Contact

Kelsey Organ
Associate Director
Ehinger Office Annex 114
610-436-0042

Judith Mullane
Administrative Assistant
Ehinger Office Annex 112
610-436-0065

 

 

Clearances for Social Work

PK-12 School Based Placements

Undergraduate and Graduate Social Work students must complete clearances prior to entering their practicum. All social work students MUST obtain professional liability insurance, PA child abuse history certification, and a PA State Police Criminal Record check. Graduate Social Work students will also need to complete Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse - Online Training Certificate. 

Students are responsible for obtaining their clearances, keeping copies of these documents, and providing copies to their site, upon request. If a student is placed outside of Pennsylvania, clearances must be obtained in accordance with the state law of the placement location. It is strongly suggested that students contact their site for complete details.

ALL PK-12 School Based Social Work Students need the following clearances:

Malpractice Insurance/Professional Liability Insurance 

Malpractice Insurance/Professional Liability Insurance is required for all students. A minimum limit liability of $1,000,000 per claim/$3,000,000 aggregate is needed. This must be renewed each year. Students may purchase the insurance from any carrier that provides liability coverage for social workers.

Two possible insurers are the American Professional Agency or the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

For details on purchasing insurance through American Professional Agency click here

For details on purchasing insurance through NASW click here *

*must be a member of NASW to purchase their insurance

Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse - Online Training Certificate

The purpose of this training is to assist you in identifying possible cases of child abuse, remind you of your obligation to report any suspected abuse, and how to properly report such cases. There is no cost associated with this training. This training will meet Act 31 requirements and you should print and/or save a copy of your certificate upon completion of the training. This training is self-paced, and you can start and leave the course as often as you’d like. Once you’ve completed the training, save your certificate of completion so that you can provide it to your site upon request.

  • Go to https://www.reportabusepa.pitt.edu
  • Click “Registration,” located at the top of the page
  • On the next page, enter your personal information and click “submit”
  • Follow the instructions provided on the website and complete the Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse online course
  • Print and/or save your certificate

PA Child Abuse History Certification

PA State Police Criminal Record Check

FBI (Fingerprint) Background Check

  •  The only approved fingerprint provider for the State of PA is IdentoGO.  The closest fingerprinting site to campus is 1239 W Chester Pike (located inside the Fastest Labs).  If you get fingerprinted out of state, there is an additional $25.00 fee.
  • To enroll, Visit IdentoGO and enter Service Code 1KG6RT to get started
  • Within 24-48 hours of fingerprinting, you will receive an email from status@dev.pasafecheck.identogo.com with a one-time link to access these results from a computer only.
  • PRINT AND SAVE THE 2-PAGE UNOFFICIAL COPY! YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A PAPER COPY IN THE MAIL.

TB Testing

It is preferred that the TB Test is no older than 3 months when starting the first field class for a program  (not the first field class for the academic year or semester). If you currently have a TB test that is less than a year from the read date, it will be accepted.

Test Administration

  • Your primary care physician
  • Student Health Services (Commonwealth Hall, Ground Floor 610-436-2509)
  • AFC Urgent Care Address: 510 Gay Street, West Chester, PA 19380; Phone number: 484 999 0204
  • Some local Pharmacy/Drug Stores

The WCU TB Testing Form is preferred to report the results of your TB test or a letter from your doctor including the date the test was read and the test results. Entire immunization records are NOT acceptable.

Note: Some school districts hosting field students require a TB test issued within 90 days of beginning their school district assignment. School district requirements take precedence over University policy.

Samples

Release form

 

Additional Resources

State of Delaware Criminal History

Please check with your site for additional information.

In the state of Delaware a Criminal History Background Check is obtained through fingerprints. You must provide photo Identification, such as a valid driver’s license or State ID (from any state). You do not need a social security card or a birth certificate. The fee for a State of Delaware Criminal Background Check is $52.00.
The fee for a State and Federal Criminal Background Check (must be mandated by law) is $65.00. Appointments are required. For more information visit their website.

State of New Jersey Criminal History

Please check with your site for additional information.

An individual may obtain a criminal history record check via electronic live scan at one of the approved sites. The New Jersey State Police uses the live scan fingerprinting services provided by MorphoTrust USA, a private company under contract with the State of New Jersey. In order to be fingerprinted, you are required to contact MorphoTrust USA to schedule a time and place to have your fingerprints captured. The fee for this service is $40.66. For more information visit their website.

Drug Screening

Check with your placement regarding the type of drug screening you need. CastleBranch offers students 10 panel urine drug screening for $40. This is an external service and is not associated with WCU.

To use this service:

  1. Place your order using this portal: https://portal.castlebranch.com/WQ82 (There is a $40 for this service)
  2. Complete name, address, and enter payment information
  3. Search for convenient location
  4. Complete screening at identified location
  5. Students receive a notification when results are in
  6. Student will log in to portal to view, print, or “share” results
    • a. Students can print their results and share with their field site
    • b. OR there is a “share” feature within their account that allows the student to choose which documentation they share and with the recipients of their choosing

OIG and SAM Exclusionary Searches

To search the SAM exclusionary list:
1. Click the link 
2. Enter name in search
3. Click on Exclusions
4. Click the search icon next to the name

To search the OIG exclusionary list:
1. Click on the link 
2. Enter name
3. Click search

Document the date and name for each search, screenshots suffice

General Liability Insurance

To request this certificate, WCU collaborates with the WCU Foundation to offer this at no cost to the student. To submit this request, please email your name, ID#, site placed, address of placement, and dates of placement to Mollie Zenz, the Assistant Director of Data and Program Administration. She will process your info and get your certificate back shortly.

CPR Certification

The certification must not expire before the practicum ends. The following are some available approved options:

 

Office of Clinical Experiences and Candidate Services
700 South Church Street, Ehinger Office Annex· West Chester University of Pennsylvania · West Chester, PA 19383 · Phone: 610-436-3090 · Fax: 610-436-2874