, or under a former law of Pennsylvania:
a. Criminal homicide
b. Aggravated assault
c. Stalking
d. Kidnapping
e. Unlawful Restraint
f. Rape
g. Statutory sexual assault
h. Sexual assault
i. Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
j. Aggravated indecent assault
k. Indecent assault
l. Indecent exposure
m. Incest
n. Concealing the death of a child
o. Endangering the welfare of a child
p. Dealing in infant children
q. Prostitution and related offenses
r. Crimes related to obscene and other sexual materials and performances
s. Corruption of minors
t. Sexual abuse of children
2. Ever named as the perpetrator of a founded report of child abuse; OR
3. WITHIN THE 5-YEAR PERIOD IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING, convicted of a felony offense under The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.
4. The USCAA will retain the right to use reasonable judgement concerning convictions of all crimes when determining an individual’s appropriateness for a volunteer position.
If you have any questions or concerns about volunteer clearances, please contact: [email protected]