Clarification of the Wyoming 4-H leader screening process:

The screening process includes a potential screening by the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI).

The signed screening form completed by a potential leader is for both the Central Registry (Department of Family Services) and the Department of Criminal Investigation.

If the initial screening indicates there is a criminal history record, the potential volunteer will be required to complete fingerprinting.  Fingerprinting can be completed by a local law enforcement agency.  The fee can not exceed $5.00.  The waiver form on the back of the fingerprint card must be signed and notarized.  The card is then sent to the state 4-H office.  After the potential 4-H leader is notified of the requirement to provide a fingerprint card, the individual will be allowed 60 calendar days from the date of notification to return the fingerprint card to the county Extension office.  For the 4-H year of 1998-1999, the $15 processing fee will be paid by the Volunteer Development Fund of the Wyoming 4-H Foundation.  Beginning October 1, 1999, the $15 processing fee for the DCI background check must be paid by the potential volunteer (unless other arrangements are made by the county extension office).

Please note: a Department of Criminal Investigation background check will  be required only if the initial screening indicates a criminal record for the person potentially exists or if a DCI background check is determined to be in the best interest of the Wyoming 4-H program.

For complete details of the criminal history record background check, see the back of this page.

If you have any questions, please contact Betty Holmes, Extension 4-H Youth Specialist for Volunteer Development at (307) 766-5170, or write to PO Box 3354, Laramie, WY 82071.

Holmes/Feb 99

4-H Leader certification:

4-H leader certification consists of 3 steps:

1) Leader completes and signs screening form (Authorization of Release of Child or Disabled Adult Central Registry). Form is sent to state 4-H office, and state 4-H office forwards to State Department of Family Services. After successful completion of the screening process, the information is recorded on the 4-H computer enrollment system by the state 4-H office. If screening is unsuccessful, state 4-H office contacts both the individual and the county office.

The Department of Family Services will not accept forms dated more than 30 days. Send completed forms promptly to state 4-H office. If forms arrive in your office dated more than 30 days ago, return to potential leader to be signed with more recent date.

2) Leader completes new leader orientation session. Training notebooks are available in each county. Two-hour training is conducted by Extension personnel or key 4-H leader. There is also an optional home-study guide. Check with your county chair to determine if home-study option is available in your county.

3) Leader completes enrollment form and signs 4-H Volunteer leader agreement. County office enters leader in to the county 4-H computer enrollment program. Wallet size leader cards are available from the 4-H bulletin room, at no charge.

Cost of screening:

The cost of screening is $5.00 per leader. Do NOT send payment with screening forms. Each county Extension service is billed at end of state fiscal year (end of June). Payment is sent to the Wyoming State 4-H Foundation. A memorandum of understanding between the Cooperative Extension Service and the State Department of Family Services allows payment to be made once a year.
 

Check with your County Extension chair to determine how the $5.00 screening fee is collected. Options include:

assess $5.00 to each potential volunteer leader
bill to county 4-H Council
line item in County Extension Budget.

Screening for current 4-H volunteer leaders is valid for 5 years. The screening process began in 1995. Re-screening will be implemented in 2000. Leaders with a break in service are considered new leaders and must re-screen. Also, leaders who do not complete screening process in current year, must re-screen. For example, potential volunteer completes screening form in 1997 and attends new leader certification, but never completes enrollment form. The potential leader desires to be a leader in 1998. The potential leader must complete a new screening form. (Please note: this policy was a joint decision between Cooperative Extension and the UW legal services office. The decision was based on a "reasonable" time frame to complete the leader certification process.)

The state 4-H office only requires the new leader orientation to be completed one time for each volunteer. If a leader leaves the 4-H program and re-enters, the leader must undergo screening, but does not have to retake leader orientation.

New Leader Training

Each county Extension program has 2 sets of notebooks to use for new leader training. Notebook
1 contains facilitator notes and support materials.

Notebook 2 contains overheads to conduct the 2 hour training. If you are missing pages or overheads from the notebooks, please contact Betty Holmes (307-766-5170) for replacements.

County 4-H policies should be included as a part of the training (county enrollment deadlines, county fund raising policies, lone-star policies, etc.).

If the home-study option is available in your county, here is how it works: 1) potential leader checks out home-study guide, 2) potential leader completes questionnaire and 3) County Extension 4-H program associate and/or Extension Educator evaluates questionnaire (questionnaire is NOT forwarded to the state 4-H office).

Notebook 1 should contain a document entitled Dealing with Difficult Volunteers. The document outlines the steps necessary to place a 4-H leader on probation and/or terminate the volunteer.