Safe Environment

All employees and volunteers who minister and serve the children of our parish must fulfill all the Safe Environment requirements.  The diocese of Allentown and State of Pennsylvania require that anyone who has any possible contact with children complete the following background checks and clearances. Volunteers who fail to obtain background checks and attend training are not permitted to remain involved in service to our children until all are completed. All questions and forms should be directed to Maria Rittle, Safe Environment Coordinator at 570-462-1968 or info@dmparish.com or mrittle@dmparish.com.

Forms needed for employees and volunteers:

  • Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check  (Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (Patch) dated 2015 or later, than good for 5 years
  • Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Certificate  dated 2015 or later, than good for 5 years
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Fingerprint Check 18 + years old (dated 2015 or later if through DHS, dated Nov 2017 or later if PDE – good for 5 years
  • Signed Acknowledgment Form for Diocese’s Sexual Abuse Policy  dated May 2014 or later
  • Signed Acknowledgment Form for Diocese’s Code of Conduct dated November 20, 2018 going forward
  • Protecting God’s Children Attendance Certificate
  • Certificate from Mandated Reporting Training dated 2015 or later, then good for 5 years
  • Acknowledgement Form for Child Protective Services Law Policy
  • Motor Vehicle Report – if driving

Diocesan Safe Environment Coordinator:

Pamela J. Russo, MSW, MS – Secretary for Youth Protection

Diocese of Allentown, 1515 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive

PO Box F, Allentown, PA 18105-1538

Phone 610-871-5200 Ext 2204   Fax:  610-871-5211

prusso@allentowndiocese.org

Procedures: 

  1. Obtain the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check, free of charge for volunteers at https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home,jsp.
  2. Obtain the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Certificate, free of charge for volunteers at https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home.
  3. Register for the fingerprint at https://uenroll.identogo.com with payment code obtained from Local Safe Environment Coordinator (LSEC).  During registration, set appointment for scanning at a nearby public site.  Print receipt, take it to the appointment and provide receipt to the LSEC.  Note – the heat from copying the receipt from the scanning site may deteriorate the print on the receipt.
  4. Sign and date the Diocese of Allentown’s Code of Conduct and Sexual Abuse Policy Acknowledgement Forms.  These policies can be reviewed at http://www.allentowndiocese.org/the-diocese/youth-protection.
  5. Complete the Mandated Reporter Training at www,reportabusepa.pitt.edu.  Print certificate of completion.  Other certificates may be acceptable if they are less than 5 years old.  Please check the website www.keepkidssafe.pa.gov, for additional acceptable programs.  In-person training is provided by the Diocese at a small cost for materials.  Dates are listed on the Diocese’s website.
  6. Review the Diocese of Allentown’s Child Protective Services Law Policy (Poster) and sign the acknowledgement form.
  7. Attend a Protecting God’s Children Workshop and submit a copy of the certificate at attendance.
  8. Submit all of the above documents to the Local Safe Environment Coordinator as soon as possible.
  9. Approximately two weeks after fingerprinting, you will receive the results in the mail.  Bring the original document to the Local Safe Environment Coordinator for submission to the Diocese.