Criminal Background Checks

About Our Criminal Background Check Process
In accordance with Massachusetts State Law, and to ensure the safety of our girls, Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts enforces a safety policy for adults who work directly with girls. All volunteers must register and complete a criminal background check using the CORI/SORI Acknowledgement Form. Volunteers who have not resided in Massachusetts for the past seven years must also complete a national online screening. By law, a volunteer’s criminal background check expires after three (3) years.

How it Works

For New Volunteers:
After registering, you will receive an automated email with instructions for completing the CORI/SORI form, and a link to that form. If you indicate on the CORI/SORI form that you have not lived in MA for the past seven years, you will be asked to complete an online national screening.

For Renewing Volunteers:
When your CORI is expiring, you will receive an email from a GSEMA staff member with instructions for completing a new criminal background check.

How Do I Know if a Criminal Background Check is Current?

For Volunteers:
Volunteers are not able to see their own criminal background check expiration date on the My GS portal.

When it is time to renew a criminal background check, a GSEMA staff member will reach out individually to each volunteer with instructions.

If you would like to know when your criminal background check is expiring, please ask your troop leader or contact Customer Care at customercare@gsema.org or 844-306-GSEM (4736).

For Troop Leaders:
Troop leaders are able to view the criminal background check expiration dates for all volunteers in their troop.

Under the Troops tab on the My GS portal, only volunteers with a "current" status are active and cleared to volunteer. These adults do not need to complete a criminal background check at this time. “In progress” indicates that a volunteer is registered, but the criminal background check is not complete. “Inactive” means that the volunteer has not registered for the current membership year.

Troop leaders who have questions should contact Customer Care at customercare@gsema.org or 844-306-GSEM (4736).