Bottom Line for Massachusetts Nonprofits
- ✓School volunteers with direct and unmonitored contact with children (M.G.L. c. 71, § 38R — mandatory)
- ✓Volunteers in licensed childcare programs (EOEEA/EEC-regulated settings)
- ✓Volunteers in DCF-contracted programs and family support services
- +2 more covered roles below
State Laws That Apply to Volunteer Background Checks
M.G.L. Chapter 71, Section 38R — School Volunteer CORI Checks
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 71, § 38RMandates that all schools conduct criminal background checks on current and prospective employees and volunteers who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children. CORI must be obtained at least every three years. Applies to volunteers who regularly provide school-related transportation to students.
CORI Reform Act — M.G.L. Chapter 6, Sections 167–178B
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, §§ 167–178B (as amended by 2010 Acts Ch. 256)The Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) Reform Law, effective 2012, governs access to and use of criminal records maintained by the DCJIS. Establishes procedures for how organizations may request, use, and store CORI information. Organizations conducting 5+ checks/year must have a written CORI policy.
M.G.L. Chapter 6, Section 172I — Educational Institution CORI Access
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, § 172IAuthorizes schools and districts to obtain CORI on employees, volunteers, subcontractors, and commissioned laborers. Grants schools a higher level of CORI access compared to general nonprofit employers, enabling access to more complete criminal history records.
M.G.L. Chapter 119, Section 51B — Child Abuse Reporting and Registry
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 119, § 51BEstablishes the DCF central registry for substantiated child abuse reports. Organizations serving children may check this registry through the DCF Background Review Unit as part of comprehensive volunteer screening.
Who Must Be Screened in Massachusetts
!Legally Required to Be Screened
- •School volunteers with direct and unmonitored contact with children (M.G.L. c. 71, § 38R — mandatory)
- •Volunteers in licensed childcare programs (EOEEA/EEC-regulated settings)
- •Volunteers in DCF-contracted programs and family support services
- •Volunteers in OMH-regulated mental health programs
- •Any volunteer at an organization conducting 5+ background checks annually (CORI policy required)
Types of Background Checks Required in Massachusetts
How to Get Background Checks in Massachusetts
$5 per check — includes national criminal database, sex offender registry across all 50 states, SSN trace, and FCRA Certified Compliance Team review.
Start Free Today →Volunteer Screening in Massachusetts: What You Need to Know
Massachusetts has a uniquely strong privacy culture around criminal records, driven by its progressive CORI reform legislation. The CORI system is the primary mechanism for volunteer screening and is well-integrated into nonprofit operations statewide. Boston's large higher education sector creates significant student volunteerism and university-community partnership programs where CORI obligations are frequently misunderstood. The state's strong healthcare and social services nonprofit economy (Partners HealthCare, YMCA of Greater Boston, Jewish Family Service) drives high volumes of volunteer CORI checks. Massachusetts does not have a general ban-the-box law for volunteers, though the CORI Reform Act requires individualized assessment before adverse action.
Compliance Tips for Massachusetts Nonprofits
- 1
Register your organization with the DCJIS iCORI online system — it provides cost-effective ($25/check or less for certified entities) and legally compliant access to CORI records without requiring a paper-based process.
- 2
If your organization runs 5 or more CORI checks per year, you are legally required to have a written CORI policy — this is a compliance obligation under M.G.L. c. 6, § 172, and DCJIS auditors check for it.
- 3
Schools must obtain § 38R-compliant CORI checks every three years for volunteers — implement calendar reminders for renewal well in advance, as lapses in coverage during the renewal gap can create liability.
- 4
Run a Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB) check alongside CORI for any volunteer with child contact — these are separate databases and CORI alone does not capture sex offender registrant status.
- 5
Before taking adverse action against a volunteer based on CORI results, provide them with a copy of the report, a written explanation, and a reasonable opportunity to dispute inaccuracies — the CORI Reform Act requires this adverse action process even for volunteer positions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does M.G.L. Chapter 71, Section 38R — School Volunteer CORI Checks apply to my nonprofit?
Massachusetts law applies to nonprofits with volunteers working in covered roles — typically involving direct, unsupervised contact with children, elderly individuals, or vulnerable adults. Massachusetts has a robust Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system under M.
What happens if we skip background checks in Massachusetts?
Failing to screen volunteers in Massachusetts can expose your organization to negligent supervision liability, loss of insurance coverage, and — in sectors with mandatory requirements — regulatory penalties. Under the federal FCRA, running checks without proper procedures also creates compliance risk.
How long does a Massachusetts volunteer background check take?
Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS), iCORI system; Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB); Department of Children and Families (DCF) Background Review Unit; Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) for licensed childcare typically processes checks in DCJIS iCORI: instant to 3 business days; SORB: instant online; FBI fingerprint: 2–4 weeks. VolunteerBadge's national criminal database search returns results instantly for most volunteers.