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BCU Clearinghouse

About the Clearinghouse

The Background Check Unit (BCU) Clearinghouse does fingerprint-based, criminal record background checks on employees and volunteers for certain businesses or organizations not governed by a state regulatory or licensing agency.

Questions? Email bcu.clearinghouse@odhsoha.oregon.gov

Who can use the Clearinghouse

Businesses or organizations located in Oregon that are not governed by a state regulatory or licensing agency and which provide:

  • Care or placement services for youth under age 18, adults age 65+ or dependent persons; or
  • License or certify others to provide the services listed above.

Definitions

  • Clearinghouse Qualified Entity (QE) - A business or organization that is approved to use the Clearinghouse.
  • Clearinghouse-authorized Designee (CHAD) - A person designated by the business or organization to submit background checks.
  • Organization - A business that provides mentoring or tutoring programs and is exempt from taxation under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended and in effect on January, 1, 2002.
  • Dependent person - A person who needs mentoring or tutoring programs because of a physical or mental disability, or a medical disability due to alcohol or drug dependence.
  • Mentoring program - A program that provides a committed, sustained, one-to-one relationship between a volunteer and a youth under age 18, a dependent person or an adult age 65+ to achieve that person's greatest potential. A sustained relationship typically lasts nine months or longer.
  • Tutoring program - A program that provides a committed, sustained, one-to-one relationship between a volunteer and a youth under age 18, a dependent person or an adult age 65+ based on a specified activity that increases specific skills. A sustained relationship typically lasts nine months or longer.
  • Subject individual (SI) - The applicant whose background is being checked.

How to get approved to use the Clearinghouse

If your business or organization is eligible and would like to use the Clearinghouse:

Next steps

  • BCU will send you materials to review and instructions on how to get set up to use the Clearinghouse.
  • You will designate people who can submit background checks in our system, called ORCHARDS.
  • Video-based ORCHARDS training is available for people who submit background checks (called Clearinghouse-authorized designees, or CHADs).

What is included in a Clearinghouse check?

  • A name based criminal records check through the Oregon State Police Law Enforcement Data System (LEDS).
  • A fingerprint based criminal records check through the Oregon State Police and the FBI.
  • If there are any convictions (misdemeanors or felonies in any jurisdiction), we will do a weighing test. We review the nature and date of any convictions and the relevancy of the conviction to the position against any mitigating information provided by the applicant. This weighing test flyer gives you all the details of the weighing test. Please give a copy to your applicants.
  • A fitness determination. The final outcome of a criminal records check is either approval, restricted approval, or denial. If an applicant is denied or given restricted approval, they have the right to appeal.
  • If we can't complete the fitness determination (for example not receiving fingerprints or requested information) the criminal records check will be closed as incomplete.

Fees

For each Clearinghouse background check, you will pay two separate fees. One is for BCU to do the background check, and the other is for fingerprinting.

Fee paid to BCU

  • $66.25 - If the person being checked is an employee of your business
  • $64.25 - If the person being checked is a volunteer at your business (unless waived)
  • Fee waived - There is no fee if the person being checked is a volunteer who will be mentoring or tutoring a youth under age 18, an adult age 65+, or a dependent person in a one-on-one, sustained relationship (generally lasting 9 months or longer), not in a group setting.

Fingerprint fee

The fingerprint fee is paid to FieldPrint or the local law enforcement agency that does the fingerprinting.

  • $12.50 for FieldPrint fingerprinting - This is paid at the time of scheduling. You will get more information in the Fingerprint letter available in ORCHARDS after you submit the background check and it has been authorized by the subject individual.
  • Monthly invoicing from FieldPrint - You can choose to set up monthly invoicing from FieldPrint (PDF).
  • Local law enforcement agency fees vary. If you use a law enforcement agency for fingerprinting, make sure you use the correct codes and follow the instructions in the Request for Transmission of Fingerprints form (PDF).

Authority for Clearinghouse checks

Criminal records checks are governed by the following Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) and Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR):