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For months beginning in late 2018, parents in one of the Boy Scout troops in York County exchanged emails raising an alarming complaint: Applications for a series of required background checks for some of the troop’s volunteers were missing.

At least one of them — a scoutmaster who had attended an overnight trip — did not have up-to-date clearances on file at all, according to the emails, which were obtained by The York Dispatch and Spotlight PA.

“We have several active leaders (6) overseeing the activities and protection of our troop who require formal clarification of their standing as it relates to their clearances to do so,” parents of a scout in one of the York troops wrote in September of that year.

A committee chair for the troop later responded to the concerns, writing, “I am incredibly disturbed by this situation.”

In response to the devastating Penn State child sexual abuse scandal, the state Legislature passed landmark reforms that, as of 2015, required anyone working with children — including volunteers — to undergo a series of background checks.

The goal was to prevent those with certain criminal records or a history of abuse from gaining access to minors through youth programs.

Now, five years after the law took effect, there are signs it isn’t working as intended, and organizations are able to skirt the rules and face few, if any, consequences, according to a two-month review by the news organizations.

For groups such as the Boy Scouts and others that are not already regulated by the state, there is no official oversight of whether they are complying with the law, and problems only become apparent if someone complains or a child is harmed. That makes it impossible to know how many groups may be falling short of the requirements.

The problems extend beyond York County. Documents obtained under a public records request show complaints to the Department of Human Services from all corners alleging volunteers lack clearances.

Violations can be prosecuted by local district attorneys, but none have brought such a case since the law took effect, according to state court records.

“Is this an issue? A hundred percent,” York County District Attorney Dave Sunday said in an interview. “Is this something that needs to be worked through and figured out, and do people need to be held accountable? Yes.”

The law requires anyone working with children in the public, private or nonprofit sector, including volunteers, to undergo a criminal background check by the State Police and a child abuse clearance by the Department of Welfare. Some are also required to get a third check by the FBI. The clearances are good for 60 months and must be on file with the organization before volunteers start their work.

The mandate was hailed as a major step forward in protecting children, and few question the value of it. But, as those in York County and elsewhere have found, its effectiveness relies on trust — not actual enforcement.

“There is a good-faith presumption written directly in [the law] that these groups are required to obtain and maintain clearances,” said Amy Grippi, the executive director of child services for the human services department.

Grippi said entities already regulated by the state, such as daycares and residential homes for children, are regularly checked to ensure they are properly collecting and keeping clearances on file as part of annual inspections.

But overseeing other private and nonprofit groups that are not already subject to state oversight would be a major undertaking and require more resources.

“There are probably thousands of such programs and services,” said Grippi, adding that one line of defense for parents concerned about their child’s safety is to directly ask youth groups about their policies on clearances.