What is happening? For councils who have elected to utilize council administrative functions provided by Scoutbook (Connected Councils), the Scoutbook Merit Badge Counselor List is being replaced with the participating councils’ Merit Badge Counselor List.
Who will be on the list? Registered and council-approved merit badge counselors in the council.
Who will see the list? Adult leaders in troops who are on Scoutbook will see all the merit badge counselors who have indicated to council that they are willing to counsel within your unit or ones who have indicated they are willing to counsel more broadly.
Who does this affect? Troops who use Scoutbook and are searching for merit badge counselors inside Scoutbook.
What does it mean for me? When adult leaders (including committee members) search for Merit Badge Counselors in Scoutbook, you can be confident that the listed counselors are qualified to counsel on the merit badge, have been approved by the council advancement personnel and have stated a willingness to work with your unit or units across the council.
How do I access the list in Scoutbook? If you have the proper rights, you will see it towards the bottom of your Troop’s page in Scoutbook (MB Counselor List on your dashboard). This list is available to adults who are indicated in Scoutbook as adult leaders and committee members in your troop.
Adults are no longer showing on my troop roster with the position of Merit Badge Counselor. With the council upload, all merit badge counselors in the council are now correctly shown on the merit badge counselor list and will no longer show as a unit position. The position, 42 – Merit Badge Counselor is a council position, not a unit position.
Why can’t parents see the list? The merit badge process directs the Scout to the Scoutmaster for a recommended merit badge counselor. That is why the Scoutmaster has access to the list and the Scout and parents do not. It keeps the Scoutmaster in the process. The merit badge process is as follows:
- The Scout develops an interest in a merit badge and may begin working on the requirements.
- The Scout discusses his interest in the merit badge with his unit leader (i.e., Scoutmaster).
- The unit leader signs a blue card and provides the Scout with at least one counselor contact.
- The Scout contacts the counselor.
- The counselor considers any work toward requirements completed prior to the initial discussion with the unit leader.
- The Scout, his buddy, and the counselor meet (often several times).
- The Scout finishes the requirements.
- The counselor approves completion.
- The Scout returns the signed blue card to his unit leader, who signs the applicant record section of the blue card.
- The unit leader gives the Scout the applicant record.
- The unit reports the merit badge to the council.
- The Scout receives his merit badge.
What happens if a merit badge counselor is not registered with the BSA but their name is currently in the Scoutbook MBC list? They will receive an email notifying them that they are not BSA registered as a merit badge counselor and that they need to contact the council to rectify the matter. Their name will be removed from the Scoutbook merit badge counselor list. For more information on how to register as a merit badge counselor, contact your council service center.
What happens if a registered leader is listed as a merit badge counselor in Scoutbook but is not on the council approved list? The merit badge counselor role in Scoutbook will be removed. If the person feels they are qualified to counsel for that merit badge(s) they should contact their council service center to have their credentials reviewed. If approved, they will “reappear” in Scoutbook with the councils next approved counselor upload.
I am a merit badge counselor but do not know how to log into Scoutbook Go to http://scoutbook.com and login with your my.scouting.org credentials.
There is an introductory video for Merit Badge Counselors here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGv8nxmqYqkby1–bg62zlgg
Will this affect any Scouts I am currently linked to and counseling? If you do not appear on the council list you will be removed from that position and you will no longer be able to approve work on the badge. Your connection with the Scout will remain. The Scoutmaster will need to recommend other registered and approved counselors to the Scout.
Also note that a merit badge counselor will only be able to approve merit badge requirements on merit badges that they are registered and approved for on the council merit badge list.
What happens if Scoutbook knows of additional badges I counsel but I am not officially registered and approved with my council to counsel them? The Scoutbook list will only reflect the badges you are officially registered and approved to counsel.
What do I do if I wish to add or remove merit badges that I am shown as counseling? Contact your council service center.
How often will the Scoutbook list be refreshed? That is up to your council service center.
What happens if I am a registered MB counselor but I do not have a Scoutbook account? Go to http://scoutbook.com and login with your my.scouting.org credentials.
As a Merit Badge Counselor can I restrict who can see my information? Yes, you can go into your personal profile and select a listing preference between: Council list, District list, Unit list, (if your council has uploaded the list: Worldwide) or Not Listed. You should go into your positions, select the merit badge counselor position and select the preference you wish.
I am a registered MBC but I don’t show up in the Scoutbook Merit Badge Counselor List. What do I do? First follow these directions to find out if you are registered as a merit badge counselor.
Log into http://my.scouting.org
Select My Dashboard (upper left)
Then select My Profile. You can edit your contact information there. Make sure your email address, ZIP and phone number are there and up to date. Scoutbook requires a valid email address, ZIP and phone number to be listed.
Make sure your email address is not used by someone else in your family in Scoutbook. Email addresses in Scoutbook must be unique.
If you are registered as a merit badge counselor it will show there as well.
While your at my.scouting.org, make sure your Youth Protection Training is current.
If you know for sure you are registered with the council, check and make sure your Youth Protection Training is current and sync it inside Scoutbook. Scoutbook will not show merit badge counselors with expired youth protection training. The list in Scoutbook is updated on a regular basis.
For information on how to register as a merit badge counselor contact your local council.
Will those who are authorized in SB to mark merit badges as completed and approved still be able to do so? Yes, if a troop adult has the authorization inside Scout Book to mark merit badges or merit badge requirements as completed or approved they will be able to do so. Please note that only a registered merit badge counselor who is approved to counsel the particular badge has the authority via BSA policy to test and pass (sign off) a Scout on a merit badge.
How can I tell if the leaders in my troop (stake, ward, district etc.) are listed as merit badge counselors? Go into the merit badge councilor search page (towards the bottom of the Troop page) and search for nearby merit badge counselors. Your people should show up there if they are registered.
What do I do if a Scout earns a merit badge at summer camp or with a merit badge counselor not on the list? If the Scout earned a merit badge from a registered and approved merit badge counselor, than a troop adult who has the authorization inside Scout Book to mark merit badges or merit badge requirements as completed or approved will still be able to do so.
Troop leaders and troop advancement coordinators are not authorized to sign a Scout off on a merit badge if they are not also a registered and approved merit badge counselor for that badge. However, you can record it in Scoutbook as completed and approved after the merit badge counselor has signed off (even if he does so outside of Scoutbook) after verifying that the Scout has a signed off blue card from a registered and approved merit badge counselor.
I am a unit leader or committee member and also a merit badge counselor. Does your troop use Scoutbook? I logged into Scoutbook and can see my personal MB registrations but I do not see the council MB list on my dashboard. Your troop has to use Scoutbook and have identified you as a troop leader for you to see the list. If your troop’s Scoutbook Admin has you setup as a ASM in Scoutbook, you should see the MBC List at the bottom of the Troop page: Click Dashboard then Click on your troop on the right then Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you should see a line that says, MB Counselor List. If you don’t see your troop in your dashboard either the troop isn’t using Scoutbook, or they have not set you up as ASM. You will be on the list for other units to see however if you have not restricted viewing your listing to only your troop.
What do I do if I no longer wish to be a merit badge counselor? Contact your council service center.
Where can units who do not utilize Scoutbook go to find a list of registered and approved merit badge counselors? Units should contact their district advancement chairmen for a list. Remember, parents and Scouts must ask their Scoutmaster for a recommended merit badge counselor (see the process noted above.)