Safe Environment / VIRTUS

The Office of Safe Environment is excited to announce the roll out of a new Home Page on VIRTUS effective Monday May 24, 2021. This new Home Page will appear on all user accounts and will provide alerts and is easy to follow. The new Home Page will have 8 new tabs, which are as follows:

1. Training Tab: This tab will allow users to have easy access in finding their training bulletins when they log on. When they click on the tab it will bring them to the list of all the training bulletins they have been requested to read. (No more clicking through multiple screens). The tab will turn red if a person has not read the last five training bulletins.
2. Current Training Tab: If users are assigned a training module, they will be able to access it on this tab as well. However, it will turn red if they miss a training module.
3. Training History Tab: This will allow a person to see all of the training they have received and the dates of the training. Users will still need to request a copy of their training certificate from our office.
4. Background Check tab: If a user needs to complete a background screening, they can click on the tab. They will know that they are due background screening when the tab is Red. (Administrators will still need to prompt users for background screenings)
5. Required Documents Tab: This tab will hold all of the required documents we request users to read. It will turn red when a document needs to be read.
6. Contacts Tab: If a person has a question and needs to contact their local admin this is where they will go to find the local admin’s information.
7. My Info Tab: This tab will allow users to see what Primary Location they are assigned to. We have also asked VIRTUS to allow the user to update their own Primary Location when they move.
8. Reporting Abuse tab: This tab is linked to the Safe Environment page and provides reporting information.

Information on VIRTUS and Background screening for Volunteers

In accordance with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and the Diocese of Richmond, all volunteers who regularly work with children or youth under the age of 18 are required to participate in a VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children for Adults training session. There is no charge for this training.
 

Register yourself HERE.   

When you get to the site, choose "Richmond, VA (Diocese)".   Along with doing the online registration for VIRTUS, you will be prompted to complete a brief ScreeningOne background check.  VIRTUS is a one-time training, and the background check needs to be renewed every five years.

The Catholic Diocese of Richmond is committed to ensuring that diocesan institutions and ministries provide a safe and nurturing environment for children, young people, and vulnerable individuals.  The mission of the diocese Safe Environment Program is to create a safe environment incorporating the standards as outlined in the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

To read more about the diocesan policy on child protection, visit The Catholic Diocese of Richmond's dedicated page.

"Teaching Safety - Empowering God's Children"

As caring adults, we have the great responsibility of ensuring the safety of children and youth. The prevention of child sexual abuse requires more than adult awareness, education, and training about the nature and scope of the problem. We must also give children and youth the tools they need to help us keep them safe by educating them regarding boundaries, safe and unsafe behaviors and healthy relationships. Empowering God’s Children® is an age-appropriate comprehensive program through which educators (teachers, catechists and youth ministers) and parents can give children and youth the tools they need to protect themselves and what to do if someone tries to violate their boundaries. All materials are available in English and Spanish. Each year, the program provides a theme that introduces and builds on the basic concepts of the Teaching Boundaries and Safety Guide. The material is developmentally appropriate for each age group and includes content and activities that reinforce the message. Within each lesson plan is the ability to tailor the activities and messaging to meet the needs of the children and youth at all levels.

Lesson #2 for all grade levels will be presented beginning in spring 2024.
Click here for more information!!

Parent Resources:
Questions and Answers Sheet
Teaching Boundaries and Safety Guide
Consent Form

"Boundaries Module for Youth Who are Employees or Assisting/volunteers"

The new diocesan Safe Environment training program for teens, “Boundaries Module for Youth Who are Employees or Assisting/volunteers” is now available at Virtusonline.org. In addition, this has become an official component of the Safe Environment program, embodied in our Diocesan Safe Environment Regulations.  Please access the links below -  both a program preview document, “Information for Parents” and an instructional document for registering online, “Registration Instructions-Youth”.  Spanish versions are available.

This online training program is for teenagers between the ages of 13 to 17 years old.  This is an age- appropriate training program where teens will learn about maintaining appropriate boundaries, awareness of inappropriate behavior, proper reporting procedures, and an understanding that their role is not a supervisory one, but that they must always assist a VIRTUS-trained and background- screened adult.
All diocesan teenage volunteers are highly encouraged to complete this training, at the discretion of their pastor or principal, however, it is mandatory for teen employees to take this training.   This training program is to be completed within 30 days of the start of employee or volunteer assignment.  A Spanish version of this training module is also available.

Parents have the opportunity to preview this program, and a signed parental consent is an absolute requirement. As per the “Registration Instructions”, teenagers will not be provided access to training until parents sign the online permission.  At that point, an access code will be provided for parents to give to their teenager for access to register on Virtusonline.org. Should parents object to this training, accommodations will be made so that their teen can continue in their volunteer or employee assignment. 

Upon their 18^th birthday, these teenagers will be required to complete the online VIRTUS training for adults, “Protecting God’s Children”, and complete the accompanying background screening.

 

Thank you for your continued commitment to protecting God’s children.