As promised by the U.S. bishops, the Diocese of Helena has established a team of people to conduct immediate initial investigation of any allegation of sexual abuse received by the diocese. As stated in the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, “Dioceses will have mechanisms in place to respond promptly to any allegation … Dioceses will have a competent person or persons to coordinate assistance for the immediate pastoral care of persons who claim to have been sexually abused as minors by clergy or other church personnel.”

The members of the response team for the Diocese of Helena are:

William La Brie
Born and raised in Whitefish, William La Brie served in the U.S. Army and attended both the University of Montana and Carroll College before spending 20 years in law enforcement for the city of Los Angeles, Calif. Much of that time was spent as a detective investigating sexually related crimes. In addition to investigating approximately 3,000 sex crimes and 150 homicides, Bill founded the California Sexual Assault Investigators Association and held various offices in the organization, including president.

Upon retirement from the LAPD, Bill returned to Whitefish and spent 11 years as chief of police. He also served on several advisory councils to state attorneys general and to Gov. Marc Racicot.

Bill and his wife Alice have been married for 39 years. They have one daughter and one son (a police detective and firefighter, respectively), and one grandson.

Bill Driscoll
The firm of Gough, Shanahan, Johnson & Waterman has provided legal representation to the Diocese of Helena for over 50 years. Along with Ward Shanahan, Bill Driscoll is one of the lawyers from the firm who handles most of the legal affairs of the diocese. As such, he sits as an ex-officio member of the response team.

Helen Beausoleil
Helen Beausoleil is the Victim's Advocate for the Diocese of Helena.

Beausoleil has 18 years of youth ministry experience at St. Mary Catholic Community in Helena and two years for the diocesan division of Catholic Formation Services, six years with Catholic Social Services for Montana and a master's degree in social work.

Originally from Butte, Beausoleil attended Immaculate Conception grade school and Girls' Central High School, where she graduated in 1965. She earned a degree in biology from St. Mary College (now University of Saint Mary) in Leavenworth, Kan., intending to teach. She served as an Extension Society volunteer in Price, Utah, along with three other young women, for two years. The first year in Utah was "my debut in social work," she added.

Then she was a parish worker and taught at a Catholic school.

She has been married to Joe Beausoleil, also from Butte, for 35 years. They have two adopted daughters, Kristan and Jennifer.

In 2000, Beausoleil decided to work for a master's degree in social work. She said she was able to do the class work at a satellite campus in Missoula of Walla Walla College in Washington state. She started to work at CSSM in 2001, and since then has honed her skills at listening to and counseling young women with unplanned pregnancies, and working with married couples who wish to become eligible to adopt.

Sister Rita McGinnis, SCL
Sister Rita McGinnis, SCL, serves as the Diocesan Contact Person for victims and for the Safe Environment programs.