THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

DIOCESE OF TUCSON

 BISHOP MORENO pastoral center 

111 South church avenue

P.O. Box 31 Tucson, Arizona 85702-0031

520-838-2500 Fax: 520-838-2590 

OFFICE OF CHILD, ADOLESCENT

AND ADULT PROTECTION

Dear Pastors, Principals and Compliance Officers:

Can you believe we are midway through the academic/fiscal/audit year?

I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your efforts with the transitions of this office. We are working with you to continue to make the Safe Environment Program effective. I think we all learned areas where we can make improvements and the value in setting early education dates and review dates. That means that deadlines for reporting will remain the same as the previous year: for schools, April 30, 2016 and for parishes, May 30, 2016.

The time to fix problems is now. Those who had to work out issues that arose only in the cause of reporting will remember the stress, for all of us! Whatever we can do now to avoid that stress then is worth it.

Perhaps the most important thing each parish and school can do now is to review the record-keeping system. Is it up-to-date, accurate and complete? Are there any volunteers or employees that need to be updated with respect to education or criminal history check? Have the children and youth received their annual education in personal safety?

What should you be looking for?

  • Personnel Spreadsheet
  • Employees and volunteers whose criminal history check will expire before July 1, 2016
  • Employees and volunteers whose last safe environment education update was prior to July 1, 2013 (Note: Your plan may require more frequent education.)
  • Educational Log: Have I recorded …
  • Sessions held for children and youth, with number of attendees
  • Sessions held for employees and volunteers, with number of attendees
  • Any presentations to adults (parents or otherwise) in the parish/school community (including homilies)
  • Personal Safety Education of children and youth
  • What percent of children and youth have received personal safety education since July 1, 2015?
  • Are teachers utilizing “repetitions” of the basic message of the Personal Safety Curriculum following the primary presentation, and reporting the additional children reached in those sessions?
  • When parents have refused personal safety education for their children, is there documentation of the refusal? Have the parents been given educational materials with which to teach their own children?

The parish or school compliance plan is a policy document that should be readily available to the diocesan auditor as well as to parish/school leadership.

  • Review the plan to be sure that you are doing what you have committed to do and to insure that it still meets the changing situation of the parish/school.
  • Compare the plan against the current template.
  • If the plan is dated more than 13 months ago, submit a letter confirming the current plan or revise and resubmit.

Summary

At this time in the Safe Environment Program, it is clear that all of you know what to do and desire to do it. The work is in keeping up the intensity, and keeping the records straight.

Begin now. Review your spreadsheets and logs; correct any errors and make concrete plans to complete any tasks yet undone.

Call us with any questions, anytime.

Dr. Rosemary Celaya-Alston, DirectorRachel Guzman, Program Manager
Office of Child, Adolescent & Adult Protection

520-838-2513520-838-2533