Safe Environment > Parish Compliance Instructions

Safe Environment Programs

Background:

Churches, schools and youth organizations must ensure that children and youth who worship, study, or participate in activities sponsored therein can do so in a safe and secure setting.  In 2002, the U.S. bishops passed The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which requires that dioceses/eparchies establish “safe environment” programs.   Article 12 of the Charter states:

Dioceses/eparchies are to maintain “safe environment” programs which the diocesan/eparchial bishop deems to be in accord with Catholic moral principles.  They are to be conducted cooperatively with parents, civil authorities, educators, and community organizations to provide education and training for children, youth, parents, ministers, educators, volunteers, and others about ways to make and maintain a safe environment for children and young people. Dioceses/eparchies are to make clear to clergy and all members of the community the standards of conduct for clergy and other persons in positions of trust with regard to children.

In addition, Article 13 of the Charter states:

Dioceses/eparchies are to evaluate the background of all incardinated and non-incardinated priests and deacons who are engaged in ecclesiastical ministry in the diocese/eparchy and of all diocesan/eparchial and parish/school or other paid personnel and volunteers whose duties include ongoing, unsupervised contact with minors. Specifically, they are to utilize the resources of law enforcement and other community agencies. In addition, they are to employ adequate screening and evaluative techniques in deciding the fitness of candidates for ordination.

Guidelines for Diocesan/Parish Audit Compliance

Definitions:

“Ongoing and unsupervised contact with children and youth.”  This group includes volunteers who act as parish directors and coordinators of religious education and catechists, athletic coaches, confirmation leaders, scout leaders, and other youth leaders in comparable roles as designated by the pastor or his designee.

“Volunteers with supervisory/coordinating responsibilities.”   This group includes those who oversee parish programs for children and youth, including the selection of volunteers, scheduling dates and location for programs, and is generally on-site during program activities.  This person generally reports to the pastor or pastoral administrator.

“Employees.”  All paid staff, full and part-time, except for hourly individuals employed for a designated function clearly not involving the presence of children; e.g., mowing the grounds during summer months.

Education and Training Program:  VIRTUS: Protecting God’s Children for Adults

Audience:  Priests, deacons, ministers, parents, educators, employees, volunteers and other adults.

Attendance required:  All employees are required to attend a training session.  Volunteers having ongoing and unsupervised contact with children and youth are also required to attend.

Attendance encouraged:  All parents and other adults in the parish community.

Record of attendance: Each parish will send a list of all employees (as defined above) to the diocesan safe environment coordinator by January 31st each year. The diocesan safe environment coordinator will verify that the employees have attended the required training.  

Each parish will send a list of volunteers with ongoing and unsupervised contact with children (as defined above) to the diocesan safe environment coordinator each September.  Additional volunteers may be added throughout the school/program year.  From this list, the diocesan safe environment coordinator will verify that the volunteers have attended the VIRTUS training.

Continuing Education:  Online bulletins are available through the VIRTUS:  Protecting God’s Children for Adults program.

Bulletins are required continuing education for all clergy and employees and also for volunteers with supervisory responsibility of programs (as defined above) serving children and youth under the age of 18.

• Employees are required to review 12 bulletins per year. 

• Supervising volunteers are requested to read 6 per year. 

To monitor compliance, pastors and their designees; i.e., school principals and program supervisors, will be able to view online the continuing education compliance records for their own parish and school.

Education and Training Program - Teaching Touching Safety:  Children and Youth

Audience:  Children and youth grades K-12. 

Attendance required:  The program is intended for all children and youth K-12 participating in diocesan schools and parish religious education programs.  All parents have the option of choosing that their children not attend the program.

Parishes are required to distribute to all parents of children and youth attending Catholic schools and parish religious education programs a copy of the parent guide Protecting God’s Children Teaching Touching Safety developed by VIRTUS. (This is found by going to the Diocesan website).

Record of attendance:  School principals, religious education directors and coordinators will submit to the diocesan safe environment coordinator a report of the number of children/youth attending the training each school year as well as the total number enrolled in the school or parish religious education program.  Parents choosing for their children not to attend the Teaching Touching Safety program are requested to sign a statement or form stating such (form can be found on the VIRTUS Educator tab).  The parish must keep the form on file.

Note: While the VIRTUS: Teaching Touching Safety Program is designed for two lessons per year, the diocese believes the training objectives can be accomplished in one session per year. The focus should be on the training objectives and the lesson plans are suggestions only.

“Public school opt-out” available to parish religious education program.  Regarding the parish religious education program, the question of duplicating information for students attending public schools has received discussion both locally and nationally.  After all, many public school districts choose to have similar training for their students.  If a parish religious education program chooses, they may use the local public school program to meet their obligation, and not offer the VIRTUS: Teaching Touching Safety program.

In a letter to the bishops, the director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, addressed the question of whether or not we would be required to duplicate the information already taught in some local public schools stating:

All children must receive diocesan safe environment training.  The only exception to this requirement is for public school religion students who receive safe environment training as part of their regular public school curriculum.  If, after reviewing the public school curriculum a diocese finds that it meets the standards of the diocese, the diocese may choose not to provide additional safe environment training to the public school religion students.  If, however, diocesan personnel believe that the public school curriculum is not sufficient, or in need of some supplementation, the
diocese should do so.

Therefore, each parish with a religious education program has the option of utilizing the public school training in meeting the diocesan requirement for having safe environment training for our children and youth.  This will be done by the religious education director or coordinator contacting their local school district (usually a principal or guidance counselor) to determine if safe environment training is being provided to students in the local public schools.  Keep in mind there are many programs similar to the VIRTUS:  Teaching Touching Safety program.  You may find different program titles, but you are looking for programs that teach students how to keep themselves safe from sexual abuse. 

The director or coordinator should then obtain a copy of the program curriculum (an outline or summary is likely sufficient) and forward it to the diocesan safe environment coordinator for review.  In addition, the pastor needs to approve the decision to use the public school program in lieu of the VIRTUS: Teaching Touching Safety program.

Following review by the diocesan safe environment coordinator and the diocesan director of religious education, a written approval or denial along with any recommendations for the program will be sent to the parish representative and the pastor.  If approved, the parish may choose to opt out of providing the safe environment training as part of the religious education curriculum.  Submission of the public school curricula outline is due by November 30 of each school year.

Background Checks

Who gets checked?  All employees and volunteers with ongoing and unsupervised contact with children are required to have a background check.

What does a background check involve?  Each individual signs a Background Check Acknowledgement form giving the diocese permission to conduct a background check.  Checks include a national criminal search, a national theft database, a Social Security Number validity check, a motor vehicle record check, the state and national sex offender database, and a search of county court records.

How are the results communicated?  The diocesan safe environment coordinator will notify the pastor of the results.

What records are kept and where?  The diocesan safe environment coordinator keeps the signed acknowledgement form and a record of the results of the background check.  It is recommended that each parish keep a copy of the signed acknowledgement form.

Model Code of Pastoral Conduct

The diocese has adopted the VIRTUS Model Code of Pastoral Conduct.  This Code of Conduct can be viewed here.

Employees:  Employees are required to review the Model Code of Pastoral Conduct and sign the diocesan Model Code of Pastoral Conduct Receipt Verification form verifying that they have done so and agree to conduct themselves accordingly.

Volunteers:  Volunteers with ongoing and unsupervised contact with children are to review and sign the page entitled Volunteers Code of Conduct.

Records:  A copy of the signed form is to be kept at the parish and the original mailed to the diocesan safe environment coordinator for employees and volunteers as stated above.

Questions regarding any of the above topics can be directed to Ronald W. Vessell or Michael Van Gundy at 573-635-9127.

PDF Forms included:
Background Check Acknowledgement Form
Model Code of Pastoral Conduct Receipt Verification Form for Employees
Model Code of Pastoral Conduct for Volunteers
Parish Report Form – VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children Touching Safety Program

(Revised August 1, 2008)