Many of the programs within the School of Community and Health Studies include field or clinical placements or “practicums” with outside organizations such as schools, hospitals and long term care facilities.  These placements involve direct contact with children, students or vulnerable persons receiving service from these organizations.  It is common practice for organizations providing field placements to require students to present a satisfactory Police Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening (PRCVSS) before beginning their placement.  Although it is not a requirement for admission to any program, students for whom this may be a concern are advised to verify whether the program they are interested is likely to involve such a check.

Because field and clinical placement components are unique to each program in the number of placements, timing within the program and nature of agencies involved, students need to be alert to this requirement once admitted to a program.  Each program undertakes to provide students with the information they need with respect to when a PRCVSS will be needed for placement purposes.  However, it is the responsibility of each student to arrange for their own PRCVSS on a timely basis as required by the program they are enrolled in.

The following information is provided for students who have received and confirmed an offer to a particular program and who have been instructed to arrange a Police Records Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening (PRCVSS) as required by their program. 

In compliance with requests from our clinical placement partners, all Health Studies students who have a clinical placement component in their program are required to have their PRCVSS completed on a yearly basis.  All PRCVSS must be done within the region where you live at a local police departments. Click here, to view an attachment which lists the most frequently visited police departments and information specific to each police department.  International students and new immigrants will go through the same application procedure at local police departments.  Students who are unable to provide a clear PRCVSS may be unable to complete their field placement and, therefore, be unable to complete the program.

Note 1:  Police check application forms for Metro Toronto and York Region police services require original authorized School signatures and must be picked up from Room 352, Centennial HP Science and Technolgy Centre between 8:00am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday.

Note 2:  All agencies accept vulnerable sector police checks done by police departments.  There are third party police check services available (for example TSM) but we cannot guarantee that all agencies will accept them.  We advise that they only be used as a last resort.

Students are responsible to arrange and pay for their PRCVSS.  When you go to the police department in your region to apply, please make sure to specifically request a Police Records Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening and bring 2 pieces of ID (at least 1 photo ID); if you have any questions,

please contact Margie Schulz at (416) 289-5000 ext. 8122.

Information sheet listing Police Departments

Note:  Starting from December 2009, students in Health Studies programs of the School of Community and Health Studies will no longer accept police checks from third party agencies.