March 25, 2026
COPOCO Pool & Tennis Club (COPOCO, Inc.), a co-operative nonprofit based in Concord, New Hampshire, intends to run a Youth Skills Camp (YSC) for member children during summer 2025. The camp will focus on developing tennis and swim skills for children entering grades 1-6.
In accordance with the State of New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) criminal background check requirement for YSC’s, COPOCO, Inc. has developed and implements a background check policy for camp staff. This policy has been developed in accordance with He-C 4004 and He-C 4005. It is summarized as follows:
I. Criminal Background Check Policy
Prior to their start date, all staff authorized to be alone with children at any point will have had the following background checks completed:
(a) For employees 18 and over:
(1) A criminal background check in each state of residence of the potential staff member, which may be done through a validated database that includes current information for each such state of residence or through the state identification bureau of each state of residence. (In New Hampshire, searches are done through the Criminal Records Unit of the Division of State Police; for people having lived in multiple states we check directly with the state criminal record unit or use a national background check service such as campbackgroundchecks.com); and
(2) A check of the national sex offender public registry (nsopw.gov).
(b) Any volunteer or employee who is younger than 18 years old who will be left alone with a youth will be required to provide:
(1) a minimum of 2 written references to the YSC operator.
-One reference shall be from a non-relative, and attest to:
(1) Their knowledge of the minor’s character;
(2) Whether the minor has caused or threatened to cause direct physical injury to any other individual, or harm of any nature, to any child or children; and
(3) Their opinion on whether the minor is a good candidate to work directly with campers.
(c)Licensed health professionals who act as camp staff may use the background check required for licensure as proof of compliance with (a) above. If the background check required for an applicant who is a licensed health professional does not include a check of the national sex offender public registry, then the owner or designee shall check the person’s name against the national sex offender public registry prior to employing the applicant.
Results of the criminal background check must ensure that no camp staff member has a criminal conviction for 1) any offenses for causing or threatening direct physical injury to any individual or 2) causing or threatening harm of any nature to any child.
Staff members who have not been subject to the required background check are prohibited from working directly with any youth unless a staff member for whom the background check has been completed is also present.
Prior to hiring camp staff, COPOCO, Inc. will review the background checks, at least 1 reference for those 18 and over and 2 references for those under 18, employment history, and volunteer history submitted by or for each camp staff member to determine whether to allow each individual to work directly with youths at the camp.
Background checks for returning camp staff will be completed no less than once per calendar year and will be completed after January 1 of the camp year.
II. Release of Information Regarding Background Checks
COPOCO, Inc. will maintain as confidential information an up-to-date listing of all staff members who are in a position such that it is possible they could be left alone with children, together with the status of their background checks
COPOCO, Inc. will provide this listing of staff and their status to the relevant department at DHHS for review upon request
COPOCO Inc. will provide information as to whether a background check has been completed on camp staff to any parent or guardian of a youth who requests the information.
III. Review and Availability of YSC Policies
COPOCO, Inc. will:
(a) Review the background check policy each year prior to the opening of the YSC camp and make adjustments if needed;
(b) Make the policy available on its website, www.Copoco.net; and
(c) Provide the NH DHHS unit with the policy, which shall be posted on the unit’s website
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Physical Address: COPOCO, Inc. 190 Little Pond Road Concord, NH 03301 |
Mailing Address: COPOCO PO Box 2245 Concord, NH 03302 |