The Diocese of Columbus has created a Safe Environment Program designed to protect children while they are in the care, custody, or control of any person working on behalf of the Church. Protecting God’s Children™ training is just one step of the overall Safe Environment Program.

Requirements for Volunteering and Working with Youth

For the safety of our children, the Diocese of Columbus requires the following attend a Protecting God’s Children Program and complete a criminal background check (fingerprinting):

  • All paid diocesan, parish, and school staff and any clergy temporarily assigned to the Columbus Diocese regardless of their level of contact with children and youth. All paid staff must have on file both BCI and FBI background checks and must attend “Protecting God’s Children.”
  • All volunteers must have on file a BCI background check and must attend “Protecting God’s Children” no matter how much or how little contact they have with children or youth, no matter if volunteering for the school or parish, and no matter what time of the day or night they volunteer.
  • Faculty/staff/volunteers are aware they have considerable personal power because of their ministerial position. Therefore, they will sustain respectful relationships, avoiding manipulation, and other abuses of power.
  • Physical, sexual, or romantic relationships between faculty/staff/volunteers and a minor are unethical and are prohibited. If you have been a resident of the State of Ohio for less than five years, you are required to have both a BCI and an FBI background check; residents of more than five years are only required to only have a BCI background check. The Newark Police Department will process your fingerprints for a nominal fee. Please contact them at 740-670-7205 for further information. You should provide them with Code #2151.86 for volunteering and ask that they send the results electronically to the Diocese of Columbus, Attention: Regina Quinn, 197 East Gay Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215.

To complete Protecting God’s Children requirements, the Diocese of Columbus participates in Virtus, a program and service of the National Catholic Risk Retention Group, Inc. visit their site at www.virtus.org to view a list of upcoming sessions in our area. These sessions are free and last about two hours.

Please read: DIOCESE OF COLUMBUS VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT

Newark Catholic High School Safe Environment Program Acknowledgements

Columbus Diocese Information and Policies

Further information and forms, as well as related policies, can be found on the diocesan website page.

DIOCESE OF COLUMBUS VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT