UT Tyler is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for minor participants of youth activities and programs. Faculty, staff, students, and external staff, therefore, are expected to hold themselves to the highest standards of conduct when interacting with youth.

Activities and programs involving non-enrolled minors are integral to UT Tyler. The office of Youth Protection supports the campus community by establishing standards regarding the protection of minors, delivering education and training, while assessing risk and monitoring compliance with the University’s Youth Protection Policy and regulatory statutes the University must adhere to.

 

Download the Youth Program Guidebook

Youth Protection Process

Step 1

All internal, external, and joint sponsored programs targeted to minors must complete an Event Request Form, which is found in Astra.  The form will be reviewed, and your event will be placed in a pending status until all requirements are completed. The Youth Protection Team (YP) will provide the necessary documents to be completed as well as assist with the creation of the Astra event reservation.

• Internal programs are required to sign a Terms and Conditions Agreement.
• External programs are required to sign a Facility Use Agreement.
• Joint sponsored programs must receive approval from the Joint Sponsor Committee and are required to sign a Joint Sponsor Use Agreement.

Step 2

For Official Youth Programs, the Program Director identifies all Designated Individuals (DIs) (employees or volunteers) who will work their youth program and sends their information to the YP as soon as possible and at least 30 days prior to the event.

• Any employee or volunteer who visits for a limited purpose or time and has no direct or unsupervised interaction with a minor is not considered a DI (i.e., a guest speaker or entertainer).
• External and joint-sponsored programs are not required to send in a list of their DIs, but must adhere to the rules in following steps.

Step 3

The YP will send an email to all DIs for internally hosted programs outlining the requirements needed to participate, which includes a Designated Individual Application, Criminal Background Check, Campus Security Authority Training, and Youth Protection Training.

• The YP will initiate the Designated Individual Application through DocuSign after the initial email is sent. 
• External and joint sponsored programs agree to conduct criminal background checks and youth protection training for their staff in their facility use agreement.

Step 4

Once the DIs have completed their part of the DocuSign application, the YP provides the Office of Human Resources (OHR) with a list of DIs for the required background checks. OHR conducts background checks through a third party, Applicant Insight.

Step 5

The Campus Security Compliance Manager will email all DIs for internally hosted programs with a link inviting them to Campus Security Training also hosted in Canvas and monitor completion of the course.

Step 6

The YP will monitor Canvas for completion of the Youth Protection Training Quiz at 100%. This course can be accessed from the email sent in Step 3. Canvas issues a certificate of completion for each DI after receiving a passing grade on the exam, which can be printed and provided to the Program Director.

Step 7

After all requirements of a DI are completed, the Designated Individual Application for that person will be marked as complete and a copy sent through DocuSign to the Program Director. DIs are not approved to work the program unless their DocuSign form is completed.

Step 8

The Program Director is required to submit insurance coverage to the YP that complies with the Youth Protection Policy.  Internal programs must submit their application for CAMP Program Insurance within seven (7) days of the start of their youth program through the ORM Portal.

• Internal programs will use an @uttyler.edu email address to access the portal.
• Joint sponsored programs will either provide insurance coverage that complies with UT Tyler’s Youth Protection Policy or have their on-campus sponsor access the CAMP Program Insurance ORM Portal.
• External will have to provide insurance coverage that complies with UT Tyler’s Youth Protection Policy

Step 9

The Program Director will complete the required Youth Programs Information Form, if their program meets the requirements below, and submit it to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) within five (5) days of the start of their youth program.  A copy should be sent to the Youth Programs (yp@uttyler.edu).

Requirements:

1. Operated by an institution of higher education or conducted on the campus of the institution;
2. Offers recreational, athletic, religious, or educational activities; and
3. Offered to at least 20 minors who
   1. are not enrolled at the institution and
   2. attend or temporarily reside at the camp for all or part of at least four (4) days (does not have to be consecutive days
4. When completing the form, the training course name is University of Texas System Child Protection Training, Approval number CPM12-0071

County ID number is

• • 48423 for Smith (Tyler),
  • 48123 for Gregg (Longview), or
  • 48001 for Anderson (Palestine).

Step 10

An emergency plan must be created by the Program Director specific to the event and is due to the YP within five (5) days of the start of their youth program.  (The Emergency Plan template was sent in the requirements email mentioned in Step 1.)

Step 11

The Program Director is responsible for scheduling a 30-minute site visit during the program at their convenience for the YP to visit and monitor compliance with policy. Email yp@uttyler.edu to coordinate.

Step 12

Any incidents need to be reported immediately to the YP using their incident report form (sent in the requirements email mentioned in Step 1), and any claim forms for the insurance company need to be submitted within 60 days.

Step 13

Post Event:  If CAMP Program Insurance was requested, the Program Director is required to complete an audit form through the ORM Portal after the event has concluded to receive an invoice for their insurance policy.  Insurance payments must be paid promptly to avoid removal from the insurance program, resulting in the loss to participate in holding youth programs.

Step 14

Post Event:  An email will be sent to the Program Director inquiring about minor attendance for each day of the event.  Attendance needs to be reported to the YP.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Child Youth Protection Training? When is it Required?

Youth Protection Training (YPT) is state- approved training on warning signs of sexual abuse and child molestation that all people involved in and assisting with a youth program must complete.

Per UTT Youth Protection Policy 7.17, a youth program is defined as a camp, program, internship, mentorship, event, or activity held on U.T. owned or controlled premises, or sponsored or supported by a U.T. institution that offers recreational, athletic, religious, or educational activities to Youth Participants. Youth Program also includes any “Youth programs” as defined by Section 51.976 of the Texas Education Code. “Youth Program” as defined herein specifically includes external 3rd party youth programs that contract with UT institutions for the use of institutional facilities. For the purposes of this Policy, this definition does not include programs for U.T. enrolled students or employees under the age of 18, or programs where the custody, control, and care of a minor (under age 18) is not the responsibility of the institution but instead held by non-UT teachers, official chaperones, parents, or legal guardians (e.g. campus tours of prospective students’ families, visits by local school district classes).

What constitutes a minor?

Generally, under Texas law a minor is anyone under the age of 18.

Do the statute’s requirements also apply to youth programs that are conducted off campus?

Yes. The statute’s definitions encompass not only youth programs occurring on campus but also youth programs “operated by” institutions of higher education, which may be off campus. See Sec. 51.976(a)(2)

Who must take Youth Protection Training?

All Designated Individuals (i.e., volunteers, employees) who work in a youth program must take the Youth Protection Training. Program Directors, in coordination with the Youth Protection Team (YP), are responsible for ensuring these requirements are met. 

What form of Youth Protection Training does the University utilize?

UT Tyler utilizes a Youth Protection Training program developed by UT System, which has been approved by DSHS.

Can I work in a youth program without taking this training?

No. UT Tyler may only allow an individual to work or volunteer in a youth program position involving contact with minors if:

1. It can be verified that the individual successfully completed a sexual abuse/child molestation training and examination program that has been approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services pursuant to Section 51.976 of the Texas Education Code within the last two (2) years, or
2. the individual successfully completes the training prior to the commencement of the youth program.

Are criminal background checks required for me to work in a youth program? Who will conduct these checks?

Yes. UT System Policy UTS124 "Criminal Background Checks" Section 2.5 (c), states, "Youth camps shall ensure that for all employees and final applicants who will work at the camp, and all volunteers and student observers who will regularly or frequently be at the camp, are subject to a criminal background check each year. The check shall be conducted prior to permitting an individual to work, volunteer, or be present. Further, volunteers and student observers who are not subject to a check must not have unsupervised access to campers." UT Tyler's Office of Human Resources will conduct the background checks (Step 3 above). 

Who administers the Youth Protection Training?

The Office of Scheduling and Conference Services is the responsible party for ensuring that training is conducted and that the requirements of Section 51.976 are met. UT Tyler has designated youth programs as an high-risk area with oversight by the Institutional Executive Compliance Committee and Compliance Working Group. The course and subsequent test are in Canvas. 

What documentation must be submitted to DSHS? How long must it be kept on file?

The Program Director must complete and provide the Youth Programs Information Form to DSHS (Step 9 above) with a copy to the Youth Protection Team. This form will list program information and affirm that employees and volunteers have received the required training. The Program Director must retain the original information form for three (3) years from the date of submission. A copy of the form will also be retained by the Office of Scheduling and Conference Services for three (3) years.

Is there a cost for Youth Protection?

There is no charge for access to the Youth Protection Training module in Canvas.

The Program Director is responsible for the cost of the background checks for their program(s). Human Resources will track these expenses and recover the cost via budget transfer from the Program Director’s cost center.

DSHS does not currently charge for submission of the Youth Programs Information Form, and UT System has paid the DSHS fee for the training program.

How long is the Youth Protection Training documentation kept on file?

Canvas saves all YPT examinations for at least the required three (3) years. 

Do employees of UT Tyler’s University Academy need Youth Protection Training since they work with minors?

Employees of UT Tyler's University Academy are not subject to this requirement as charter schools are generally governed by other statutes that prevail over Section 51.976.

What about outside groups that rent University facilities?

According to UTT Youth Protection Policy 7.17, third party clients who rent University facilities for youth programs must comply with youth protection training. All facility use agreements must contain a clause specifically mentioning the obligation of the third-party to comply with the provisions of Section 51.976 (i.e. "Licensee shall comply with all laws of the United States and of the State of Texas, including child sexual abuse/molestation awareness training as required by Texas Education Code Section 51.976").

What happens if a Designated Individual of a youth program who has contact with minors fails to obtain the proper training and examination under the statute?

A Program Director or Designated Individual who fails to comply with the training and examination requirements of the statute is subject to investigation by the Department of State Health Services and an assessment of civil penalties of not less than $50 or more than $1,000 for each act of violation.

Under UT Tyler policy, there is the potential that the youth program will be immediately shut down.

What should I do as a parent, camper, or concerned individual if I suspect sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, stalking, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, or other forms of sexual misconduct was committed by or against a student, employee, or guest (including a minor) who was participating in a university program or activity at the time of the incident?

If you suspect any of the above, please report a complaint electronically with our Title IX office. If you have questions about Title IX, please visit our webpage.

What if I have other questions?

For additional questions, contact the Youth Protection Team at 903.565.5723 or email yp@uttyler.edu.