requirements for adult volunteers for programs with children & youth

All employees, and volunteers who interact with minors, are required to complete and maintain safe environment credentials (E3) through the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.  All the requirements are now handled online.

To ensure successful completion of the requirements, follow the information below before creating your VIRTUS account. If you have an existing VIRTUS account, contact Becky Que at [email protected] or 763-777-8553 for assistance so your account can be updated prior to login.  

Total Time Commitment: Approximately 95 minutes 
1.    Set aside sufficient time to complete all items without logging out. 

• Incomplete accounts may result in lost data, requiring you to repeat your setup.

2.    Read and follow the directions on the website in the order presented. 

• Skipping items, fast-forwarding or backing up may corrupt your account and require you to repeat your assignments.
• You will:

You begin at the VIRTUS website:  www.virtusonline.org 
Use Google Chrome browser and allow pop-ups for this website.

You must complete all the above requirements before you volunteer. 
 

Re-Credentials for Current Volunteers/Employees

You can complete your background re-check, complete Safe Environment re-training, as well as read and sign a Code of Conduct online at www.virtus.org.

You are not allowed to start volunteering until you get the all-clear from the Volunteer Coordinator. If you want to know your status or have questions, contact Becky Que 763-777-8553, or [email protected] 

Your participation in the Enhanced Essential 3 will make our local Church a safer environment for all. Thanks for doing all that you can to protect God’s children, particularly the most vulnerable among us!

The new Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting (CBAR) service became operational Monday, March 16. The Bishops of the United States approved the national reporting system following Pope Francis’ May 2019 apostolic letter, Vos estis lux mundi (“You are the light of the world”), to address the issue of sexual abuse and bishop accountability in the global Catholic Church.   

CBAR is one way to report allegations, operated by Convercent, Inc., an independent, third party entity that provides intake services to private institutions for reports of sensitive topics such as sexual harassment, through a secure, confidential, and professional platform. Individuals may make a report by accessing ReportBishopAbuse.org or calling (800) 276-1562. Reports are taken 24 hours a day in English and Spanish.  More information may be found at www.safe-environment.archspm.org/reportbishopabuse/. 

Catholic schools and parish faith formation and youth ministry programs have been teaching children and youth age-appropriate lessons about personal safety and sexual abuse prevention since 2006. Learn more about how Church of Saint Paul and other parishes have been working to establish a safe environment under Promise to Protect.

More information is available on the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Safe Environment: www.safe-environment.archspm.org/

If you ever suspect abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult, your first call should be to your local law enforcement or 911.  To view current contact information for all Sheriff’s Offices in the state of Minnesota, click here.

If you suspect child abuse within a family, you should call your local child protection agency. To view current contact information for all child protection agencies in the state of Minnesota, click here.

To learn more about reporting suspected abuse, please also visit:
www.safe-environment.archspm.org/report-abuse/Report.

Online Registration for NEW USERS

A key to our commitment to promoting safe environments in our parishes, Catholic schools and communities is for all persons in positions of trust in regard to minors and vulnerable adults to fulfill the Enhanced Essential 3 requirements (EE3). The EE3 relates to 1) the Code of Conduct, 2) safe environment training and 3) background checks, with re-credentialing required every three years. Your involvement at your parish or Catholic school as an employee or volunteer who interacts with children, youth or vulnerable adults warrants compliance with the Archdiocese’s Safe Environment requirements.

If this is your first volunteer/employee position through the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis, the VIRTUS Account Registration Guide will assist you in this process.

1. Reading and signing a Code of Conduct, including completing the online Code of Conduct Training. This must be completed prior to beginning employment or volunteer duties.
2. Submitting to a background check. This must be completed prior to beginning employment or volunteer duties.
3. Attending a VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children safe environment training. This must be completed within 30 days of beginning employment or volunteer services. If you are a volunteer chaperone going off-site with youth, you must complete prior to going off-site.
4. You are not allowed to start volunteering until you get the all-clear from the Volunteer Coordinator. If you want to know your status or have questions, contact Becky Que 763-777-8553, or [email protected]   

You will also need to complete training on Mandatory Reporting. You may sign the Code of Conduct, submit to the background check, and pre-register for an upcoming VIRTUS session via the www.virtus.org website.