National Service Criminal History Checks (NSCHC) is a baseline screening requirement established by law to protect the beneficiaries of national service.

NSCHC is required under the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended by the Serve America Act (SAA). The statutory requirement at 42 U.S.C. § 12645g is supplemented by regulatory requirements at 45 CFR §2540.200 through §2540.207 as well as the terms and conditions of AmeriCorps grants. 

Quick Links

Upcoming Training

Single NSCHC Vendor Truescreen, Grantee Information Session: You've heard change is coming! Join AmeriCorps Office of Monitoring and Truescreen staff for the latest details and timelines regarding our transition to a single approved vendor for National Service Criminal History Checks. We anticipate grant recipients to begin transitioning to the updated system in May or June.
Wednesday, March 20, 2-3 p.m. ET: Register

 

NSCHC General Office Hours: AmeriCorps is hosting office hours around peak recruitment times to answer your questions about National Service Criminal History Checks. We are offering two sessions each in April and August. Bring your questions about requirements, completing checks, documentation, overcoming challenges, and more.

Spring 2024 Office Hours: Register for one or both sessions.

  • Wednesday, April 3, 3-4 p.m. ET
  • Monday, April 8, 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET

Summer 2024 Office Hours: Register for one or both sessions.

  • Wednesday, Aug. 7, 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET
  • Thursday, Aug. 8, 3-4 p.m. ET

 

Quarterly NSCHC Tour for New Recipient Staff: Whether you are a first-time grant recipient or a new staff member on an existing project, join Office of Monitoring staff for a "tour" of resources and common noncompliance related to NSCHC. You MUST complete the NSCHC Required Annual eCourse in Litmos prior to attending this session. This session will be repeated quarterly. A recording of the most recent session is available in the Litmos NSCHC Learning Path.

  • Wednesday, April 10, 2-3 p.m. ET: Register
  • Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2-3 p.m. ET: Register
     

NSCHC Rule Quick Summary

Please refer to the NSCHC Manual for complete information on NSCHC and its compliance requirements.

What grants are required to comply with NSCHC?

Organizations that receive one of the following grants, as a recipient or subrecipient, must conduct NSCHCs:

  • Operational grants provided by AmeriCorps State and National
  • Foster Grandparent Program Grants
  • Retired and Senior Volunteer Program Grants
  • Senior Companion Program Grants
  • Senior Demonstration Program Grants that receive funding from CNCS
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Grants
  • September 11th Day of Service Grants
  • Social Innovation Fund Grants
  • Volunteer Generation Fund Grants
  • AmeriCorps VISTA Program Grants
  • AmeriCorps VISTA Support Grants

What individuals are required to comply with NSCHC?

The following individuals who work/serve on a grant specified above must comply with NSCHC:

  • AmeriCorps members serving in State and National programs
  • AmeriCorps Seniors Volunteers serving in the Foster Grandparent program who receive a stipend;
  • AmeriCorps Seniors Volunteers serving in the Senior Companion who receive a stipend; or
  • If staff, individuals in positions in which they will receive a salary, directly or reflected as match, under a cost reimbursement grant.

NSCHC is not required for individuals who are under the age of 18 on the first day of work or service and for individuals whose activity is entirely included in the grant recipient's indirect cost rate or cost allocation plan. 

AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serving in the RSVP program and AmeriCorps members serving in the VISTA program are not required to comply with NSCHC. AmeriCorps members serving in the VISTA program will undergo a separate criminal history check process managed by the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Grant recipients may choose to conduct criminal history checks on AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serving in the RSVP program.

Who is ineligible to serve/work?

For AmeriCorps grant awards that require NSCHC, please refer to 45 CFR § 2540.202 for the list of individuals who shall be ineligible to serve or work.

What checks are required? 

Three checks are required for individuals required to comply with NSCHC: 

  • National Sex Offender Public Website nationwide check;
  • state of residence and state of service criminal history check(s); and
  • FBI fingerprint-based check.

When must NSCHC be completed?

All three checks must be conducted, reviewed, and an eligibility determination made by the grant recipient or subrecipient no later than the day before a person begins to work or serve on an NSCHC-required grant. 

How can the checks be conducted? 

Grantees can use the following sources:

  • NSOPW checks: NSOPW.gov or AmeriCorps approved vendor Truescreen
  • State checks: AmeriCorps identified state repository or AmeriCorps approved vendor Truescreen
  • FBI fingerprint checks: AmeriCorps identified state repository or AmeriCorps approved vendor Fieldprint

AmeriCorps Approved Vendor Information

Truescreen (NSOPW and State checks)

Fieldprint (FBI fingerprint checks)

NSCHC Guidance

How to Conduct NSCHC