By Renée St.Martin Wizeman

The Diocese of Helena received notice Sept. 6 that it was again in compliance with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Youth and Young Adults. An audit by The Gavin Group Inc. found compliance for the 2009-10 audit cycle.

The diocese underwent a full, onsite review in 2008 as part of audits the Winthrop, Mass., company conducted nationwide at the request of the USCCB.

The charter was adopted by the U.S. bishops in 2002, following the sex abuse crisis, and revised in 2005. The Diocese of Helena’s one exception to compliance occurred a number of years ago and centered on changes to the training program for children.

To foster a safe environment for children and to meet the charter’s requirements, the diocese trains adults who will work with children and vulnerable adults, said Judy Ober, manager of the diocesan Safe Environment program.

In 2003, the diocese contracted with Virtus, a program and service of the National Catholic Risk Retention Group Inc., to provide materials for this training. People in the diocese who received training as program facilitators have instructed about 5,000 adults, half of whom signed up for continued training, Ober said. The diocese requires all employees, and volunteers who work with children and vulnerable adults, to complete the continued training. Additionally, background checks take place and are updated every five years.

The three-hour Virtus training program for adults includes the viewing of two videos with statements by actual abusers and children who have been abused. A group discussion follows, and participants are told how to report abuse or suspicions of abuse.

The continued training features monthly bulletins for all priests, deacons, lay employees and volunteers working with children or vulnerable adults. Program facilitators read two bulletins each month. “The online training is required to help keep us up to date on the many issues regarding protecting all children and vulnerable adults,” said Ober.

She said the Virtus children’s program was implemented by the diocese at a later date, to help children understand how to identify inappropriate conduct. The programs use age-appropriate material, based on grades K-2, 3-5, 6-9 and 9-12. Parents receive a booklet explaining the program, and have the option of excluding their children from the training. Two lessons are taught each year. They cover matters such as touching safety; safe friends and adults; boundaries; telling someone who is trusted; recognizing the risky adult behavior sometimes known as “grooming”; Internet safety; and creating and following family rules.

Ober said Virtus is working on final production of a video titled “International Priests.” This video is intended to address the statistic from the 2009 audit report released by the USCCB that 50 percent of the recent abuse cases in the United States have involved priests from other countries.

Dioceses throughout this country are working hard to protect children, said Ober, who recently attended a national safe environment conference. “And in the Diocese of Helena, we are firmly committed to protecting God’s children,” she said. “It requires a sustained and concentrated effort from each of us, but our efforts can help address and decrease the abuse of children and vulnerable adults in any setting.”


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 26, No. 9, September 17, 2010.