Application Procedures for Permanent Volunteers

(1) Any person seeking to volunteer in a specific state correctional institution shall submit a completed standard volunteer application to that institution's Volunteer Services Coordinator. The standard volunteer application may be obtained from the Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator, Director of Program Services, or his or her designee, or the Department's website at http://www.mass.gov/doc/policy. (2) The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall review the application to determine the applicant's suitability and eligibility, taking into consideration experience, qualifications, and rationale for volunteering. The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall consider whether the volunteer service proposed by the applicant is consistent with the identified needs of the institution and the inmate population. Any applicant seeking to provide professional services shall be qualified, certified, or licensed to provide such services. (3) A criminal record check shall be completed as part of the application process to identify whether there are criminal convictions that have a specific relationship to the volunteer job performance in accordance with State and Federal statutes. This record will include comprehensive identifier information to be collected and run against law enforcement indices. If suspect information on matters with potential terrorism connections is returned on any candidate, it shall be forwarded to the local Joint Terrorism Task Force or another similar agency. (4) The completed application shall be forwarded to the Superintendent's designee, who shall make a determination on the application and return the application to the Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator. The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall input approved applications in the designated volunteer database and notify the applicant of the approval in writing. (5) The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall also notify the applicant in writing if the application is denied. The notification shall include the reason(s) for the denial. The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall maintain a copy of the denied application and notification. (6) The applicant may submit a request in writing to the Superintendent for reconsideration. The applicant shall be notified in writing of the Superintendent's final determination. The notification shall include the reason(s) for the final determination. The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall maintain a copy of the request and Superintendent's final determination on file. (7) A permanent volunteer may request volunteer status at additional sites by contacting the Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator at the additional institution(s). The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall review and update the designated volunteer database.