7 N. Eighth Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Telephone: (804) 726-7092

Mission

To ensure the protection of children by conducting thorough and timely background investigations on individuals affiliated with children's residential facilities and protecting the applicants' rights through the challenge process.

Overview

The Code of Virginia requires background investigations as outlined below:

§63.2-1726 - Every residential facility for juveniles which is regulated or operated by the Department of Social Services; the Department of Education; and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services shall conduct background investigations on the following:

• Any individual who accepts a position of employment who was not employed by that facility prior to July 1, 1994.
• Volunteer for such a facility on a regular basis and who will be alone with a juvenile in the performance of his duties who was not a volunteer at such facility prior to July 1, 1994.
• Contractual employee providing services directly to a juvenile for such facility on a regular basis and who will be alone with a juvenile in the performance of his duties who did not provide such services prior to July 1, 1994.

As of July 1, 2007, anyone who is hired or is approved to provide volunteer or contractual services on a regular basis and will be alone with children:

• Cannot work with children until the criminal history background check has been received by the facility.
• Cannot work alone with children until the central registry search has been received by the facility.
• Cannot be hired or allowed to provide volunteer or contractual services if the individual has been convicted of a barrier crime as found in § 63.2-1726 of the Code of Virginia or has a founded central registry check.

The screening criteria formerly found in § 63.2-1726 has been changed to a new list of barrier crimes. Any individual who completes a background investigation under § 63.2-1726 as of 7/1/2007 for a children’s residential facility would also be in compliance with § 37.2416 and § 37.2-314 of the Code of Virginia.