April 30th
This is a five-part series for April, Child Abuse Prevention Month. This has been an opportunity to share the tremendous efforts of the Local Coordinators overseeing compliance of the ADOM Safe Environment Policy at our entities. They are without a doubt the catalyst for a change of hearts, minds, and behaviors regarding child safety. However, the bottom line is with each and every one of us. Having been called through baptism to look out for each other, compliance of the Safe Environment Policy is a proactive, comprehensive, and immediately effective way to do just that. Thank you for joining our efforts to protect children and vulnerable adults. For more on the ADOM Office of Safe Environment’s efforts please visit our website at www.miamiarch.org under the Protecting God’s Children Ministry.
April 23rd
This is a five-part series for April, Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Local Coordinator at ADOM entities oversee compliance of the Safe Environment Policy and also serve as the liaison between their site and the archdiocesan administrative offices working to provide reports and information as requested by independent auditors. This is accomplished through continuous communication with the Safe Environment Offices to check status of background checks, Virtus accounts, and the latest processes for running reports and numbers. If a policy changes or a process is updated they in turn need to guide, navigate, and accelerate those changes on site. Especially when talking about internet safety, it is imperative we utilize the most current tools, resources, and techniques at our fingertips—literally. Last year’s audit report indicates over 8,000 employees, nearly 2,500 educators, 324 priests, 122 deacons,53 candidates for ordination, and over 51,000 volunteers received the adults Virtus training. Also over 43,000 children received the Virtus Teaching Boundary Safety lessons. For both the adult and the children’s training every click and response is documented. For more on the ADOM Office of Safe Environment’s efforts please visit our website at www.miamiarch.org under the Protecting God’s Children Ministry.
April 16th
This is a five-part series for April, Child Abuse Prevention Month. It is an opportunity to share the efforts made all year long to protect the most vulnerable among us. A significant part of this effort is the continuous work of Local Coordinator. They serve as a liaison between pastor/principal/director and the employees, parents, and volunteers at all ADOM entities. They communicate the commitment to child protection and the tangible steps to ensure it. This means fostering a sense of teamwork and a multifaceted playbook including background checks through fingerprinting every five years. Virtus training, which is an educational awareness and prevention program beginning with initial training and followed up with monthly bulletins thereafter. The last component is a signed Pledge to Promote Safe Environment, which is similar to a code of conduct. These requirements, in word and deed, illuminate the scope and nature of abuse and the necessity for changing hearts, minds, and behavior to prevent this crime at ADOM entities. For more on the ADOM Office of Safe Environment’s efforts please visit our website at www.miamiarch.org under the Protecting God’s Children Ministry.
April 9th
This is a five-part series for April, Child Abuse Prevention Month. The monumental task of protecting the most vulnerable among us can only be done with an army of angels. We call them Local Coordinators. They stand as the first line of protection and perhaps more than anyone else are a catalyst for changing hearts, minds and behaviors regarding the crime of child abuse. They are the people carefully selected at our parishes, schools, and entities to oversee compliance and record keeping of the Safe Environment Policy for their site. Get to know the Local Coordinator at your site and you will see they are dedicated, credible, and trustworthy stewards for this mission. For more on the ADOM Office of Safe Environment’s efforts please visit our website at www.miamiarch.org under the Protecting God’s Children Ministry.
April 2nd
This is a five-part series for April, Child Abuse Prevention Month. It is the perfect time to reflect, review, and remind everyone of the Archdiocese of Miami’s commitment to the Protection of Children and Young People as per the Bishops’ Charter through its own Safe Environment Policy. It began with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ meeting in Dallas of 2002 and continues to this day. The ADOM, with 102 churches, 5 missions, 1 shrine, 56 brick and mortar schools and 1 virtual school, as well as Catholic Charities and Catholic Health Services has worked diligently from the very beginning to provide awareness of the nature of abuse and the tools for prevention of abuse by creating policies and changing processes for the sole purpose of protecting the most vulnerable among us. The ADOM also includes vulnerable adults in their policies for protection. The goal is to change the hearts, minds, and behaviors, regarding this crime. For more on the ADOM Office of Safe Environment’s efforts please visit our website at www.miamiarch.org under the Protecting God’s Children Ministry.
ARCHDIOCESE OF MIAMI HOTLINE NUMBERS
Statewide (DCF) Abuse Hotline
1-800-96-ABUSE
(1-800-962-2873)
Archdiocesan Abuse Hotline
1-866-802-2873
Victim Assistance Coordinator
Peter Routsis-Arroyo
1-866-802-2873
Línea de Abuso de la Florida (DCF)
1-800-96-ABUSE
(1-800-962-2873)
Línea Directa de la Arquidiócesis de Abuso
1-866-802-2873
Coordinador de Asistencia a la Víctima
Peter Routsis-Arroyo
1-866-802-2873