Creating Safe Environments

Safe Environments begin with three steps:

Screening
Every single cleric and employee who work for the Archdiocese and ALL volunteers who work around youth and vulnerable adults must successfully complete a background screening. Recently, the Archdiocese adopted protocol that repeats these screenings periodically for these categories.

Training and Education
Adults—All clergy, employees, and any volunteer who works around youth or vulnerable adults must attend a Virtus sexual abuse awareness workshop, Protecting God’s Children.  Adults must also read and acknowledge Archdiocesan Policies that define guidelines and expectations for our safeguarding ministry.

Children—The Archdiocese provides an annual, age-appropriate safety curriculum to help our minors understand appropriate boundaries and to give them the ability to voice concerns or abuse.

Commitment to Safeguarding
It takes everyone to ensure we have safe environments in our communities.  We expect our personnel to uphold the boundaries outlined in our policies and the training and report any concerns.

Additionally, the USCCB requires an annual audit of our safe environment programming.