Resources for Safe Environment Coordinators
Announcements & Updates
Updated: December 15, 2009
| Tips & Resources for Safe Environment Coordinators |
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Reminders for coordinators Chaperones for Overnight Trips: In January, many schools and parishes will send students to the March for Life in Washington, DC. Please keep in mind that chaperones who attend overnight trips with youth must complete all safe environment requirements before the event. This is true even if the chaperone is not a regular volunteer/employee. Therefore, criminal checks should be sent in for processing at least 3 weeks before the event in order to guarantee that they will be processed in time. If you need to expedite any criminal checks, please feel free to contact Eve Mongeau at 669-3100 Ext. 109 or emongeau@rcbm.org and she will do her best to assist you. In addition, if you need to schedule a PGC training session for your chaperones, please contact your deanery trainer directly. The trainers need advance notice to schedule sessions this time of year due to their busy parish outreach schedules. Overdue individuals: Please check the database pending list for your parish or school. At this time, there are a number of persons showing as overdue in our database. It is possible that you have the forms on file but have forgotten to enter the information into the database. Please double check and please contact us should you have questions. Deadline for updating overdue pending individuals is December 20 Letters were emailed to pastors, principals, and coordinators on December 1st listing the names of any employees and volunteers who are overdue in meeting the safe environment requirements. All those who are overdue must complete the missing items on or before December 20, or they are ineligible to work with minors until doing so. Please refer to the letters for more details, or log on to the Safe Environment Database to view and update the relevant information. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Mary Ellen D’Intino (medintino@rcbm.org) or Eve Mongeau (emongeau@rcbm.org) or by phone at (603) 669-3100. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Protecting Vulnerable Adults Some parishes have outreach programs for the elderly or other vulnerable adults. Volunteers working with the elderly or with other “incapacitated” adults should be informed of how to report suspected abuse. Inquiries and reports should be made to the Department of Health and Human Services Adult Protection Program at 1-800-949-0470. In addition, the Adult Protection Agency is available to provide free informational workshops to those working with the elderly and homebound. For further information, contact Rachel Lakin at 271-4347. Rachel is a supervisor at the agency and she will refer interested parishes to a local agency representative who can meet with your volunteers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tips for Tracking CYO team volunteers and Scout troop volunteers Safe Environment Coordinators: Now is the time to double check and make sure that all parish CYO and Boy Scout volunteers are in compliance with the safe environment requirements. Read about some tips that will help you keep track of CYO coaches and Boy Scout volunteers. Tips for tracking CYO coaches and Boy Scout Volunteers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet Safety Articles These articles may be distributed to parents and other interested adults. Internet Safety for Elementary School Aged Students (pdf) Internet Safety for High School Aged Students (pdf) YouTube and Your Kids (pdf) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emergency Plan Guidelines for Religious Education Programs (doc) Emergency Plan Guidelines for Religious Education Programs (pdf) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Circles of Care and Netsmartz lesson plans and documents are available on the Web. Circles of Care (or Netsmartz for students in grades 7-12) is taught annually in all diocesan Catholic schools and parish religious education classes. Click here to view the lessons or for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking for a Safe Environment Coordinator?CLICK HERE for a helpful bulletin announcement to use if you are in need of a new Safe Environment Coordinator. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Important Reminders - August
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Missed our previous notices? Click here to read the archive.
Creating a Safe Church Environment
The Safe Environment Council meets several times per year and consists of one representative recommended by the Dean of each of the nine deaneries and appointed by the Bishop to a three year term. The Safe Environment Council assists and advises the Office for Ministerial Conduct in identifying programs and initiatives that would further promote and ensure a safe environment in the Catholic Church in New Hampshire.
Coordinating Safe Environment Practices
The Safe Environment Coordinator is appointed by the pastor of a parish or principal of a school to assist in ensuring that the Policy is fully implemented. The Safe Environment Coordinator:
- schedules sexual abuse awareness training sessions
- distributes the Policy and Code of Conduct to employees and volunteers who regularly work with minors
- assists the pastor and principal in ensuring that employees and volunteers have completed all applicable background screening and training requirements
- submits compliance information to the Office for Ministerial Conduct
Safe Environment Newsletters
| Winter 2008 |
Winter 2007 |
| Spring 2007 |
Spring 2006 |
| Fall 2006 |
August 2005 |
| Winter 2005 |
Contact Information
For more information, please contact Mary Ellen D'Intino at (603) 669-3100, Ext. 149.