|
Ethics and Integrity
for Church Personnel, Frequently
Asked Questions (clarification of terms are
located near the end of the list) Last updated
5/22/2004
Where
can I find out about training?
Training
sessions are generally listed on the calendar
of events for Ethics and Integrity on the Diocesan website.
Who
can do training?
- Awareness training is done at the local level
by someone who has their ACS without restrictions (someone
who can have supervisory responsibility).
- Basic Training is done by one of the people
specially appointed by the Bishop and specially trained.
Click
here for a names and addresses of trainers.
No additional Basic Trainers are
being sought or approved at this time. The existing
trainers will travel and are glad to honor the commitment
they made to the Diocese. If you are having trouble securing
a trainer, please contact frvaverek@stmaryslgv.org
or lporter@dioceseoftyler.org
What
is an ACS?
The Acceptance
Certificate for Service in the Diocese of Tyler is issued
to those who have attended training, committed to the Code
of Ethics for Church Personnel and successfully completed
the background check.
Does
everyone who ministers with minors and vulnerable adults need
to have a background check?
Yes, the
Bishop's of the United States committed in the Charter that
all employees and any voluneers who minister with minors in
the name of the Church must have the background check.
How
long do new employees or new volunteers who get their ACS?
Generally
they need to get it immediatetly. For specifics see the Proceedure
for Compliance of New Church Personnel.
How
can we find out who in our parish has an ACS (Acceptance Certificate
for Service)?
Each parish
has a user I.D. to access the eAppsDB on the diocesan website.
May 22, 2004
If
someone has attended training in another diocese, do they
need to be retrained?
Yes, to receive
the ACS for the Diocese of Tyler, everyone must attend our
training, commit to the Code of Ethics, and complete the background
check.
If a person
has been through training with Scouts, do they still have
to go through Ethics and Integrity training for the Diocese
of Tyler?
Yes, if the
scouting is part of the ministry of the Catholic Church.
(If the Scout troop is sponsored by the parish, or a Catholic
organization (like the Knights of Columbus, or a Catholic
School) or if the group is meeting on church property and
would be considered a church group. Our Diocesan policy
is broader than the Scouting training, and the Diocese needs
to issue an ACS for anyone ministering in the name of the
Church.
Do
we have to cancel programs if some volunteers ACS have not
been approved yet?
The person responsible
for a program that involves minors is to ensure that only
persons with their ACS come into contact with minors. The
training and proceedures for ACS have been in place over a
year. It is expected that all programs in the Diocese of Tyler
are in full compliance with the Ethics and Integriy policy
and guidelines. If it is necessary to do rescheduling of planned
events or some adjustments of programs (such as combining
CCD classes) to ensure that there is a safe environment for
our young people, the Pastor should be informed immediately.
It is important that the Pastor and the person responsible
for any program affected communicate with parish families
in a positive manner that the Bishops in the United States
have taken seriously their responsibility to create a safe
environment for our young people and the parish/institution
is sorry for any inconvenience. Our parish communities should
be aware that all volunteers have had since June 1, 2003 to
complete a simple three hour training program, commit to the
Code of Ethics, and complete a background check, and that
there had been a grace period until November 2003 to allow
time for training and processing of employees and volunteers
in a timely fashion.
August
16, 2003
Do ALL volunteers
have to commit to the Code of Ethics?
NO: "Only volunteers who could reasonably be expected
to come into direct contact with minors or vulnerable adults
while engaged in volunteer work in connection with the Diocese,
its parishes, schools or other agencies." (EI II A 10)
What are the
deadlines to have everyone trained? (rev.5/04)
As of November 1, 2003: All programs in the Diocese
were to be sure that everyone ministering in the name of the
Church with minors had their ACS. As of that date, no one
with supervisory responsibility of minors should be allowed
to serve without the Acceptance Certificate for Service. This
is an ongoing responsibility for each parish/mission/institution
to continuely remain in compliance with all requirements of
the Ethics and Integrity program.
What
is involved in the background check?
For those living in Texas for the last 5 years, generally
only a check through the State of Texas will be conducted.
For those who have moved from another state, appropriate checks
will be made in that jurisdiction. If a person has recently
arrived from a foreign country, this will be handled on a
case by case basis, generally by obtaining testimony from
character witnesses.
Who will see the
results of the background check?
Mr. Jim Smith in the Business Office receives the reports.
If there are concerns about the result of the background check
(such as a frequency of speeding tickets) it is reviewed by
the Judicial Vicar, Msgr. Strickland, and the Promoter of
Justice, Rev. Vaverek.
What if I recently
underwent a background check?
We are asking everyone to submit to background check
at this time. This will insure that the Diocese has your approval
to review your records for these specific purposes. There
will be periodic updating of the background check in 3-5 years.
New employees will only have to have one background check
for the Diocese of Tyler, and the Acceptance Certificate for
Service will clear the prospective employee for hire.
What
about the fee for the background check? (rev.5/04)
The fee is $10.00. If paying this is a problem,
please ask your pastor or principal. Financial need will not
preclude someone from volunteer work in the Diocese.
Can you clarify the terms that are used
in connection with this policy?
Here are some commonly used terms and their definitions:
Acceptance Certificate for Service:
Issued by the Diocese of Tyler to those who have 1)attended
appropriate Training (either Basic or Awareness ), 2) committed
to the Code of Ethics, and 3) passed the background check.
This certificate reflects only that the person has met the
minimum requirements to be permitted for employment or ministry
under our Ethics and Integrity policy. The Pastor/Principal
is responsible to see that the person is suitable for the
particular service they will undertake and properly trained.
The certificate will indicate if the person can have supervisory
responsibility for minors and if there are any restrictions
placed upon them. A copy of this certificate is sent to the
individual and to their parish.
Supervisory
responsibility: By "supervisory responsibility" we
mean an adult who is "in charge" of a minor or a group of
minors in carrying out their ministry. Note that in ministry
it is generally required there be 2 trained adults in charge
of any minor or group of minors. Recognizing there are some
adults who truly rarely are "in charge".
A volunteer with a "non-supervisory"
Acceptance Certificate for Service, can only be responsible
for an individual or a group provided: 1) They will have responsibility
for a small group (less than 7 minors), for a short duration
of time (less than 2 hours), only once or twice a year; or
2) They will serve as a driver to or from an event, and they
are over 25 and will serve as a driver for transporting minors
on a few occasions, provided the drivers travel together (the
drivers remain in visible sight of each other).
Church Personnel: Priests,
Deacons, Religious assigned to pastoral ministry in the Diocese
of Tyler, those in formation for priestly or diaconal ministry,
and all employees (full time, part time, or stipened) and
volunteers who can be reasonably expected to come into direct
contact with minors or vulnerable adults while engaged in
volunteer work in connection with the Diocese of Tyler, its
parishes, schools or other agencies. (See EI IIA for more
precise listing.)
Training:
Training is required before a person commits to the Code of
Ethics and authorizes a background check.
Basic
Training: Required for all employees (full time,
part time, or stipened) and for volunteers who in carrying
out their ministry have supervisory responsibility for minors
or vulnerable adults. Basic Training is 3 hours long and must
be facilitated by a Certified Trainer.
Awareness
Training: Required for all volunteers who do not
have supervisory responsibility for minors, but who are reasonably
expected to come into direct contact with minors or vulnerable
adults while engaged in volunteer work for the Church. Awareness
Training is an approximately 30 minute video and must be facilitated
by someone who has completed Basic Training.
If I have questions about the process what do I do?
Contact:
|
