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. Chaperone
10. Child Care Giver/Babysitter
11. Choir Director–Vocal/Bell
12. Choir Member–Vocal/Bell
13. Deacon–Permanent/Transitional
14. Diocesan Priest Incardinated in the Diocese and on Assignment or Retired within the Diocese
15. Diocesan Priest Not Incardinated in the Diocese, on Assignment or in Residence in the Diocese
16. Diocesan Staff Member whose duties require regular contact with minors
17. Director of Music Ministry
18. Elderly Outreach Coordinator/Volunteer
19. Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
20. Family Life Minister/Volunteer
21. Fund Raising Worker/Volunteer (e.g., bingo, festival, fish fry, etc.) whose duties require regular contact with minors
22. Housekeeper/Cook
23. Janitor/Maintenance Worker
24. Lector/Reader
25. Liturgical Art and Environment Coordinator/Volunteer
26. Organist/Instrumentalist
27. Parish Wedding Coordinator
28. Pastoral Associate/Minister
29. Religious Order Priest on Assignment in the Diocese
30. Respect Life Coordinator/Legislative Advocate
31. Sacristan
32. Secretary–Parish/Religious Education/School/ Youth Ministry
33. Seminarian
34. Trainer–Youth Altar Servers and/or Lectors
35. Usher/Greeter/Minister of Hospitality
36. Youth Minister
37. 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 (if you are not in the catechetical program). 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.

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.

Upcomming Dates:

• March 11th @ 7:00 PM - SS John and Paul Parish

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.