Purpose
The Safe Environments Policy was created to take reasonable measures to assure that Church personnel who have regular contact with minors are committed to providing a safe environment for children and youth, are capable of identifying and preventing abuse of children, and have no personal history of behavior that would be a threat to children.

Applies to all Church personnel who have regular contact with minors. Church personnel is defined as all adult persons (those 18 years of age or older), whether clergy, members of consecrated life, or laity, who, as employees or volunteers, act in the name of the Church under the auspices of the Diocese of Pittsburgh or one of its parishes

Appendix A: Background Checks by Ministry
The Diocese of Pittsburgh has mandated the following list of ministries are required to comply to the Safe Environments Policy.

1. Altar Server–Adult
2. Bereavement Team Coordinator/Volunteer
3. Business Manager/Bookkeeper
4. Cantor
5. Catechetical Administrator
6. Catechist
7. Catechist Aide
8. Catechumenate Director
9. Catholic Committ on Scouting Leader/Volunteer
10. Chaperone
11. Child Care Giver/Babysitter
12. Choir Director–Vocal/Bell
13. Choir Member–Vocal/Bell
14. Deacon–Permanent/Transitional
15. Diocesan Priest Incardinated in the Diocese and on Assignment or Retired within the Diocese
16. Diocesan Priest Not Incardinated in the Diocese, on Assignment or in Residence in the Diocese
17. Diocesan Staff Member whose duties require regular contact with minors
18. Director of Music Ministry
19. Elderly Outreach Coordinator/Volunteer
20. Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
21. Family Life Minister/Volunteer
22. Fund Raising Worker/Volunteer (e.g., bingo, festival, fish fry, etc.) whose duties require regular contact with minors
23. Housekeeper/Cook
24. Janitor/Maintenance Worker
25. Lector/Reader
26. Liturgical Art and Environment Coordinator/Volunteer
27. Organist/Instrumentalist
28. Parish Wedding Coordinator
29. Pastoral Associate/Minister
30. Religious Order Priest on Assignment in the Diocese
31. Respect Life Coordinator/Legislative Advocate
32. Sacristan
33. Secretary–Parish/Religious Education/School/ Youth Ministry
34. Seminarian
35. Trainer–Youth Altar Servers and/or Lectors
36. Usher/Greeter/Minister of Hospitality
37. Youth Minister
38. Youth Ministry Volunteer

Safe Environments Requirements

The Diocese of Pittsburgh requires that all volunteers in ministry with children comply with the Safe Environments Policy which includes the following components:

1. Diocesan Database and National Criminal Record Check
2. PA Criminal Record Check (Completed with step one)
3. PA Child Abuse History
4. Protecting God's Children Workshop
5. Pastoral Code of Conduct
6. Child Protective Services Law Acknowledgement

Diocesan Online Database
All adults who have regular contact with minors are to complete the Diocese of Pittsburgh's database application.  Once this application is completed, it will also be used to obtain a Pennsylvania State Police criminal record check.  When asked to choose your site, it will be “Sewickley –SS John & Paul Parish."When asked for an Access Code, it is “Protect.”

PA Criminal Record Check
Required for all volunteers, ages 18 and above, who work in ministry with children or teens. Print, complete, and sign.  Must be renewed every FIVE years.  Now completed with the Database application above.

PA Child Abuse History Clearance
PA Child Abuse History Clearance - Required for all volunteers, age 18 and above, who work in ministry with children. Print, complete, and sign. Must be renewed every FIVE years.   Click here for instructions on completing these forms.

• Name & address are YOUR name and address
• Social Security Number is mandatory -- forms are stored in locked files at the Church
• Purpose of Clearance is VOLUNTEERS
• List ALL addresses and household members since 1975 -- the clearance will be delayed if information is missing.  This includes parents, siblings, children, spouse, room mates, etc.
• Parish Pays for all Clearances.  Return completed Form to Parish Office. 
• Release Form - please complete the release form which will allow the parish to receive the results directly from the state.

Protecting God's Children
Protecting God's Children Form -  Please note that this form does not register you for the class - it simply lets us know which class you attended or will attend.

The "Protecting God's Children" workshop is required for all adults, age 18 and up, who wish to volunteer in ministry with children. It is an excellent program that truly equips adults to create safer environments for children.  For a list of all Protecting God's Children workshops in our area, click here To register for a Protecting God's Children workshop click here, and then click on the registration link below.

Forms

Code of Pastoral Conduct - Revised June 2008 - All volunteers of all ages in all ministries must read this and sign and return the Acknowledgement Form.