Introduction:

This page is intended to be a summary of the Safe Environment Policy required at Immaculate Conception Parish in accord with Particular Canon Law for the United States, the Policies of the Diocese of Columbus and circumstances particular to the parish. Duration of service does not mitigate compliance with this policy.

Compliance:

The following employees and volunteers must be in compliance with the Safe Environment Program:

• All clergy and paid employees
• All adult members of the Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Finance Council
• All adult volunteers who have contact with minor aged children. This includes, but is not limited to, PSR (Parish School of Religion) instructors and class room aids, Vacation Bible School volunteers, Youth Group leaders and adult volunteers involved in youth group activities, members of parish affiliations and organizations who sponsor activities for minor aged children (including Knights of Columbus, Cub Scouts, Women's Club, St. Vincent DePaul, etc.), all parish festival workers, Organist and Choir Directors in as much as minor aged children are in their care, Children's Liturgy volunteers, day care or nursery volunteers, Altar Server trainers, Liturgical Ministers who train others in as much as they work with minors, etc.

Compliance Requirements:

(All the following must be completed to be considered in compliance).

1. Completion of the VIRTUS® training program "Protecting God's Children (PGC).™" This is the only program accepted in the Diocese of Columbus. These are scheduled periodically at the parish. Other training sessions are held at other parishes throughout the diocese. Adults must register online at www.virtus.org. [PLEASE NOTE: For adult victims of child sexual abuse the Diocese of Columbus offers an alternative to the PGC training. These adults may directly contact the Safe Environment Consultant for the Diocese of Columbus, Regina Quinn, to make confidential arrangements at 614-241-2565].
2. The completion of an electronic fingerprint background check. If a person has lived in Ohio the past 5 consecutive years, he or she needs a State of Ohio BCI check. If a person has lived outside of Ohio for any time during the last 5 years, then he or she needs to have an FBI Background Check.
   
   In Hardin County, background checks may be completed at the following locations:
   1. The Hardin County Sheriff's Office
   2. Hardin County Educational Service Center (in the basement of Hardins Hills Nursing Home)
   Please call ahead to make an appointment. When going to an appointment, each person to be checked will need the following:
   1. A valid Ohio Driver's License or Ohio picture ID.
   2. Mailing address:
      Immaculate Conception Parish
      222 E. North St.
      Kenton, OH 43326
      Attention: Pastor
   3. Reason for finger printing is: "Responsible for care, custody, control of children"
   4. Payment (Costs can vary. Please ask before you go).
   
   It is important that the Background Check come to us directly from the agency performing the check. If you have had a background check completed for another organization within the last twelve (12) months, contact the parish office for the form needed to ask that the BCI send us a copy of that report. If you worked or volunteered at another parish, school, agency, or Diocesan office in the Diocese of Columbus, you can ask that location to send us a copy of that report to us. Under state and federal law, we cannot accept a background report from an organization not affiliated with the Diocese of Columbus.
   
   If anyone cannot afford to pay for the background check, then please contact the parish office to make arrangements for payment or reimbursement. This applies only to employees and volunteers for Immaculate Conception Parish.
3. Other Requirements. Other requirements (such as résumés, adult code of conduct forms, references and job histories) may be required for certain positions at the discretion of the pastor or as required by the Diocese of Columbus.

Online Resources

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at http://www.usccb.org
Catholic Diocese of Columbus at http://www.colsdioc.org
VIRTUS® at http://www.virtus.org