To Protect and To Heal procedure changes began this month |
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Written by LAURIE STEVENS BERTKE, Chronicle Writer
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Friday, 03 October 2008 01:00 |
Under the revised diocesan Policy on Sexual Abuse of Minors, all employees of the Diocese of Toledo — including those working in parishes, Catholic schools, agencies and ministries — are required to complete background screenings every five years.
The document Bishop Leonard P. Blair repromulgated Oct. 1 also requires parishes, schools and agencies to designate a screening compliance officer responsible for overseeing the completion of policy requirements by all employees.
The changes in procedure were recommended by the Diocesan Review Board, and are the first since the last publication of "To Protect and to Heal," the diocesan policy on sexual abuse of minors, in 2004.
That document replaced earlier diocesan policies issued in 1988 and 1995, and reflected the provisions of the U.S. bishops’ "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" and the "Essential Norms for Diocesan/Eparchial Policies Dealing with Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Priests or Deacons."
Father Michael Billian, episcopal vicar and moderator of the curia, says the policy requires the Diocesan Review Board to review it and make any needed adjustments every five years. The last published version was written in 2003.
All employees in the Diocese of Toledo are now to be fingerprinted for a state Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and national FBI background screening, regardless of their level of involvement with youth. Frank DiLallo, diocesan case manager, explains many were previously exempt from the screening because they had no or minimal contact with children.
Employees and volunteers are classified into three levels of responsibility for youth: low, medium and high.
Everyone must sign a form that lists diocesan expectations for those who minister to youth, but only high responsibility and some medium responsibility personnel were previously required to complete background screenings. Now all employees must undergo the screenings, which will be repeated every five years.
"In parishes, in one sense or another, everybody works with children, even if you’re the janitor in the church," explains Fr. Billian. "Children are part of the parish."
The new policy also reflects a change in Ohio law that mandates all teachers complete both BCI and FBI screenings.
"Teachers in the past weren’t required to get FBI," explains Mr. DiLallo. "This year they’re required to get both."
There is no policy change with regard to volunteers. Only the BCI screening is required for high level and some medium level volunteers.
Parishes, schools and agencies must designate a screening compliance officer to make sure employees and volunteers complete the necessary requirements. In most cases, the business manager of a parish fills this position.
The officer reports to Greg Reed, diocesan director of human resources, and is responsible for keeping records to ensure personnel are re-screened every five years.
Mr. Reed notes the creation of this position provides for a greater level of accountability in the implementation of the policy procedures.
Levels of responsibility will still be used to determine which employees and volunteers must attend the Protecting Youth and Those Who Serve Them workshop, but those employees are now required to renew their coursework every five years.
For their convenience, the diocese has created an online renewal course at www.shieldthevulnerable.org.
"It’s developed for all the laws of the state of Ohio and the particular policies of the Diocese of Toledo," says Fr. Billian.
Attending the workshop gives employees and volunteers a heightened sense of alertness, according to Mr. Reed. "Now that we’re requiring more employees and volunteers to go through the workshop, they’re more sensitive to it, and because they’re more sensitive to it, they understand the red flags that are out there," he adds.
In preparation for the changes taking effect Oct. 1, employees across the diocese began undergoing background checks in July. More than 1,000 background reports had been filed with the diocese by mid-September.
Fingerprinting is offered at the Catholic Center and other agencies around northwest Ohio. At the Catholic Center, the cost is $25 for the BCI and $25 for the FBI screening.
The Diocese of Toledo paid the fee for priests, deacons, seminarians and diocesan employees. Fr. Billian says parishes, schools and other institutions decide on a local level whether to assume the costs or ask personnel to pay the fee.
Recognizing the financial burden this may place on these institutions and some individuals, Mr. DiLallo says the diocese is looking into the possibility of using a national background screening option that would require a social security number rather than a fingerprint.
This type of screening would significantly reduce the cost of screening for everyone but teachers, who would still be required by state law to complete the BCI and FBI screenings.
Mr. Reed notes that option is still being researched to ensure "it’s comprehensive enough that we feel comfortable with it."
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Last Updated on Monday, 22 December 2008 11:09 |
