Tuesday, March 31st, 2020

Dear USA Hockey Members:

We hope this finds you safe as together we work to get through the coronavirus pandemic. And I know we all look forward to the time when we can get back on the ice and enjoy the great benefits our sport brings to families across the country.

While the 2020-21 playing season will not begin for several months, we wanted to make sure you were informed of the new national background screening program that will go into effect on April 1st to be compliant with updated requirements from the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

Thanks for being part of the USA Hockey family and may our collection strength help us through these challenging times.

Sincerely:

Pat Kelleher, Executive Director

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WHEN DOES THE NATIONAL BACKGROUND SCREENING PROGRAM BEGIN?
The new national program begins April 1, 2020, in conjunction with the opening of registration for the 2020-21 season. USA Hockey has selected NCSI to provide its background screening, a company that is the gold standard in the industry.

WHO HAS TO GET SCREENED?
All adult coaches, officials, board members, employees, volunteers, and anyone else who will have regular contact with, or authority over, athletes under the age of 18 are required to submit to a background screen before any such contact with those athletes.

DIDN’T USA HOCKEY PREVIOUSLY REQUIRE BACKGROUND SCREENING?
USA Hockey has had a background screening policy in place since the 1993-94 season. The responsibility to ensure background screening took place was handled through the appropriate USA Hockey Affiliate. That will no longer be the process and instead the background screening program will be handled at the national level using NCSI. This will provide consistency, enhance USA Hockey’s world-leading SafeSport program, and comply with the requirements given to USA Hockey by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

KEY SCREENING DETAILS
For members who were last screened through their Affiliate after April 1, 2019, for the 2019-20 season, their screens will be valid for the 2020-21 season, and will not need to be screened under the new system until prior to the 2021-22 season. If a member’s most recent screen is from prior to April 1, 2019, the member, if in a position that requires a background screen, will need to be screened under the new system in order to participate in the upcoming 2020-21 season.  

All new screens submitted through the new NCSI national screening program after April 1, 2020, will be valid for two seasons. For example, a screen submitted and approved on April 15, 2020, will be valid through the end of the 2021-22 season, which is August 31, 2022.

KEY SCREENING DETAILS
For members who were last screened through their Affiliate after April 1, 2019, for the 2019-20 season, their screens will be valid for the 2020-21 season, and will not need to be screened under the new system until prior to the 2021-22 season. If a member’s most recent screen is from prior to April 1, 2019, the member, if in a position that requires a background screen, will need to be screened under the new system in order to participate in the upcoming 2020-21 season.  

All new screens submitted through the new NCSI national screening program after April 1, 2020, will be valid for two seasons. For example, a screen submitted and approved on April 15, 2020, will be valid through the end of the 2021-22 season, which is August 31, 2022.