The Diocese of Youngstown Safe Environment Coordinator and Victim Assistance Coordinator is Dominic Colucy.
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For...
Safe Environment Resources
and VIRTUS Links:
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Regarding Online Meetings with Children
TO: Parish Compliance Officers
FROM: Mr. Dominic Colucy, M.T.S., Safe Environment Coordinator, Victim Assistance Coordinator, Catholic Diocese of Youngstown
RE: Online Meetings with Children
DATE: June 30, 2020
During the covid-19 crisis our parish religious education and youth ministry programs have needed to move online to abide by the government’s recommended social distancing policies. Since many of our employees and volunteers are now regularly communicating with children online, we believe that all of us would benefit from consistent guidelines to ensure that our children are as safe as possible.
The Child Protection Policy currently states that: Clergy, employees and volunteers must be aware of their own and others’ vulnerability when working alone with youth. They should use a team approach to managing youth activities. In light of this policy, we now explicitly require that two adults be present online during all meetings with youth on a virtual meeting platform. This policy applies to parish DREs, parish catechists, aides, and Youth Ministers.
The Child Protection Policy also states that: Clergy, employees and volunteers must refrain from intimate postings on blogs, MySpace.com, and other similar online communications. Please remember that all of our standards for conduct with youth apply to your online communications. Extra care should be taken to moderate your social media presence, especially if children have access to your posts or other forms of communication.
We also highly recommend that you avoid using your personal electronic devices when communicating with children. Whenever possible office devices should be used. While there may be situations that require one to use his or her own personal devices, every effort should be made to conceal your personal contact information. Always make sure that another adult can view your communications with children.
Remember, any adult who is communicating with children online as a representative of your parish must be in full compliance with the Diocesan child protection standards.
FROM: Mr. Dominic Colucy, M.T.S., Safe Environment Coordinator, Victim Assistance Coordinator, Catholic Diocese of Youngstown
RE: Online Meetings with Children
DATE: June 30, 2020
During the covid-19 crisis our parish religious education and youth ministry programs have needed to move online to abide by the government’s recommended social distancing policies. Since many of our employees and volunteers are now regularly communicating with children online, we believe that all of us would benefit from consistent guidelines to ensure that our children are as safe as possible.
The Child Protection Policy currently states that: Clergy, employees and volunteers must be aware of their own and others’ vulnerability when working alone with youth. They should use a team approach to managing youth activities. In light of this policy, we now explicitly require that two adults be present online during all meetings with youth on a virtual meeting platform. This policy applies to parish DREs, parish catechists, aides, and Youth Ministers.
The Child Protection Policy also states that: Clergy, employees and volunteers must refrain from intimate postings on blogs, MySpace.com, and other similar online communications. Please remember that all of our standards for conduct with youth apply to your online communications. Extra care should be taken to moderate your social media presence, especially if children have access to your posts or other forms of communication.
We also highly recommend that you avoid using your personal electronic devices when communicating with children. Whenever possible office devices should be used. While there may be situations that require one to use his or her own personal devices, every effort should be made to conceal your personal contact information. Always make sure that another adult can view your communications with children.
Remember, any adult who is communicating with children online as a representative of your parish must be in full compliance with the Diocesan child protection standards.
These online resources can help:
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APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH
CLICK HERE for USCCB resources for Child Abuse Prevention. 
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CLICK HERE for a link to Ohio Adult Protective Services. Find out where to report Edler Abuse or Neglect in your county. 
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CLICK HERE for Pope Francis' apostolic letter issued motu proprio.
CLICK HERE for "Catechizing in an Age of Scandals: Tips for Being Prepared," from Catechist magazine. |
Videos to start conversations on
Child Abuse Prevention
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These filmmakers staged a scene of abuse to see if any bystanders would intervene.
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National Child Abuse Prevention Month from the USCCB.
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Diocesan Library resources can help.
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Charter for the Protection of Children & Young People, 2002
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops DOCUMENT (can be borrowed from the Library and is also available online HERE.) 
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Memo from Rev. Msgr. John A. Zuraw, Chancellor of the Diocese, regarding VIRTUS training and background checks for all clergy, employees, and volunteers:
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Acts of Recovery : The Story of One Man's Ongoing Healing from Sexual Abuse by a Priest
by Michael D. Hoffman BOOK Here is one man's story, told honestly and bravely of healing after being sexually abused as a child by a trusted family friend. 
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Be a Champion of Youth : Standing With, By, and For Young People
by Maggie Wilson McCarty, Robert J. McCarty. BOOK 
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Creating Safe and Sacred Places: Identifying, Preventing, and Healing Sexual Abuse
by Gerard J. McGlone and Mary Shrader with Laurie Delgatto BOOK 
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Creating Safe and Sacred Places for Young Adolescents: Sexual Abuse Educational Sessions for 5th to 8th Graders
by Laurie Delgatto BOOK 
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Creating Safe Environments for LGBT Students : A Catholic Schools Perspective
edited by Michael J. Bayly BOOK 
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Family Violence : Reclaiming a Theology of Nonviolence
by Elizabeth Soto Albrecht. BOOK 
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God Is Here...When Bad Things Happen
written by Mary Martha Moss with Thomas H. Groome ; illustrated by Virginia Esquinaldo. CHILD'S BOOK 
DVD Film Clips for Character Education, Episode 4: Knowing Yourself, Facing Peer Pressure, Understanding Bullies, by Film Clips Spirit of America Movie scenes selected with their ability to inform, challenge, enlighten, and inspire. Topic-specific study guides provide powerful, accessible educational tools. |
Helping Kids in Crisis: Recognize, Respond, Refer
by Jo Hittner BOOK Identifies more than thirty of the most common pastoral care issues today's young people face, such as addictions, behavioral and mental illnesses, grief, suicide, divorce, and violence. 
DVD Recognizing Child Abuse from Meridian Education Corporation 2007 Spells out the reality, results, and ways to recognize and report child abuse and neglect. Includes dramatizations plus interviews with education and child welfare experts. |
Journey Toward Forgiveness: From Rage to Reconciliation
DVD produced by Mennonite Media for the National Council of Churches 
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Keeping Your Child Safe Series: Featuring Safe at Last, Speak Up, Say No!,and For Pete's Sake, Tell! DVD and teacher's manuals Elaine Krause, elementary educator brings her vital message about physical and sexual abuse to young children in gentle parables. The DVD contains three segments in both English an Spanish. |
The Nature and Scope of the Problem of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States John Jay College of Criminal Justice, RESEARCH STUDY |
A Report on the Crisis in the Catholic Church in the United States National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People. 2004 REPORT |
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Sacred Silence: Denial and the Crisis in the Church
by Donald Cozzens BOOK Analyzes the sexual abuse scandal that has plagued the Catholic Church, explaining how denial and misplaced loyalty by Church officials has impacted the scandal and the world's view of the Church. 
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Safety N.E.T. Kids: No Easy Targets
Glenn Olson DVD Explores 6 lessons for children to help keep them safe from predators. 
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Taking Back Our Lives: Reflections for Survivors of Child Abuse
by Patti Sherlock BOOK As the survivors of childhood abuse speak up and reclaim their lives, author Patti Sherlock offers a sensitive companion to those setting off on a healing journey in this volume of spiritual reflections. 
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