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Ash County updates personnel policy to require SBI checks for employees working with children
Summary
Board approved adding state-mandated State Bureau of Investigation background checks for anyone employed in positions involving contact with children; the board asked staff to draft additional volunteer screening language and agreed to pay for checks when needed.
Ash County commissioners on Oct. 6 approved an amendment to the county personnel policy to reflect recently enacted state law requiring State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) criminal background checks for people employed in positions that involve working with children.
Kelsey, the county’s human resources coordinator, presented the change and said the new state law requires SBI checks for employees handling children-related duties. “There is new state legislation that says that anybody working with children has to have a background check done through the SBI,” Kelsey said.
Board members asked whether the requirement extended to volunteers. County staff clarified the statutory provision applies to applicants for employment; volunteers are not covered by the statute but the county can require more extensive checks for volunteers or interns if the board chooses. Kelsey noted the SBI checks cost $38 per check and that the county’s existing volunteer screening (dispatch-based checks and drug testing) differs from the SBI process and can take up to 30 days for results.
The board asked staff to draft policy language to require SBI-level checks or equivalent screening for volunteers and interns who work with children; the board approved the personnel policy amendment with that direction. A motion to approve the revised personnel policy, with Commissioner Jerry’s amendment directing Kelsey to draft volunteer-screening wording consistent with the discussion, passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: The policy change implements state legal requirements for applicants for employment who will work with children, and the board asked staff to expand county screening practices to cover volunteers/interns in child-facing roles. Some commissioners and staff noted operational impacts, including the 30-day processing timeframe for SBI checks and the program cost of about $38 per check.
Next steps: Staff will draft volunteer/intern screening language and return with the updated personnel policy text for board consideration.
