Frequently asked questions
Plain answers about certification, screening, pricing, and what a listing does and does not mean.
The program
Is Safe Academy 360 a government program or a license?
No. It is a private program operated by Roll Payments LLC. It is not a government program, not a licensing body, and not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, any registry operator, any sanctioning body, or any insurer.
Does certification mean a coach or academy is safe?
No. Certification means the academy's coaches were screened against public records, completed the required trainings, and have their certificates on file, and that the academy adopted a written code of conduct. It reduces risk. It does not guarantee anyone's conduct, and no screening catches everyone.
What does "independent third party verifier" mean?
Independent of the academy: the academy does not certify itself, and the program is not owned by any academy, affiliation, or sanctioning body. Verifier of the academy's compliance with the program's requirements, not of people. Roll Payments, which operates the program, also provides payment services to academies. More on the about page.
Why does the emblem say Safe Academy Initiative?
That is the name the program began under. The program and this site are Safe Academy 360.
Certification
What does a coach have to complete?
In this order: a records screen, SafeSport training, mandated reporter training, and CPR and first aid training, then upload each certificate through the platform. The full path.
Do jiu jitsu gyms need SafeSport training?
No governing body requires it of most jiu jitsu academies. SafeSport training is required inside the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic movement, and most jiu jitsu gyms sit outside it, so most coaches have never taken it. Safe Academy 360 requires every certified coach to complete SafeSport training directly with the U.S. Center for SafeSport, because it is the most widely recognized abuse prevention course in American sport. Safe Academy 360 is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Center.
What are youth martial arts safety standards?
The practical ones: every coach screened against public records and trained in abuse prevention, mandated reporting, and CPR and first aid; a written code of conduct that covers one on one contact, changing rooms, and communication with minors; a known way to report a concern; and a check on who registers. Safe Academy 360 certifies an academy against exactly that list, and the parents page turns it into questions to ask any gym.
Are the training certificates verified with the issuer?
No. Each uploaded certificate is reviewed as a document and kept on file with its expiry date. Safe Academy 360 describes certificates as submitted and on file, not verified.
What happens when a coach's certificate expires?
Each credential has its own expiry date. When any one of a coach's credentials expires, that coach's status shows lapsed until a current certificate is uploaded and reviewed. The dates are visible to the academy ahead of time.
Does the academy have requirements of its own?
Yes. The academy adopts a written code of conduct and keeps it where students and parents can read it. The academy's certification depends on its coaches' credentials being current.
Screening
What does the records screen search?
Public records and sex offender registries. Results show which sources answered and any possible matches with a link to the public record, for the academy's own review. An absence of matches is not proof of anything: registry data is incomplete and matching is name based.
Does Safe Academy 360 run background checks on martial arts students?
No, and it does not use that phrase. At registration, the new member's details are checked against public sex offender registries and public records, and the academy receives links to any possible matching public record for its own review. No report about the person is compiled, and an absence of matches is not proof of anything. If you are searching for background checks for martial arts students, this is the honest version of what a registry search can and cannot do.
Is a coach's screening result published anywhere?
No. Public surfaces show academy status and credential counts only. Nothing about a named person's screening is published, including the fact that they passed review.
Does the person being screened know?
Yes. Screening is disclosed in the registration agreement a student accepts and in the onboarding a coach completes, and consent is captured before it runs.
Who decides what happens on a possible match?
The academy, after a person has looked at the public record the match links to. Safe Academy 360 does not decide who may join an academy. The screening page describes what the academy sees.
For parents
How does a parent check that an academy is certified?
Enter the certificate number from the academy's placard on the verify page, or find the academy in the directory. Both show whether the certification is current and when renewal is due.
What should I ask an academy that is not in the program?
The same eight questions on the parents page. They apply to any academy.
Pricing and enrollment
What does it cost?
$25 per month per academy, plus $5 per month for each certified coach. No setup fee. Pricing, with a calculator.
How do I enroll?
Fill in the enrollment form with the academy's details and the number of coaches to certify. We follow up from there.