Safe Environment Policies

Click the image above to find the Diocesan Safe Environment Information Page

Catholic Diocese of Youngstown - Safe Environment Policy for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults

Promulgated December 1, 2020 and Revised April 30, 2024

In order to volunteer at St. Paul Catholic Church, School and/or Preschool it is necessary for you to be compliant with the Diocese of Youngstown Safe Environment Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy.

All employees and any volunteers at the school and/or preschool; or church volunteers working with children or vulnerable adults* are required to take VIRTUS training, complete Appendix 9 form and be fingerprinted (all three required once every 5 years).

VIRTUS is the main database for compliance. For your convenience, attached here are the instructions for taking the online VIRTUS class from the comfort of your home at a time convenient for you. Once you have completed the online class you will need to download the certificate of completion and bring it to the parish office to have on file.

By completing the above requirements, you will be Fully Compliant to volunteer in the school and/or church for a period of five years. Towards the end of your fifth year, if you wish to continue to volunteer, you will need to complete the VIRTUS training update, get fingerprinted in order to retain Full Compliance.

Individuals from St. Paul Church/St. Paul School will not be fingerprinted until they have completed the VIRTUS training. VIRTUS is the database for everything falling under Safe Environment. The individual is NOT COMPLIANT until they have accomplished all three parts: VIRTUS Class, Fingerprinting and Appendix 9.

* Church volunteers who volunteer with children (catechists, coaches, youth ministry, VBS, etc.) and/or vulnerable adults (Eucharistic Ministers to the Sick and Homebound, etc.) are required to be Fully Compliant with the Safe Environment Policy by completing the above requirements

PLEASE NOTE: Individuals going through this process in August, September, October their results are going to naturally take longer due to the number of reports the State of Ohio is having to process for all the learning institutions in the state.

For further information, please contact Michelle May, Compliance Officer for St. Paul Church, School and Preschool at 330.499.2201 ext. 101 or email mmay@youngstowndiocese.org