Completion of the new Safe Environment Protecting God’s Children for Adults awareness session must be completed by all Clergy, Religious, Lay Employees and Volunteers by September 1, 2021, regardless of when they may have previously completed their safe environment certification. 

Effective immediately, Safe Environment certification is required to be renewed every 2 years by all Clergy, Religious, Lay Employees and Volunteers.

PRIOR TO THE START OF SERVICE all Clergy, Religious, Lay Employees and Volunteers are required to fulfill all mandatory steps, have an acceptable criminal background check and must successfully complete the required ongoing training as a condition of continued employment or volunteer/ministry service.

Mandatory Safe Environment Steps prior to serving in ministry or other volunteer service are as follows:

• Completion of the Volunteer Ministry Application, including the names and contact information of 3 (non-family member) references, who will be contacted.
• Signed Authorization for Release of Information form.
• Completion of the National Criminal Search including Sex Offender background check.
• Successful completion of the Safe Environment Training.
• Signed Code of Conduct Agreement form upon review of the Diocesan Code of Conduct & Behavior Standards for All Clergy, Religious and Lay Ministers.

Safe Environment Participation training is also required for participation in or volunteering for activities or events that are not specifically designed to minister to children/youth, but for which it is reasonable to think that they may at times have contact with children outside the sight or hearing of other responsible adults, (e.g. due to the facilities, location, time, or likely presence of children/youth in the proximity of the activities or events).

Even if someone in volunteer ministry is not interacting with children, or likely to interact with children, Safe Environment training is extremely important to inform and protect not only children and vulnerable persons, but also to protect volunteers from unintentionally violating policies.

Safe Environment training also encourages and reinforces a culture of awareness, knowledge and vigilance in protecting all within the parishes, schools and Diocese.

Please come by the office and pick up an application packet to compete. It should be returned back to the office before you take a class. Whether you take a class at Our Lady Guadalupe Church, at another church or parish, or on-line at Virtus.com (if one is available) the packet must be returned to the office for processing and review.

Any questions or need for clarification as to whether a ministry, activity, event or volunteer service may require Safe Environment training should be directed to Jo Ann Parket at 940-766-2735 avialable on Sundays from 9am - 2pm.

Training Certificates will not be issued until all four steps are complete and the background check(s) are returned. Certification Status is available on the Certification Database. All forms are available online by double-click on the hyperlink or you may request them from your local Safe Environment Coordinator. All personal information is held in a confidential filing system.


Step # 1
Volunteers must complete a Diocesan Adult Volunteer Application or a Teen Volunteer Application and submit it to the school or parish Safe Environment Coordinator where your ministry will be based. If you have applied for a paid position the hiring supervisor will submit your application to the local SEC for processing upon hire.

Step # 2
All applicants 18 years old or older must complete the Authorization for Release of Information for processing a Criminal Background Check.

ALL employees or volunteers whose position requires driving or handling cash or accounting/bookkeeping information, must complete the Authorization for Driving or Credit Check and either the Volunteer Driver Information Sheet or Employee Driver Information Sheet.

Step # 3
All volunteers must review and sign the Adult Code of Conduct and Behavior Standards or Teen Code of Conduct and Behavior Standards.

Step # 4
All adult staff and volunteers must register and attend a Safe Environment Awareness Session PRIOR to working or volunteering.
 

Initial OR Renewal Safe Environment Certification currently REQUIRES ATTENDANCE AT A LIVE AND IN PERSON (“FACE-TO-FACE”) Safe Environment Awareness Session (”PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN FOR ADULTS”) and REQUIRES A VIRTUS PROFILE.

Creating a VIRTUS profile allows you to view, and to sign up for, in person Safe Environment Awareness Sessions. Please choose from the options below.

• I Need a VIRTUS Profile — Choose this button to create a VIRTUS profile and to select one of the PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN FOR ADULTS sessions.
• I have a VIRTUS Profile — Choose this button if you already have a VIRTUS profile. Simply login to your VIRTUS profile and select a PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN FOR ADULTS sessions.

Note: When filling out these forms, we recommend using Adobe Reader (A free download!) to avoid lost data due to unpredictable browsers, print it and bring it to the office; or you are welcome to come by the office and pick up an application packet to be complete. It should be returned back to the office before you take a class. Whether you take a class at Our Lady Guadalupe Church, at another church or parish, or on-line at Virtus.com (if one is available) the packet must be returned to the office for processing and review.

Click below on the word "Application" 
Application