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Fieldprint and Truescreen 

Exemption Period 

Frequently Asked Question Supplemental as of June 19, 2019

Fieldprint and Truescreen Exemption Period Guidance, Instructions and FAQs can be found here: 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/documents/2018/2018-exemption-period

New as of 5/2/19! Truescreen has a new customer service email for CNCS grant recipients! 

• Truescreen questions can be referred to CNCShelp@truescreen.com

• Truescreen account set up questions can be referred to your Truescreen Account Manager.

• NSCHC compliance questions can be directed to CHC@cns.gov

1. If I need to conduct a recheck from a state that participates in the FBI’s National Fingerprint 

File Program (NFF), do I still need to run a separate state check for the NFF state in addition 

to an FBI fingerprint check for individuals that started work or service prior to the NFF ASP 

effective date of September 24? (December 14, 2018)

No. You may rely on the Pre-Approved NFF ASP for rechecks conducted during the 

Exemption Period. There is no need to run a separate state check from a state that participates 

in the NFF if you conduct a Fieldprint FBI check during the Exemption Period. Rechecks must 

still include a check of the NSOPW regardless of a state’s participation in the NFF Program.

2. If a program attempts to conduct a full recheck of covered individuals serving or working in 

covered positions on or after November 15, 2018, but an individual in a covered position 

refuses to participate in the recheck, will the program lose the Exemption Period benefit 

referenced in FAQ 5? (December 14, 2018, updated May 2, 2019)

FAQ 5 states: “If a grant recipient conducts a full recheck on all covered individuals serving 

within the parameters of the Exemption Period, enforcement action will not be taken for 

noncompliant files of individuals no longer working or serving at the time of the Exemption 

Period.” 

The Exemption Period and opportunity to recheck individuals in covered positions was 

established to ensure the safety of beneficiaries and to increase compliance with CNCS 

requirements. It is CNCS’s expectation that grant recipients participating in the Exemption Period 

who are seeking the benefit of conducting the full recheck should make every effort to recheck all 

individuals working or serving within the parameters of the Exemption Period. In circumstances 

where an individual in covered position refuses to undergo a recheck, CNCS will consider 

allowing the grant recipient the full benefit of the Exemption Period if: 

• The grant recipient conducted rechecks within the parameters of the Exemption Period 

for covered individuals for whom it was possible to conduct a recheck, and 
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• The individual refusing a recheck is not an employee or participant of the grant 

recipient or program but is an individual over which the grant recipient does not have 

authority, such as a staff at an operating site whose time is counted as match, and,

• The grant recipient provides CNCS documentation of the refusal, including the role of 

the individual and the reason for the refusal. 

3. If an individual exits the program during the Exemption Period but prior to the completion 

of the rechecks, does the grant recipient need to conduct the recheck? (December 14, 2018, 

May 2, 2019)

It is not necessary to recheck individuals in covered positions who are no longer working or 

serving. If a grant recipient conducts a full recheck on all covered individuals serving within 

the parameters of this Exemption Period, enforcement action will not be taken for 

noncompliant files of individuals no longer working or serving at the time of the Exemption 

Period.

(Updated May 2, 2019) CNCS will determine the population of individuals who must have 

rechecks in order for the grant recipient to be considered as fully participating in the 

Exemption Period as: all individuals working/serving on a CNCS grant on or after November 

15, 2018 and still working/serving on a CNCS grant at the end of the Exemption Period on June 

30, 2019. 

If an individual exits the program during the Exemption Period but prior to the completion of 

the rechecks, the program does not need to conduct a recheck on that individual. Grant 

recipients should not wait until the end of the Exemption Period to begin conducting rechecks, 

as all rechecks must be complete (adjudicated) prior to the end of the Exemption Period. 

4. When ordering rechecks in Truescreen, what date should I put as an individual’s 

Anticipated Start Date? What if I put in the wrong start date? (December 14, 2018, updated 

May 2, 2019)

For rechecks, grant recipients should enter the individual’s actual start date in this field. 

(Updated May 2, 2019) The anticipated start date, if correct, will be helpful for CNCS 

monitoring officials. However, during monitoring, this date will be validated by primary 

source documentation that details the actual start date of the individual in a covered position. 

Primary source documentation can include an application, offer letter, MyAmeriCorps portal, 

etc. 

5. Do Fieldprint and Truescreen provide a “rap sheet”? (December 14, 2018)

For Fieldprint (FBI check): grant recipients will receive an adjudication recommendation of 

cleared/not cleared based on CNCS’s adjudication criteria. 
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For Truescreen (NSOPW and state check): grant recipients will receive an adjudication 

recommendation based on CNCS’s adjudication criteria as well as access to review the 

criminal history information provided by Truescreen. 

6. How do the changes with NSCHC impact the required annual ecourse? (December 14, 2018)

Grant recipients should proceed with using the current version of the required ecourse at this 

time and have it completed in accordance with their timing requirement (all grant recipients 

must have one person with a current certification of completion). The ecourse refers primarily 

to statutory and regulatory requirements and those have not changed.

7. Does each individual being checked or rechecked need their own email address for 

Fieldprint and Truescreen? (December 14, 2018, updated January 28, 2019, updated May 2, 

2019)

For Fieldprint, an individual will need an email address. Grant recipients working with 

covered individuals who do not have email addresses can work with these individuals to set 

up a free email account used only for Fieldprint and Truescreen account set-up and can then 

work with the individuals to complete the applicant information portion of the systems as 

needed. 

For Truescreen, the applicant, him or herself, will need to provide the “wet signature” on the 

screen, as grant recipient staff cannot enter into agreements on behalf of participants. 

Because of the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) being provided via the established 

participant accounts in these systems, it is not recommended to use one email address to 

establish accounts for multiple individuals, even if the Fieldprint or Truescreen technology 

will allow it.

(Updated 1/28/19) In recognition that CNCS grant recipients may engage with applicants who 

have limited access to or proficiency with technology and do not have an email address, grant 

recipients may use one grant recipient email address to work with applicants to complete the 

applicant portion of during the Truescreen application process, rather than requiring each 

applicant to have a unique email address. 

The individual at the grant recipient organization who is requesting the background report 

may have an applicant’s ApplicationStation email sent to the requestor’s email address when 

the purpose is to mitigate issues of technological access and proficiency. While this 

functionality is available for grant recipients, CNCS strongly encourages grant recipients to 

continue to have applicants use a unique email address in order to most fully protect 

personally identifiable information and applicant privacy.

Grant recipient organizations are prohibited by law from signing disclosure and authorization 

for applicants. Applicants must complete and sign their own Disclosure and Authorization 

forms prior to the ordering of their background check.
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Care must be taken to ensure each user who orders/monitors background reports has his or 

her own user account and does not share these credentials.

Truescreen will not be responsible nor liable whatsoever if an individual shares his or her 

credentials with anyone else, or allows another applicant to view personal information of 

another individual via the Truescreen website. Note that such conduct is considered unlawful 

and could lead to civil and/or criminal penalties.

Truescreen will provide an alternative paper process for participants who cannot access email

or who otherwise need it. This alternate process will significantly increase turnaround times. 

(Updated May 2, 2019)

Grant recipients using the functionality referenced above, where the individual at the grant 

recipient organization who is requesting the background report may have an applicant’s 

ApplicationStation email sent to the requestor’s email address, must ensure that the 

information being entered matches the individual tied to the application.

The email with the link to ApplicationStation is unique to the individual whose criminal 

history is being checked. The email will be addressed to a specific person and will be 

associated with a case number tied to that specific person. When an application is being 

completed, please be sure that the information entered is the information for the person to 

whom the email is addressed.

If you are not careful to ensure that the email and case number are directly tied to the 

individual you are checking, you will complete the entire application, including all compliance 

sections, for the wrong individual. 

8. The Truescreen account set-up asks for a grant number. What do I enter if I have more than 

one CNCS grant? Do I need to set up multiple accounts, one for each program or grant? 

(December 14, 2018)

Grant recipients with more than one program or more than one grant can elect to establish one 

account with Truescreen or multiple accounts. When setting up one account for multiple 

grants, enter one grant number at the time of account set-up. The grant number at account setup helps CNCS confirm the entity is a grant recipient. 

The ordering screens, where you will order the checks for a specific individual, also have a 

field for grant number, and it is there where you can put in the grant number(s) tied to that 

particular individual being checked. If entering more than one grant number, use comma 

space before entering another. 
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9. For individuals who are starting work or service during the Exemption Period, will a grant 

recipient need to conduct rechecks via Truescreen and Fieldprint in order to get the full 

benefit of the Exemption Period? (December 14, 2018)

Individuals who begin work or service during the Exemption Period are required to undergo 

national service criminal history checks in accordance with CNCS requirements. While we 

strongly encourage grant recipients to take advantage of Fieldprint and Truescreen for initial 

checks in order to help to ensure compliance with NSCHC, use of these vendors is not 

required for initial checks. If a grant recipient is conducting compliant checks from existing 

sources, they can elect to continue working with those sources moving forward. 

The Exemption Period applies to rechecks of individuals who will be serving on or after 

November 15, 2018. If an individual begins work or service during the Exemption Period and 

the grant recipient conducts a compliant check initially, no recheck is needed. For 

noncompliant initial checks conducted during the Exemption Period, grant recipients may 

conduct a recheck within the parameters of the Exemption Period. 

In order to take advantage of the Exemption Period, grant recipients must use CNCS contracts 

with Fieldprint and Truescreen to conduct required rechecks.

10. Why does Truescreen ask for a word copy of my letterhead and a signature? When will the 

letterhead and signature be used? (January 28, 2019, Updated February 20, 2019)

Truescreen will only send out letters on your organization’s letterhead when required to do so 

by law. State and Federal law require that certain notifications be issued to individuals 

regarding criminal history checks. Truescreen will provide these notifications on behalf of the

grant recipient in order to be compliant with state and federal law. There are two instances 

when notification is required: 

• California, Minnesota, New York, and Oklahoma state laws require that individuals are 

provided with a consumer notification that a check is being conducted. Truescreen will 

notify the individual on your organization’s letterhead.

• The Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that individuals who are not 

approved to serve/work as a result of criminal history check results receive notices of 

potential adverse actions against them. Truescreen will contact the individual on your 

organization’s behalf, on your organization’s letterhead, per FCRA. This action will be 

prompted by the grant recipient and the grant recipient will have copies of the process 

in their MyTruescreen account. 

(Updated February 20, 2019)

Please see below for the situations when the template letters will be delivered. This table is in your 

Truescreen agreement. Please note the End-User refers to the organization that signed the 

agreement. 

Notification Type Trigger to send

FCRA Pre-Adverse Action Letter When requested by End-User via mytruescreen.com site
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Additional Pre-Adverse Action 

Documents/State-Local Compliance 

At the same time as the FCRA Pre-Adverse Action Letter, if 

requested, uploaded, and approved by End-User via 

mytruescreen.com site.

FCRA Final Adverse Action Letter Either 5 business days after consumer accesses the FCRA PreAdverse Action Letter electronically or 5 business days after 

FCRA Pre-Adverse Action Letter is mailed to the Consumer –

provided no dispute/statement has been initiated by the 

Consumer(s).

**Important Note: if the Consumer initiates a dispute/statement, 

Provider will not automatically send the FCRA Final Adverse Action 

Letter. Upon resolution of the Consumer dispute/statement, Provider 

will provide End-User an updated copy of the report and, if desired, 

End-User will manually request the Final Adverse Action Letter be sent 

via the mytruescreen.com site.

Additional Adverse Action 

Documents/State-Local Compliance

At the same time as the FCRA Final Adverse Action Letter, if 

requested, uploaded, and approved by End-User via 

mytruescreen.com site

California Report Copy Upon delivery of report to End-User where applicant’s current 

residence address is California

Oklahoma Report Copy Upon delivery of report to End-User where applicant’s current 

residence address is Oklahoma

Minnesota Report Copy Upon delivery of report to End-User where applicant’s current 

residence address is Minnesota

NY Article 23A Notification Upon delivery of report to End-User where criminal records are 

being reported and applicant’s current residence address is New 

York

10.1. I am not allowed to provide letterhead and signature to Truescreen, can I still use 

Truescreen? (February 20, 2019)

Yes, you may still use Truescreen. Inform your Account Manager that you will opt out of the 

process. Please know that your organization will assume responsibility for complying with the 

Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), including, but not limited to, any required FCRA 

notifications, state consumer reporting/credit laws, and CNCS regulations.

11. Which states require additional steps to conduct state checks via Truescreen? (January 28, 

2019, updated May 2, 2019)

As described in the trainings conducted in November and December of 2018, several states 

require additional steps to conduct a state check via Truescreen. These steps are mandated by 

state law. Recorded trainings can be found here: 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/CHCVideoLibrary

(Updated May 2, 2019) Georgia and Mississippi: These states require applicant to submit an 

additional form before completing a state check. You may submit these forms when ordering 

the checks (these can be found on the myLearningCenter on the myHome page of your 

Truescreen account) and/or Truescreen will prompt you to submit these forms via email. 

Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Washington: In rare cases, these states may 

require applicants to submit fingerprints to fully process the state check. Circumstances that 

may lead to the required submission of fingerprints include but are not limited to the 
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following: 1) the name is common and the state cannot conduct the check without more 

information, 2) the information provided by the applicant does not match what the state has in 

its system and the state needs more information to conduct the check on the correct person 

and/or 3) there is potential criminal/conviction information that requires more information 

before the check is complete. 

Truescreen will inform grant recipients via email if fingerprints are required. Please note that 

fingerprinting will extend the turnaround time for receiving the results. 

12. Why do Truescreen agreements refer to “employment” instead of “volunteerism”? (January 

28, 2019)

Truescreen is bound by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the primary federal law 

regulating employment background checks. For FCRA, references to employee and 

employment purposes were determined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to include 

volunteers, so the FCRA disclosures apply to both volunteers as well as paid employees. 

FCRA requires very specific disclosures, and Truescreen is not able to make revisions to 

required FCRA disclosures.

13. Which name should I enter in Truescreen to conduct an NSOPW and/or State check? 

(January 28, 2019, Updated on February 20, 2019, Revised May 2, 2019) 

At the start of the Exemption Period, the Truescreen system was set up to run checks based on 

all primary names entered. Until March 6, 2019, if the grant recipient and applicant enter two 

separate names, the grant recipient was charged for checks of both names. During that time, 

this FAQ instructed grant recipients to ensure that the name entered by the grant recipient and 

the applicant were identical, including spaces and hyphens, in order to avoid charges for 

different primary names.

As of March 6, 2019, Truescreen will run searches only on the first and last name entered into 

the system by the grant recipient (and AKAs entered by the grant recipient, as applicable). The 

only exception to this process rule will be when the applicant indicates a murder conviction 

and/or a sex offense conviction under a different name. In these cases additional checks will 

be run on the name(s) that the murder conviction and/or sex offense conviction were rendered 

to affirm the convictions. 

It is the grant recipient responsibility to conduct state and/or NSOPW checks on the first and 

last name as it appears on the government-issued photo ID. Middle name is an optional field 

for Truescreen searches. 

(Updated on February 20, 2019)

Clarification on the name used for Truescreen checks: For checks conducted via Truescreen

the grant recipient and applicant must enter the first and last name as it appears on the 

government-issued photo identification. Middle names are not a required field in Truescreen’s 
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system but may be entered. Truescreen will conduct the check on the first and last name

provided by the grant recipient. If the state source requires additional search information 

(DOB, SSN, middle name, etc.), Truescreen will provide that information to the state source. If 

there is a conviction on the criminal history record, Truescreen will use information such as 

the DOB, SSN, middle name, initial, suffixes, or other information to verify the identity of the 

individual who was convicted of the crime. 

On May 2, 2019, this question was substantively revised and the FAQ language in earlier 

versions of this was based on system functionality that has been discontinued. 

14. Who can adjudicate the Truescreen checks? Can I adjudicate my own recheck? (January 28, 

2019)

Grant recipients should have internal controls in place to prevent fraud, safeguard assets, and 

ensure integrity of records. This includes having the appropriate systems in place to adjudicate 

criminal history reports. An individual in a covered position should be not be responsible for 

adjudicating their own check. 

15. What rechecks do I need to conduct for the Exemption Period if I had/have an 

ASP/Exemption when the original check was conducted? (January 28, 2019, Updated May 2, 

2019)

CNCS strongly encourages grant recipients to use this Exemption Period and the associated 

funding to conduct the check components required by the individual’s current access to 

vulnerable populations.

For purposes of the Exemption Period, grant recipients should conduct NSCHC with the 

components required under the CNCS regulation at the time of application or the date the 

individual was assigned to the grant. 

(Updated May 2, 2019) For purposes of the Exemption Period, grant recipients should, for the 

recheck, conduct NSCHC with the components required under the CNCS regulation at the 

time the individual started working or serving in a covered position. With the exception of the 

national fingerprint file (NFF) states noted in FAQ 1 of this document and the Truescreen 

Alternative Search Procedure (ASP), Exemption Period rechecks should include the 

components required under the regulation in place at the time the individual started, 

regardless of whether the grant recipient had an ASP, at that time, that exempted a specific 

component of the check. 

See the effective dates reflected here for information regarding the specific components 

required at the time of application: 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/NSCHC_manual_final_11-15-

18_508.pdf.
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16. How will CNCS determine whether a program participated fully in the Exemption Period? 

(February 20, 2019, Updated May 2, 2019)

If a grant recipient conducts a recheck on all covered individuals serving within the 

parameters of this Exemption Period, enforcement action will not be taken for noncompliant 

files of individuals no longer working or serving at the time of the Exemption Period.

(Updated May 2, 2019)It is not necessary to recheck individuals in covered positions who are 

no longer working or serving as of November 15, 2018 or during the Exemption Period. If a 

grant recipient conducts a full recheck on all covered individuals serving within the 

parameters of this Exemption Period, enforcement action will not be taken for noncompliant 

files of individuals no longer working or serving at the time of the Exemption Period. 

Grant recipients should not wait until the end of the Exemption Period to begin conducting 

rechecks, as all rechecks must be complete (adjudicated by the grant recipient) prior to the end 

of the Exemption Period.

In determining whether to take disallowance enforcement action on noncompliant files of 

individuals no longer serving or working at the time of the Exemption Period, CNCS will 

define full participation in the Exemption Period as follows: 

Program Participants: 

• Rechecks must be conducted on all individuals in a covered position who have been 

working/serving on a CNCS grant on or after November 15, 2018. If an individual exits 

the program during the Exemption Period but prior to the completion of the rechecks, 

the program does not need to conduct a recheck on that individual. 

• CNCS will determine the population of individuals who must have rechecks in order 

for the grant recipient to be considered as fully participating in the Exemption Period 

as: all individuals working/serving on a CNCS grant on or after November 15, 2018 and 

still working/serving on a CNCS grant at the end of the Exemption Period on June 30, 

2019. 

Grants and Subgrants

• For direct grant recipients that do not issue subgrants, full participation in the 

Exemption Period will be defined at the grant level. 

o For example: if a grant recipient organization has two grants and chooses to 

conduct rechecks for all individuals working or serving as of November 15, 2018 

on one grant and not the other, the grant on which the rechecks were conducted 

is eligible for exemption from disallowance enforcement action being taken on 

previous noncompliance as defined in the Exemption Period guidance. 

• For sub recipients, full participation in the Exemption Period will be defined at the sub

recipient level. 

o If one of ten Commission sub recipients conducts rechecks for all individuals 

working or serving as of November 15, 2018, this sub recipient is eligible for 
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exemption from disallowance enforcement action being taken on previous 

noncompliance as defined in the Exemption Period guidance and the other sub

recipients are not. 

17. What documentation do I need to maintain from a Truescreen and/or Fieldprint check? Do I 

need to maintain all NSCHC documentation from the initial check and recheck? (February 

20, 2019)

The documentation requirements for NSCHC have not changed. Truescreen and Fieldprint 

will capture many compliance requirements on your behalf. Review the Truescreen and 

Fieldprint Documentation Compliance table on page 17 in the NSCHC Using Fieldprint and 

Truescreen manual: https://www.nationalservice.gov/documents/2018/nschc-using-fieldprintand-truescreen-manual

18. Why do the criminal history reports have a red box with an "X" and a “review” status on 

them when I receive them from Truescreen? Why does a red box with an “X” and “review” 

status appear next to subject data? (February 20, 2019)

In order to provide a visual prompt to grant recipients to make the final adjudication 

determination in Truescreen, Truescreen will mark all reports with a red box with an “X” and 

a “review” status on the subject data. The red box with an “X” and “review” status on the 

subject data is not related to the adjudication of a criminal history record. It is merely a visual 

flag to prompt grant recipients to make the final adjudication determination in the Truescreen 

system.

Truescreen will continue to provide an adjudication recommendation on criminal history 

information and that recommendation can still be found on the report.

Grant recipients must continue to review the results and make their final adjudication

decision. 

19. Why do Truescreen templates include language mentioning employment, personal 

references, credit reporting agencies, character, personal characteristics, mode of living, etc.? 

(February 20, 2019)

Truescreen is open to conversations with grant recipients regarding language changes on the 

template letters (these are the letters with agency letterhead). Please contact your Account 

Manager to make edits. 

20. How do I order state and NSOPW checks using Truescreen? (May 2, 2019)

There is a step by step guide on the Truescreen process available in the myLearningCenter on 

the myHome tab in your MyTruescreen account. The CNCS Ordering Guide provides 

screenshots and instructions on how to use Truescreen. 

You can order state and NSOPW checks in the MyRapidRequest module. You will be 

required to enter:
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• First name

• Last name

• Grant number (multiple grant numbers can be entered)

• Anticipated start date

• Yes/no to whether the individual has access to vulnerable populations

• Applicant Email (twice) 

There is a drop down box titled “report level.” You can select the type of checks (state only, 

state + NSOPW or NSOPW). You enter the state of residence in the Notes box. 

If a grant recipient does not enter all required information, the system will redirect to 

MyRapidRequest and the report level (check that was ordered) will default to a NSOPW only 

check. Grant recipients should review all selected fields prior to submitting the check. If a 

grant recipient believes it made a selection in error, it can review the ordered check on the 

myInProcess Report module on the myReports tab. Checks can be canceled before they are

processed by Truescreen. 

21. What if an individual fails to show up to a Fieldprint appointment or cancels with less 

than 24 hours of notice? (May 2, 2019)

Per the FAQs on the Fieldprint website, if an individual does not show up for an appointment, 

or cancels the appointment, less than 24 hours before the scheduled date and time, the 

organization will be charged a rescheduling fee of $17.50. The grant recipient can elect to pay 

the fee, as an allowable grant cost, or require the individual who rescheduled or missed the 

appointment to pay this fee. 

22. What if an incorrect ID was uploaded to the Truescreen site? (May 2, 2019)

If an incorrect identification was uploaded, contact Truescreen at CNCShelp@Truescreen.com. 

Truescreen can upload the correct identification onto the individual’s file. This document will 

not show in myApplication Station but will appear on the individual’s Investigation 

Information, in the Actions box, under View Authorizations. 

23. When using the Fieldprint’s paper fingerprint cards, will these individual Fieldprint 

fingerprint cards correspond to unique individuals? (May 2, 2019)

Fieldprint paper fingerprint cards are coded to specific individuals (the information is coded 

to a barcode during the set-up process). Do not duplicate the cards, tamper with the barcode

on the fingerprint card, or use any fingerprint card other than the fingerprint card provided by 

Fieldprint. Only place the fingerprints of the individual for whom the card was provided on 

the individual’s card. 

Duplicating, tampering, providing non-Fieldprint fingerprint cards, or submitting fingerprints 

for the wrong individual will result in Fieldprint shredding the card, and a FBI check will not 
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be conducted. In these cases, the applicant would need to begin the process again in order to 

obtain a Fieldprint FBI check. 

24. My organization has a staff person who is an individual in a covered position but is paid by 

multiple grants. How do I conduct a check for this person? (May 2, 2019)

The NSCHC requirements have not changed. The grant recipient must conduct compliant 

NSCHC for individuals in covered positions. Grant recipients with individuals who are in 

covered positions under multiple grants will only need to recheck the individual one time.

Grant recipients can enter multiple grant numbers when ordering checks in the Truescreen 

system. That is, one recheck can be associated with multiple grants in the Truescreen system. 

For Fieldprint checks, grant recipients may maintain the Fieldprint record in the individual’s 

file. 

25. What do I need to do if an individual in a covered position receives a “not cleared” 

recommendation by Fieldprint? (May 2, 2019, Updated on May 21, 2019)

See Fieldprint FAQs (#27-31) for more information on “not cleared” recommendations here: 

https://fieldprintcncs.com/SubPage_FullWidth.aspx?ChannelID=414

Any individual receiving a “not cleared” determination can choose to challenge the factual 

accuracy of the determination and must be given the opportunity to do so. Whether an 

individual is fit to work or serve with a selecting organization is a matter of discretion for the 

selecting organization, even though an individual may otherwise be eligible. Selecting

organizations have a right and a duty to exercise their discretion in a manner that promotes a 

safe and effective program, mindful of state and federal nondiscrimination laws. Any 

eligibility determination must be dated contemporaneously with the determination and must 

be maintained as a grant record.

(Updated May 21, 2019) Fieldprint provides an adjudication recommendation of “Cleared” or 

“Not Cleared” based on CNCS’s statutory eligibility criteria: 

• Anyone who is listed, or required to be listed, on a sex offender registry is ineligible to 

serve or work in a covered position. 

• Anyone convicted of murder (as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1111) is ineligible to serve or 

work in a covered position. 

“Not Cleared” does not necessarily mean ineligible to serve. Some circumstances when an 

individual eligible to work or serve may receive a “Not Cleared” result include: 

• The individual's FBI Criminal History Record Information may contain a factual error.

• The individual may have been convicted of an offense that relates to a sex offense or a 

crime of neglect, cruelty or endangerment, but did not actually result in a requirement 

to register as a sex offender.
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• Individuals may receive a "Not Cleared" recommendation for any crime related to sex 

offenses or neglect, cruelty or endangerment, even though those offenses do not always 

result in a requirement to register as a sex offender.

• The individual's FBI Criminal History Record Information may contain a charge for a 

potentially disqualifying offense without clearly indicating a conviction or final 

outcome.

“Cleared” and “Not Cleared” recommendations must be used in combination with other 

information obtained through the other required NSCHC components to make an informed 

choice before selecting an individual for work or service. Grant recipients and subrecipients 

are responsible for ensuring that an individual is eligible to work or serve in a covered 

position. 

Information about resolving “Not Cleared” results can be found here in the NSCHC Using 

Fieldprint and Truescreen Manual: https://www.nationalservice.gov/documents/2018/nschcusing-fieldprint-and-truescreen-manual

For “Not Cleared” results received on rechecks conducted during the NSCHC Exemption 

Period, the grant recipient may be able to resolve the “Not Cleared” recommendation using 

information from an initial FBI fingerprint check conducted when an individual began work or 

service, provided that individual has worked or served without a break in work/service since 

the initial check was run. 

The program should ensure that its processes include reviewing whether an individual’s 

criminal convictions would require registration on a sex offender registry. Since the NSOPW 

check only identifies people who have registered, the grant recipient should review criminal 

history information to check for any offenses for which the candidate was required to register 

under state law. Individuals who are required to listed on sex offender registry are ineligible to 

serve/work on CNCS grants.

26. What if an individual received a Fieldprint “Not Cleared” adjudication recommendation or 

is going through the Truescreen Adverse Action process, and the steps to resolve these 

statuses are not complete by June 30, 2019? (June 19, 2019)

CNCS expects that grant recipients will resolve Fieldprint “Not Cleared” recheck adjudication 

recommendations and Truescreen Adverse Action processes and that they will begin the 

resolution processes promptly upon review of check results. To fully participate in the 

Exemption Period, grant recipients must have, at a minimum, reviewed each recheck by June 

30, 2019, even if the resolution process for Fieldprint “Not Cleared” adjudication 

recommendations or Truescreen Adverse Action processes is not complete until after June 30, 

2019. 
June 19, 2019 14 of 14

27. I ordered a State of Service check in Truescreen, rather than both a State of Service and 

State of Residence check. The state I ordered appears as State of Residence on my 

Monitoring Report. What should I do? (June 19, 2019)

Provided the correct checks were ordered and adjudicated, no action is needed. For purposes 

of monitoring, CNCS will review the State of Residence and State of Service of the individual 

serving or working in a covered position and will verify that the correct state checks were 

conducted. If you find that you failed to conduct a required check, you should conduct the 

required check. 

28. I noticed that the grant number or organization name associated with some of my checks is 

inaccurate. What do I do? (June 19, 2019)

If the grant number or other grant recipient information is not accurate, you must correct this 

information. You can correct this information by emailing Truescreen at 

CNCShelp@truescreen.com with the case number and the correct information. You cannot 

make any corrections to information entered by the applicant such as the designation of the 

individual as a volunteer, member or staff person. 

Please note that changes to accounts or corrections to order information entered by the 

grantee may result in a reset of adjudication. Review your checks after corrections or 

changes are made.

29. Can Commissions or prime grant recipients with subrecipients conduct monitoring of 

subrecipients in the Fieldprint system as they can in Truescreen? (June 19, 2019)

No. 

In Truescreen, Commissions or direct grantees with subrecipients can have subrecipients 

mapped to a monitoring account and review subrecipient compliance from this monitoring 

account. This same functionality is not present in Fieldprint. The subrecipient can receive 

check results in the Fieldprint system, but they must still document that the results of this 

check were reviewed. Commissions will not have access to subrecipient Fieldprint accounts 

and will need to monitor these checks outside that system.