Policies
Where can I find all information regarding the Office of Safe Environments?
Oral report to 1-800-96ABUSE or 911
What is the first step in reporting concerns of abuse?
EVERY employee and those volunteers who are in contact with minors and vulnerable adults.
Who must be Virtus trained with Protecting God's Children or Vulnerable Adult online modules?
All employees BEFORE job offer
Volunteers with contact with minors and vulnerable adults before beginning ministry
Who must be screened AND cleared for the diocese?
The annual USCCB audit forms provided by the OSE on paper for practice and then submitted online on Jotform.
What must be completed by the CA in each entity and returned to the OSE by May 31, 2022?
Three steps EVERY employee and those volunteers with contact with minors or vulnerable adults must take before starting ministry.
What is:
1. Background screening and clearance
2. Virtus training
3. Code of Conduct
The Chancellor's office
Who do I call if these concerns are regarding abuse allegations or boundary issues involving church personnel (employees, clergy, volunteers)?
Protecting God's Children
Vulnerable Adult training
Empowering God's Children
What are the names of the required Virtus trainings?
Authorization form to be background screened
What form must be completed and signed by the compliance administrator giving permission to All potential employees and those volunteers with contact with minors and/or vulnerable adults to be background screened?
ALL employees and educators
Volunteers who have contact with minors (not Vulnerable Adult volunteers)
Active during this audit period: July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022
Who is included in the count for the USCCB Youth and Child Protection annual audit forms?
Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
Province of Florida and Procedural Guidelines Relating to Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults
Creating and Maintaining a Safe Environment for Minors and Vulnerable Adults in the Diocese of Palm Beach
Where do Safe Environments policies originate?
Victim Assistance Coordinator
561-775-9558
vac@diocesepb.org
Who is the designated individual responsible for pastoral response and care for victim/survivors?
What safety trainings are mandated for every minor enrolled in the parishes and schools?
Online as instructed on the authorization to be fingerprinted form
How does one make an appointment to be background screened?
Every registered child enrolled in the school or parish ministries, including religious education, youth ministry, and Confirmation classes.
Who must be safety trained as mandated, recorded in Virtus, and numbers submitted on the audit form.
Diocese of Palm Beach Online Ministry and Education of Minors: Creating a Safe Environment Online
Are there guidelines for ministering and teaching online?
Where can I find the reporting abuse procedures (in multiple languages) and contact information for DCF?
Educator tab found on one's personal Virtus account
Where can I find the lesson plans and other information needed for teaching the mandated Virtus lessons for children?
The CA receives a clearance letter from the Office of Safe Environments.
How does the compliance administrator know when someone has been cleared to work/minister?
To ensure your knowledge, we provide you with procedural questions the auditors will ask if your parish or school is selected to be visited in the live audit conducted this year.
Why must the questions on the audit forms be answered?
The compliance administrator and the Pastor/Principal
Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with all safe environment policies at your entity?
Posted in places where people gather in schools and parishes in the necessary languages of the entity.
Besides online, where can I find the reporting abuse procedures displayed?
Record children's training on Virtus Educator tab semiannually by Dec. 1 and May 1
How and when do I inform the OSE of the completed children's safety training?
Call the background screening office to receive confirmation of clearance.
What if someone transferring from or volunteering/working at another entity says they have been background screened already?
Evidence for the annual audit that your school/parish is providing information regarding the Office of Safe Environments to your families/parishioners. This can be bulletins, screenshots of social media, letters from your principal/pastor, etc.
What must be submitted to the Office of Safe Environments quarterly?