Safety
Driving a car is a risk—think of Home Share Now’s safety precautions like buckling your seat belt. Before anyone is introduced to another person, the following are done:
- Extensive one-on-one interviews. Home Share Now spends an average of 24 hours working with every participant. In the initial interview we look for “red flags” that might tell us someone is not suitable for a home share.
- Drug and alcohol questions. All participants are asked about physical and mental health, and possible substance abuse. Every applicant must sign a form stating that the information they provide is true.
- Reference checks. We ask all home seekers and home providers to supply at least three references. References are asked a series of in-depth questions including whether the participant might take advantage of someone, if he or she has any physical or mental health conditions that might get in the way of a good home sharing arrangement, and about drug and alcohol histories.
- Background checks. Home Share Now conducts the following background checks on all staff, volunteers and participants:
- Vermont Criminal Background Check
- Adult and Child Abuse Registry
- National Sex Offender Registry
- Office of the Inspector General’s Exclusion Registry
- Vermont Courts Online Registry
- National Criminal History
- National Terrorist Registry
- Mandatory reporting. Home Share Now staff and volunteers are mandated reporters so if we see any possibility of neglect or abuse in a match we’re legally required to inform an investigative agency.
After a match is made, it is certainly possible that conflicts may arise—just like in any relationship. This is why we have a Mediator on staff to help you work through difficult issues at no extra cost for the life of the match. If you need help ending the match, we will help you with that, too.
