Safe Environment

SAFE ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM

Recognizing that children are a precious gift, Knights of Columbus has always made their safety and well-being the highest priority in the Order’s programs and activities. In partnership with Praesidium, an organization that has worked to provide knowledge and tools that safeguard against sexual predators for more than 20 years, the Order continues its strong tradition of maintaining the highest standards regarding the protection of young people. Through this partnership, the Order provides youth leaders with access to the most up-to-date resources to keep children safe, including Praesidium’s Armatus® online training, background screenings, and an exclusive hotline to report child safety concerns.

CLICK HERE for Supreme Safe Environment Training and Background

To access Praesidium Academy, please visit https://www.praesidiumacademy.com/  click on sign in and then click on “forgot your password” to create a new password. You will then receive an email notification to create a password. Your password must be at least 14 characters long and it must contain at least one number, a symbol and a capital letter. Once you have created the password, please sign in using your email address and password. You will then select your preferred language and answer the 3 onboarding questions. The training and background check (if applicable) should appear under Start Here.

Knights of Columbus training may be accessed at www.kofc.org/safe . Members electing to volunteer who have not completed Knights of Columbus safe environment training must complete the diocesan safe environment training to be eligible to volunteer in their parish.

CLICK HERE FOR DIOCESE OF ORANGE CHILD & YOUTH PROTECTION
NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS IN THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE ON FAITH AND SAFETY – TECHNOLOGY

Safe Environment Program: Under Faith in Action, certain state and council officers/chairmen are required to take safe environment training and may also be required to provide authorization for a background check. Some positions also have access to Praesidium’s ARMATUS Administration dashboard to view member compliance within their council or jurisdiction.

If members in certain positions are not compliant within thirty (30) days of notification, they are subject to removal from those positions. As the Service Program Personnel Report (#365) is being completed, ensure that all member email addresses are accurate. Praesidium, the Knights of Columbus’ safe environment partner, will use these email addresses to send email notifications to the program directors and chairs required to complete safe environment training and to provide authorization for a background check. Directors and chairs should look for email notifications from Praesidium in their inbox or spam folder for their assigned username and password to complete the required training and the link necessary to provide their background check authorization. Knights of Columbus covers all costs associated with these requirements. Email notifications are unique to each recipient and cannot be forwarded or used by another director or chair and are also time sensitive. The recipient must complete the training and background check authorization within thirty (30) days of notification.

NOTE:  The council Family Director and Community Director must have a  background check.

 

 

 

Background Checks:

The Supreme Office conducts background checks on each applicant for youth leader positions that may include, among other things, the following:

  • State and federal criminal background check.
  • National Sex Offender Registry check.
  • Social Security number trace.
  • Alias search.

Youth leaders must complete their background check authorization within 30 days of appointment.

If a Knights of Columbus background check reveals any form of child abuse, sexual misconduct or other violent crime, the applicant and his Grand Knight and/or Faithful Navigator will be notified and the applicant will be given the opportunity to respond. If the applicant responds, his response will be taken under review pending a final decision. If there is no response, the application will be rejected.

The Diocese will accept the Knights of Columbus Training Certificate.  The background check for the Diocese is DIFFERENT  than the background check from Supreme (does not require fingerprinting).  You must obtain the Live Scan Form for fingerprinting and Diocese Background Check from your parish Safe Environment Person.

Knights of Columbus members in the Orange Diocese have been informed by the diocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection (https://www.rcbo.org/group/child-and-youth-protection/) that it will accept the Order’s online safe environment training from Praesidium to satisfy the diocesan training requirement. Members may submit a copy of the completion certificate they print upon the completion of all three of the initial Knights of Columbus safe environment training modules to the parish records custodian. Knights of Columbus training may be accessed at www.kofc.org/safe . Members electing to volunteer who have not completed Knights of Columbus safe environment training must complete the diocesan safe environment training to be eligible to volunteer in their parish.

Safe Environment Training:

All youth leaders are required to complete online training on how to prevent and detect signs of child physical, emotional, sexual abuse, and neglect, as well as on how to report suspected child abuse. This training must be completed within 30 days of receiving email confirmation of an appointment to a youth leader position. Grand knights and faithful navigators must ensure that youth leaders complete all training within the 30 days.

Youth leaders are ineligible to serve if the background check authorization and online training are not completed within 30 days of appointment.

Youth Leaders Must Comply With Diocesan Requirements

Youth leaders must comply with any and all safe environment/youth protection training and background check requirements for the diocese and parish in which they volunteer.

Youth leaders Must Re-Train Every Two Years

Youth leaders are required to renew their Knights of Columbus Safe Environment Program online training and background check every two years from date of their initial training. Youth leaders will receive an email reminder of this re-training requirement.

Procedure for Reporting Allegations of Abuse

All members of Knights of Columbus, especially youth leaders, grand knights and faithful navigators, are required to report any suspicion of sexual, emotional, physical abuse or neglect of a child participating in Knights of Columbus programs. If you have direct or indirect knowledge of or have reasonable cause to suspect abuse or misconduct against a minor participating in any Knights of Columbus program, including Columbian Squires, regardless of whether the incident occurred recently or in the past, report any and all information immediately to: 1-844-KOFC-SAFE (844-563-2723)

All information submitted is maintained in strict confidence. Knights of Columbus prohibits retaliation against those who have direct or indirect knowledge of or have reasonable cause to suspect abuse or misconduct against a minor and who make a good faith report of such abuse or misconduct.

Our policy requires that members complete applicable arch/diocesan background checks and any other requirements that may be required by the local arch/bishop and/or pastor to serve as a volunteer on parish property. Our own program is operated in conjunction with our strategic partner in youth protection and safe environments –PRAESIDIUM, Inc. Praesidium specializes in preventing sexual abuse in organizations that serve youth and vulnerable adults. Having trained more than one million people online and hundreds of thousands in person, Praesidium is the largest and most comprehensive sexual abuse risk management firm globally. To learn more about Praesidium, go to https://www.praesidiuminc.com/

Three training modules are required for members serving in youth leader and certain officer roles: “Meet Sam,”addressing the issue of sexual abuse awareness, “Duty to Report,”covering legal reporting obligations, and “Know Your Policies,”a review of Knights of Columbus safe environment policies. We also maintain a youth leader screening process, including background checks, specifically for members who lead Knights of Columbus youth activities.

Anyone suspecting abuse should (1) report suspected abuse to law enforcement; (2) notify the local diocese of the suspected abuse; and (3) notify the Knights of Columbus of the suspected abuse at 1-844-KOFC-SAFE (1-844-563-2723)

Members of the Knights of Columbus in the Diocese of Orange collectively, and generously, provide tens of thousands of volunteer hours in their parishes every year.  As many of our members volunteer in their parishes in programs, activities, and events at which minors, the elderly, and the disabled are present, the Bishops of the Orange Diocese require those members who choose to volunteer to complete diocesan safe environment training and background screening via Live Scan digital fingerprinting.   To assist members wishing to volunteer in their parish to become compliant with diocesan safe environment requirements, grand knights and financial secretaries should implement the following best practices:

  1. Make a list of all members who serve as volunteers on parish property* for one or more Knights of Columbus activities.  (“Eligible Member Volunteer List”).
  2. Ask each member on the list whether he has completed the diocesan safe environment training and background screening via Live Scan digital fingerprinting.
  3. If the member volunteer has already completed such training, then the date of the completion of the diocesan requirements should be recorded on the Eligible Member Volunteer List.
  4. If the member volunteer has not completed the diocesan safe environment requirements, he must do so as soon as possible to maintain his eligibility to continue to volunteer on parish property.*
  5. Provide the Eligible Member Volunteer List to the parish priest, the parish safe environment liaison, and to the diocesan safe environment coordinator upon request.
  6. Update the Eligible Member Volunteer List with new member volunteers who become eligible to volunteer on parish property.*
  7. Confirm the names on the Eligible Member Volunteer List regularly throughout the fraternal year.

Please note, being a member of the Knights of Columbus does not constitute volunteer activity. And membership does not require volunteer activity on parish property.  Neither does membership in the Knights of Columbus exempt a member from compliance with all diocesan safe environment requirements applicable to parish volunteers.  Council meetings are not a parish or church ministry or a volunteer activity. Council meetings on parish property are limited to Catholic men over the age of 18 and are a private meeting limited to membership.