Now is the time for churches or other organizations to review their child protection policies to ensure they comply with Pennsylvania’s Act 153, which revised the Child Protective Services Law in 2014. Also known as “the background check” law, Act 153 provides long-awaited clarification for when and how to do background checks on employees and volunteers who work with children.  This law will significantly affect those who volunteer in churches and other faith-based organizations. The effective date of the new law for employees is December 31, 2014, and the effective date for volunteers is July 1, 2015. Recent guidance from the Department of Human Services has clarified what those deadlines mean for existing employees and volunteers. Contact GKH attorney Ann Martin to ensure your church or organization is compliant with child protection legislation.