Diocese to complete background checks

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
December 4, 2003

As dioceses across the country take measures to create a safe environment for children, one thing being done is background checks.

According to Margaret Fuentes, co-coordinator of the safe environment program in the Diocese of Sioux City with Kevin Vickery, the diocese will soon complete background checks on all employees as well as volunteers who have regular contact with children or handle parish money.

She explained that these checks are not only mandated by the U.S. bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, but are also mandated by the diocese's own policy.

"We will be checking three things," noted Fuentes. "We are verifying Social Security numbers, checking the National Criminal Registry and the National Child Abuse and Sex Offender Registry."

The background check will only show convictions rather than accusations.

In relation to the criminal offenses, the action to be taken by the diocese as an employer will depend on several factors such as what is the offense, how recent it happened and how it affects the person's employment and the ability to work with children.

"For instance, if you had someone who had a youthful indiscretion during their college years - maybe they were picked up for DUI (driving under the influence) 20 years ago but there has been nothing since then - that would be difficult for us to say that we can not employ this person or they can't volunteer," explained Fuentes. "If we had someone picked up last year for DUI, they won't be driving a diocesan vehicle or transporting children."

She pointed out that in a neighboring diocese, a convicted child molester was operating in one of their schools as a janitor. It was the Social Security check that found him. He had been using a different name, but had the same Social Security number.

"There have been some success stories with these checks," said Fuentes.

Persons who have had a background check done since July 1, 2003 - recent hires - would not be rechecked at this time.

"We are not saying that we do not trust the people who volunteer for us," stressed Fuentes. "What we are trying to do is send a loud and clear message to anyone out there who is a potential offender that we have a really high wall to climb before you are going to get access to our kids."

Vickery agreed that the background checks help to serve as a deterrent to someone who is potentially a perpetrator of child sexual abuse.

"Those people do not generally volunteer or apply for jobs in places where they are doing background checks," he said.

Meetings were held this week in each of the six deaneries to distribute the materials and explain the process to parishes. Parishes and schools will contact employees and volunteers directly, asking them to complete a consent form. No checks may be completed without consent.

The deadline to have forms back to the diocese is Jan. 15.

"Most of our employees and volunteers are very willing to this process. They say, 'If this is a step that we can take to set parents' minds at ease then this is a good thing.' We have had virtually no indication that people are opposed to going through the background checks," said Vickery.

Each person that will be given a consent form will also be given a copy of the background check policy that explains the process used by the diocese along with procedures should there be any problems with the checks. If there is a problem, the individual will be notified in writing by Dave Harding, the diocese's risk manager.

Working through Catholic Mutual Group, the diocese's property and liability insurance, the services of Choicepoint will be used for the background checks. Choicepoint has a grant from the federal government, allowing them to do background checks on volunteers of non-profits for just $2 per person. This is the same check that is done on employees.

Vickery said by having this common set of rules for all employees and volunteers helps to ensure the safety of children.

"We are thinking that we will check 3,500 to 4,500 people in all," noted Fuentes.

The diocesan background check policy, the sexual abuse policy for the diocese as well as the Code of Ethical Standards are available in every school and parish. They are also posted on the diocesan Web site at www.scdiocese.org.