Background Checks

Background checks are required annually for all authorized adults who exercise care, custody, and/or control of minors in program activities. This includes, but is not limited to, faculty, staff, volunteers, coaches, instructors, TAMU students, etc. Documentation that a search was conducted must be maintained for a period of five (5) years for TAMU employees and volunteers.

As of summer 2024, background checks will $15.85 per person and must be performed through Texas A&M University Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness (TAMU HROE) using the forms below as this check ensures the use of the National Criminal History and National Sex Offender databases. Program Sponsors must retain documentation that these checks were performed (usually in the form of an email from TAMU HROE listing the names of the cleared individuals) for a minimum period of five (5) years.

Programs must submit requests to TAMU HROE using the Background Check Bulk Request Template. As of summer 2024, TAMU Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness (HROE) will charge for each individual listed on the Background Check Bulk Request Template. Please be sure to use the Background Check Bulk Request Template to list the names and emails of the individuals that need to be checked.

Child Protection Training

As a requirement under the Texas Education Code § 51.976, all individuals in a position involving interaction with youth must complete a training and examination program on sexual abuse and child molestation. The Texas A&M University System created an online training that meets the requirements of the Education Code and has been approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services. All Texas A&M University CPM program staff members must complete this training. All child protection training documents (TDSHS Form and individual certificates) must be retained for five years.

CPM program staff members are defined as authorized adults who interact with, supervise, chaperone, or otherwise oversee minors in program activities. This includes, but is not limited to, faculty, staff, volunteers, coaches, instructors, graduate/undergraduate students, etc. These individuals are most likely to be in a position to utilize the information in the training because of the potential for trusting relationships with the participants.

Access Child Protection Training

To access the online Child Protection Training, log in with a valid email address and a password given by UYP. Note: Please do not use an email address with an underscore “_” in it. The system does not recognize addresses with this character. Upon successfully completing the course, an email will be sent to the address used for the training. This email will contain a link to the completion certificate. Click this link, save or print your certificate, and send your certificate to your Program Sponsor. For more specific instructions on how to complete the online training, please click here.

If you are a current employee of Texas A&M University, you may use either option above. The link for TAMU employees will allow employees to complete the training in TrainTraq and receive credit on the employee training transcript. The button above will take you directly to the training in TrainTraq after logging in with Single Sign On. Please send a copy of your transcript to your Program Sponsor as proof of completion.

Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) Form

All Campus Programs for Minors must submit the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) Form to the University Youth Programs office to [email protected] no later than five (5) business days before the first day of the program.

Our office will then submit the information to the State of Texas. This document provides a summary of the staff members for your program who have completed child protection training. 

In the TDSHS form, the course name is “TAMUS Child Protection Training,” and the approval code is “CPM12-0066” unless the program is a third-party program that uses a separate training.

*PLEASE NOTE this form is a legal document and should not be edited. If there are more individuals who completed the training than spaces allotted on the form, DO NOT add more lines to the document. Instead, please use the TDSHS Staff List Spreadsheet to add the information listed in the chart.

_{See the Child Protection Training Instructional video for a summary on how to complete the Child Protection Training and TDSHS Form Requirements.}

Incident Reporting

Incidents and accidents may involve minor to major physical injuries of participants and/or program staff, behavioral issues, hospital/doctor visits, or over-the-counter medication disbursement. Incident Reports must be submitted to University Youth Programs within 24 hours following the incident by the CPM Program Sponsor or his/her designee using the online Campus Programs for Minors Incident Report Form.

A person having cause to believe that a minor’s physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse, neglect, or other maltreatment by any person shall immediately make a report to local law enforcement. This legal requirement will be communicated to all individuals participating in the management/supervision of TAMU CPM or personnel of third party CPMs utilizing TAMU property. As above, the Program Sponsor will complete the online Campus Programs for Minors Incident Report Form within 24 hours. Please see the section regarding Child Protection Training for further information.

Incidents as Icebergs

The Incidents as Icebergs slideshow walks you through the purpose and importance of effective incident reporting. All incidents are required to be submitted through the Campus Programs for Minors Incident Report Form within 24 hours of an incident occurring.

Reporting Child Abuse & Other Maltreatment

Texas law requires any person having cause to believe that a child’s physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely effected by abuse, neglect, or other maltreatment to immediately make a report to law enforcement. The law also provides immunity for those who make a good faith report since we are not responsible for verifying whether suspected or alleged abuse has actually occurred. This means that all have a legal responsibility to report abuse whether it is witnessed, known, reported, alleged, suspected, etc.

If you witness, suspect, or receive a report of child abuse regardless of when the abuse occurred:

1. Call local law enforcement (local police or sheriff’s office). If it is an emergency situation, call 9-1-1 (if using a TAMU campus phone, 9-9-1-1).
2. Report the situation to your supervisor and CPM Program Sponsor (unless they are the source of the abuse or neglect)
3. Supervisors and Program Sponsors are then required to file an online incident report, noting the report number and the name of the individual law enforcement officer who took the report.

_{See the Incident Report Instructional Video for a summary on how to complete the incident reporting requirements involved with hosting a campus program for minors.}

Escalation Process

Pursuant to University Rule 24.01.06.M1 Section 2.1, if a noncompliance issue arises, the following phases of accountability will be followed.

Phase 1

Memo of noncompliance will be issued to the Program Sponsor (PS) and CPM Liaison (CPL). These memos include issues that may arise prior to the program, during the planning phase as well as any incidents or issues that occur during preparation, during, and post-program. 

• The PS, CPL, and UYP will create a corrective action plan to be implemented immediately.

Phase 2

Memo of noncompliance will be issued to the PS, CPL, AUA, and the Chief Compliance Officer

• Final corrective action requirements will be created by UYP and Chief Compliance Officer

Memo of noncompliance will be issued to the Program Sponsor (PS) and CPM Liaison (CPL). These memos include issues that may arise prior to the program, during the planning phase as well as any incidents or issues that occur during preparation, during, and post-program. 

Phase 3

Meeting with UYP and Chief Compliance Officer, the program is suspended for two years

• Reinstatement of the program will be based on the program’s ability to demonstrate an understanding of rules and regulations and will be approved on a case-by-case basis

Important Notes

• Any program conducting activities without the appropriate background checks and child protection training of its staff is subject to immediate suspension of all program activities until the issue is resolved. 
• Should UYP deem it necessary for the safety of youth, staff, or TAMU, a program may be suspended immediately at any step of the escalation process

Documentation Retention

Program Sponsors are required to retain program-related documentation per the System Records Retention Schedule and the Office of General Counsel. With the rule revision of University Rule 24.01.06.M1 that occurred in the Fall of 2020, all documentation retention schedules were standardized. Therefore, background check confirmation emails from HR, signed liability waivers, medication distribution forms, and child protection training certificates should be stored securely for five years after the program date.

These documents must be kept in a locked or secured location. Records in paper format may be stored through Texas A&M University Records Management. If forms are scanned into an electronic format, you can declare the electronic version as the official version and destroy the paper. Electronic storage must be in a password-protected and/or encrypted format.

Minors in Labs

In July of 2019, the TAMU System passed a regulation outlining requirements for minors to access laboratory facilities or shops that are operated by members of the TAMU System or third parties using member laboratories where full supervisory duties of the minors are the member’s or third-party’s responsibility, and the program includes the same minor or group of minors, regardless of the duration of the program. System Regulation 24.01.08 Minors in Labs applies to all minors involved in internships, volunteering in research projects, and participating in scheduled assignments in laboratory facilities or shops that use hazardous chemicals, biohazardous or infectious materials, radioactive materials or radiation-producing equipment, or where there are tools, equipment and/or machinery that pose a risk of major physical hazards. For more information regarding age restrictions, hazard restrictions, supervision, training, and more please see below: