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Permission Forms

Volunteer Screening Form

Diocese of Gary Safe Environment Policy

Request for Indiana Limited Criminal History Information (Indiana)

Out of State Criminal Background Check (Complete this page ONLY if you have been a resident of Indiana for less than five years.)

Volunteer Driver Information Sheet

VIRTUS training dates & locations

Gone are the days when we could just have a few teens over for a game or two of volleyball, or pick up a few teens and go bowling.  If countless stories of lawsuits haven't reached you, VIRTUS did!

Not only do we fear being accused of abuse, we fear being sued for neglect, liability, etc. Unfortunately that fear may make youth leaders weary to minister to youth at all. BUT...

Open your eyes and see!
The fields are ripe for the harvest. (John 4:35)

That Gospel passage summarizes every youth leader's challenge to minister in this litigious environment.  In that scripture we are reminded that our fields-- God's young people that He empowers us to serve-- are awaiting our cultivation and harvesting. But we must keep our eyes wide open, and not turn a blind eye to the world in which we live.

Admittedly, there is much to do to ensure that you are in compliance with policies stated by parish, diocese, USCCB, etc. Over the last year or so you have been inundated with diocesan policies, not to mention for many of you additional requirements for your child's school, etc.

I have attempted to outline on this page a "liability checklist" for youth leaders to ensure that they are being responsible stewards of the safety of their youth and parish.  If these items are addressed, your ministry can consider its eyes open, and then get to work answering God's call to harvest those fields!

Blessings to you in your ministry alongside God's young Church!

Diocesan Safe Environment Policy /
Reporting Any Kind of Abuse of Those You Serve

□ All coordinators and volunteers should read and understand this policy. Read it online here (html).

□ Diocese of Gary Protecting Children webpage

□ A note from Kevin on the ongoing diocesan initiatives to protect our young people.

□ What constitutes a reportable instance? Click here for "Child Abuse Laws in Indiana."

□ Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect in Indiana

□ Contact phone numbers for the report of child abuse or neglect

If you wish to report an allegation of sexual misconduct by any church official (professional or volunteer), please contact the Bishop's Delegate for Sexual Misconduct at 219-769-9292 x224 and leave a confidential voice mail or email to kvenegasATdcgary.org  . You may also contact the Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Diocese of Gary, Anthony Panozzo, MS, LMHC at 219-844-4883.

Application or Volunteer Screening Form

□ Prospective professional-level (paid staff members) coordinators should complete a formal application. These are available through parish offices, and/or the Diocesan Benefits Office.

□ Volunteers (any non-paid adults over 18 serving in a leadership capacity in the ministry) must complete the Diocese of Gary Volunteer Screening Form.  That is available online here (pdf).  These should remain on file at the parish.

VIRTUS Safe Environment Training for Adults & Criminal Background Check

□ Any adult over 21 who has contact with youth in your ministry is subject to the Diocese of Gary policy mandating VIRTUS sexual abuse prevention training as well as a current criminal background check.

□ Young adults who have graduated from high school and who are aged 18-20 cannot be considered full chaperones, but may be allowed to serve in an authority role, provided that they are accompanied by at least one adult 21 or over.  Further, such young adults who serve as regular leaders are strongly urged to participate in VIRTUS sexual abuse prevention training and submit to a current criminal background check.

□ New employees/volunteers have three months from their date of hire to attend a VIRTUS training session and submit a criminal background check. Every parish in the diocese has at least one trained VIRTUS presenter. New employees/volunteers should contact that person to complete the training. You may also attend a training at another parish/location. For a list of training sites and dates, click here.

□ Any adult over 21 who has contact with youth in your ministry must submit a Request for Adult Criminal History form.  These records are kept by the Diocese of Gary Office for Catholic Schools.  Employees and volunteers must submit a background check every five years.  A list of those employees and volunteers who have completed the form must be submitted to the Diocese of Gary Pastoral Center. Because of the wide variety of youth ministry structures, there are a few options for youth ministry coordinators and volunteers to consider:
  - Submit Request for Request for Adult Criminal History forms to an already designated coordinator (such as a Principal, DRE, etc.).  In many cases, these persons are already submitting names to the Office of Catholic Schools and/or the Office of Religious Ed/Faith Formation, and may be willing to add your youth ministry employees and volunteers to their list(s).
  - Submit Request for Request for Adult Criminal History forms directly to the Office for Youth & Young Adults. OYYA will maintain separate database for your YM program to verify your compliance.
  - If you do not have access to the Request for Request for Adult Criminal History forms, you may obtain them online by clicking here (pdf). On the form, youth ministry employees or volunteers not affiliated with a Catholic school should check Box A on pg. 2 under "No Fee" ("...program has been in existence for 10 years, and has a primary purpose...").
  - Do NOT submit any money with your background checks.

Safe Environment Training for Youth & Families

□ Please note in addition to VIRTUS Training for adult leaders and volunteers (see above), the Diocesan Safe Environment Policy has an education component that...

"...applies to the programs that provide specific training in the prevention, recognition and reporting of child abuse that are developed and/or offered by the Diocese and is
     a. Required of all Diocesan personnel and volunteers directly involved or in contact with children
     b. Required of all children and youth who participate in activities, services and programs under the auspices of the Dioceses and
     c. Recommended of parents and other adults who participate or have children who participate in activities, services and programs under the auspices of the Diocese.

The objective of these programs is to prevent, recognize and appropriately report child abuse through educational programs, such as seminars, workshops and meetings, provided by the Diocese and completed by all Diocesan personnel who have substantial contact with children, on an annual basis."

Therefore, all Youth Ministry programs-- both middle school and high school-- are required to offer safe environment programs for their young people and are encouraged to also offer a program for parents.

□ It is recommended that youth leaders consult with Principles and/or Religious Formation Coordinators to see if there is a way to share the same resources they are using (adapting, obviously, to make the material age-appropriate). If you are searching for a good resource that was specifically developed for youth ministry, I recommend Creating Safe and Sacred Places: Identifying, Preventing, and Healing Sexual Abuse. It is published by St. Mary's Press and is just $24.95.

Permission Forms

□ Youth leaders should issue permission forms for any event off parish property. If you are doing a retreat, etc. for any extensive period of time-- even at your facilities-- you should also issue forms. The forms on the OYYA website have passed the careful eyes of our diocesan legal counsel, which has recommended the wording as shown.

□ If you are downloading "blank" forms off the website, it is crucial that you provide as much detail about the event as possible in the blank spaces. When listing travel information, please include details on means of travel (car, bus, airplane), who is providing travel, as well as the approximate travel times.

□ It is important that parents/guardians complete and submit all three forms prior to the event. No child should be allowed to participate without forms.

□ If you are unable to print out forms on the website, please contact the Office for Youth & Young Adults to have a copy of the forms mailed or faxed.

□ Further information about permission forms, as well as the permission form downloads, can be found by clicking on the link in the brown bar on the left side of this page or by clicking here.

Chaperone Ratio

□ The recommended ratio of adult leaders to youth is 1:7, with a ratio not to exceed 1:10. Male and female chaperones are also strongly encouraged when both sexes are present. While an adult leader should avoid circumstances where (s)he is alone with any youth, particular caution should be made to avoid being alone with an opposite sex youth.

Driving Policies

□ Anyone driving a diocesan-owned or rented vehicle must be 25 or over.

□ Anyone driving youth in his/her own car must be 21 (the minimum age for adult chaperones) and assumes risk through his/her own auto insurance.

□ Every passenger must have and wear a seat belt.

□ As per safe environment policy, no adult should ever be alone with a single youth.

□ Driver should submit a copy of driver’s license and proof of insurance with parish/organization authority (youth ministry coordinator, DRE, etc.).

□ Each volunteer driver should complete the Diocese of Gary Volunteer Driver Information Sheet. (download the PDF here)

□ Each driver should have a minimum of $100,000 in liability insurance. (If this is not immediately known by reading the insurance card, please contact agent.) When using a privately owned vehicle, the insurance coverage is the limits of the insurance policy covering that specific vehicle.

□ Driver must have a safe driving record.

□ Please keep all records on file in the parish offices.

If you have any questions about the information above, please do not hesitate to contact OYYA. Fight the good fight!