Use SOR Funds to Pay for Peer Job Candidate Barrier Crime Screenings

Hi Everyone!

Last week the SOR team learned that peer job candidates who have screenable barrier crimes on their background checks have to pay $200 out of pocket for the screening process….even if they don’t pass and are unable to gain employment through a DBHDS-licensed agency.

While the SOR team can’t singlehandedly change the laws or processes surrounding peer hiring, we can make it so that job candidates don’t bear the burden of paying for their own barrier crime screenings. Therefore, we encourage every csb to utilize SOR monies to cover this fee for your potential peer employees. If your SOR budget will be tight and you don’t have extra funding for this expense, please reach out and ask us for additional monies. If it’s a tight turnaround without enough time to receive extra monies in a warrant, reach out to us anyway and we’ll work with you and/or the screener directly to cover this expense.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.112 Per 2 C.F.R. § 200.112-1113 The Federal awarding agency must establish conflict of interest policies for Federal awards. The non-Federal entity must disclose in writing any potential conflict of interest to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity in accordance with applicable Federal awarding agency policy. Failure to adhere to these statues will result in immediate termination of funding.

Virginia’s State Opioid Response (SOR) grant is awarded at the discretion of DBHDS and SAMHSA. All recipients of SOR funding supports evidence-based prevention, treatment and recovery services to address opioid and stimulant misuse and use disorders, including for cocaine and methamphetamine. The SOR grant is not intended to be utilized as a long-term or permanent funding source. All SOR proposals must include a realistic plan for financial sustainability beyond the grant period.