Safe Environment
As Christian adults, we have
a moral and legal responsibility and are entrusted by God with the
spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of children and the
vulnerable. As they participate in activities within or sponsored by St.
Francis or our Diocese, it is our responsibility and commitment to provide
an environment that is safe, secure and nurturing. The purpose of this
program is to create that environment for the children and vulnerable who
come to St. Francis to participate in our activities. This program will
reduce the risk of abuse or neglect of any kind by evaluating each person’s
suitability to work with our parish family. All volunteers who represent
St. Francis outside of our facility also complete this program. This gives
community members assurances that the volunteers who represent St. Francis
have been properly cleared. The greatest benefit of this program is
creating a group of volunteers who know what to look for and how to protect
our vulnerable. This deters people with the wrong intentions from
volunteering in our Catholic community.
Volunteers
serving with our youth and vulnerable adults must observe all required Safe
Environment screening procedures before participating in any of the
ministries requiring Safe Environment clearance. Once a volunteer is
cleared at St. Francis, he/she is
cleared throughout the whole diocese and can volunteer in all ministries
without having to repeat the Safe Environment Clearance process again.
If you have
recently moved to St. Francis from another parish in the Diocese of Dallas,
your Safe Environment documentation can be transferred to St. Francis. Any
Safe Environment Training/requirements completed outside the Diocese of
Dallas will not transfer. This ensures that all volunteers in the Diocese
of Dallas receive the same basic Safe Environment instruction. Contact the
Safety Officer, Ginny Milich
gmilich@stfoafrisco.org or 972-712-2645
ext. 228, to see what can transfer. Many times an interview with the
Safety Officer is still required to help you better understand our parish
and make your transition easier.
Safe
Environment clearance is required to volunteer in the following Ministries:
|
Aids
Supper Club
Babysitters
Bus
Drivers
Children’s Liturgy
Children’s Youth (Middle & High School)
11:30 am Choir
6:00 pm
Choir
Faith
Formation
Faith
Formation – Preschool
Gabriel’s Angels
Grief
Handyman
Homebound
Hospital |
Just
Me & The Kids
KDO
staff and KDO volunteers
Knights
of Columbus
Ladies
Auxiliary
Mass
Coordinators
Mission
Possible
Nursery
Nursery
for MOMs
Nursing
Home
Office
Staff
Scouts
(Cub, Girl & Boy)
Ushers
Vacation
Bible School |
SAFE ENVIRONMENT CLEARANCE PROCEDURES
New
Volunteers Procedures
The Safe Environment
New Volunteer Training are initial requirements that each volunteer must complete before
serving with our youth or vulnerable. This training is valid for one year and
must be renewed on a yearly basis to retain the “cleared” Safe Environment
status. Safe Environment clearance is granted when the appropriate
documentation is submitted to the office,
Attention: Ginny Milich – Safe Environment Coordinator, in person, by fax:
972-712-1087, by mail: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Community, 8000 Eldorado
Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75033 or scanned documents sent by email:
gmilich@stfoafrisco.org.
Several Ministries set aside time during their fall meetings to complete Safe
Environment Training as a group. This is something I highly recommend. Check
to see if your Ministry Lead has scheduled time in your next meeting for Safe
Environment Training. If this is something you would like to pursue, have your
Ministry Lead contact the office.
There are 2
ways to complete the New Volunteer Safe Environment Requirements:
CLICK HERE to start the Online New Volunteer Training
Sessions are scheduled on the
1st Wednesday at 9:30 am and the 2nd Wednesday at 6 pm of every month (except
May, June and July) in English and the 3rd Sunday at 2:15 pm in
Spanish.
Additional
New Volunteer Training Sessions have been scheduled on the following dates:
Sunday, 9/9 at 1 pm in English
Sunday, 9/16 at 1 pm in English
Sunday, 9/9 at 2:15 pm in Spanish
Sunday, 9/16 at 2:15 in Spanish
Yearly Training Procedures
Safe
Environment training must be updated once every 12 months to retain the
“cleared” volunteer status. The date on your Safe Environment Clearance Badge
identifies the month/year your yearly training must be completed to continue to
volunteer at St. Francis.
The Diocese will notify each
volunteer via email the 1st day of the money month their SE clearance is due if
there is a valid email in the Safe Environment database. Please use
the following URL to access a training website to complete this training:
http://dallas.setanet.org//obligations.php First and last name from your
badge and street address should be used to access this website. The system asks
you to verify your contact information before the following screen appears… The
online training options can be found by clicking on the View all Online Courses
toggle button in the tool bar (see an example below). Please make sure you
finish the training and the system tells you your class history has been updated
before logging off.
Contact Ginny Milich if you are unable to access the yearly training options
using this new system. The system may identify your first name/last name
differently than you expect.
Additional
options to complete the Safe Environment Yearly Training Obligation are:
-
Several Ministries set
aside time during their fall meetings to complete this training as a
group. This is something I highly recommend. Check to see if your
Ministry Lead has scheduled time in your next meeting for Safe Environment
yearly training renewal. If this is something you would like to pursue,
have your Ministry Lead contact the office.
o The
Diocese/VIRTUS “Safe Touches” program provided for our youth will
satisfy the Safe Environment Yearly Training requirement for adults who
attend. Adults must sign the Attendance Sheet on the Sign-in table in the
Narthex to receive credit for attending this class. The schedule is as
follows:
-
CLASS NAME: FOF New
Volunteer Class
Watch the 35 minute FOF New Volunteer Training video again will satisfy the
retraining requirement. It is not necessary to stay for the entire class.
Please identify yourself as a current volunteer when entering the classroom. A
Training Renewal Class Signature Form will be given to you to complete and turn
in after the video is finished instead of the New Volunteer packet.
When: See New Volunteer
Class list above
o CLASS NAME:
What Can We Do About Child Abuse by Attorney General (Greg Abbott)
When:
-
Wed 8/29 after catechist
training
-
Sun 9/9 after youth
ministry parent meeting
-
Wed 9/12 after youth
ministry parent meeting
-
Sun 10/28 at 1:00 pm
-
Read one of the
printed materials below. Complete the Training Renewal Signature form
(Last page of each printed document). Printed Copies in English
(Spanish to follow) are available in the office, KDO workrooms and on
the green table near the Stewardship Cart. Return the completed
Training Renewal Signature Form to the office.
CLICK HERE -- "Caring for the Elderly" Printed
Material
CLICK HERE -- "What can we do about Child Abuse?"
Printed Material
-
Many volunteers have
professions or outside interests where child or adult protection
training is provided. This will satisfy your yearly Safe Environment
training obligation. The training should review the types of abuse,
prevention measures, recognizing abuse, responding to suspicions, or
reporting requirements to be accepted. Proof of attendance with the
class date and a detailed summary of the class identifying one of the
topics above must be attached to the Training Renewal Option 4 Signature
Form and submitted to the Safe Environment Coordinator for approval.
This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Contact Ginny Milich at
gmilich@stfoafrisco.org or 972-712-2645 ext.228 with the
appropriate documentation.
CLICK HERE -- Occupational Training Signature Form
SAFE ENVIRONMENT CLEARANCE BADGE
A Safe
Environment Clearance badge is issued to each volunteer when all the Safe
Environment requirements have been met. This badge must be worn at all times
when participating in any activities (except Mass) at St. Francis. A special
Usher badge is worn during Mass when all Usher requirements have been
satisfied. St. Francis staff members wear a gold badge identifying their staff
status in lieu of the Clearance Badge. The date on the badge identifies the
month/year the annual Safe Environment Training obligation must be completed to
retain the “cleared” Safe Environment Status. A new badge is issued when the
yearly training obligation is completed each year.
In an effort to
improve security at St. Francis, Safe Environment badges now have the
volunteer’s picture on the badge. If a picture has not been taken during a
training class or at the church office, send a passport type picture (solo
picture of your shoulders/head only) in .jpg format to
gmilich@stfoafrisco.org . The Safe Environment clearance badge will be
created and mailed as soon as the Safe Environment requirements have been met
and the picture is received.
Thank you for
your attention to the program. Contact Ginny Milich at 972-712-2645 ext 228 or
gmilich@stfoafrisco.org
with any questions.
Ginny Milich | 
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