Compliance Resources

OPCY is here to assist parishes and schools in their efforts to fulfill the child protection policies of the Archdiocese of Chicago as well as those of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

Office for Safe Environment
Office fax: 217.212.6745

Sarah Nemecek, MSc, BA
Director of Safe Environment
312.534.5238
[email protected]

Mary Krewer
Compliance Specialist
312.534.2595
[email protected]

Dina Garcia
Virtus Specialist / Office Manager
312.534.5206
[email protected]

Maricela Gonzalez
Senior Compliance Specialist
312.534.5388
[email protected]

Victoria Lara
Compliance Specialist
312.534.3852
[email protected]

Office for the Protection of Children & Youth

Safe Environment Compliance Guidelines Chart,
July 2024

Compliance period: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025

Click here to view the PDF.
(Español | Polski)

Role	CBC	FP	CANTS 689	Adult Training	MRT & CANTS 22/A	ASB
Clergy: Priests and deacons	✓		✓	PGC & Rec.	✓	✓
Candidates for ordination (seminarians and diaconate formation)	✓		✓	PGC & Rec.	✓	✓
All employees of Pastoral Center, parishes and agencies	✓		(✓)*	PGC & Rec.		✓
School employees (certified & non-certified)	✓	✓	✓	PGC & Rec.	✓	✓
DREs/CREs, catechists, SPRED volunteers with minors, youth ministers, coaches, scout leaders	✓		✓	PGC & Rec.	✓	✓
School volunteers and all parish volunteers who serve with children and/or youth	✓		✓	PGC & Rec.	✓	✓
Ministers to vulnerable adults (SPRED volunteers, ministers of care, hospital visitors, etc.)	✓		(✓)*	VAT		✓
Non-archdiocesan employees/volunteers/third-party contractors + and student teachers				PGC		✓
Employees who are minors				HT
Chicago Public Schools staffing/vendors				PAC		✓

* Required only once for employees who do not work with children.
+ Parish/School must have contract through Legal Services for third-party vendors

Name-based criminal background check run through Virtus online as part of the Virtus registration process. Rechecked every three years through Virtus. (Policy 603.2)

Fingerprints run through Accurate Biometrics for the Archdiocese of Chicago. All new hires/school employees may not begin work until fingrprints have been submitted. Schools have the necessary forms.

Yearly check of the central registry of Department of Children and Family Services.
* Required only once for employees who do not work with children. (Policy 603.5)

Protecting God’s Children training session. Register and attend immediately after beginning work or volunteering. (Policy 603.3)

A 3-year recertification program completed online through the Virtus system. Replaces Keeping the Promise Alive. (Policy 603.7)

Online training for those who minister solely to vulnerable adults. Replaces PGC for Ministers of Care.

Age-appropriate training for minors who are employees.

Training for Chicago Public School staffing and vendors in archdiocesan schools.

Available through the Virtus system. Recertified every three years, including re-signing the Acknowledgment Form (CANTS 22 or CANTS 22A for clergy). Certificates and signed forms are to be kept on file. (Policy 603.6 and 603.7)

English CANTS 22 Form
Spanish CANTS 22 Form

Eng CANTS 22A (Clergy)
Spanish CANTS 22A (Clergy)

Archdiocesan Standards of Behavior for Church Personnel Working with Minors and Vulnerable Adults. Read and signed at time of hire and re-acknowledged yearly through VIRTUS system (Policy 603.4)

Every student (K–12) in schools and religious education programs should be offered training annually on sexual abuse prevention. (Policy 603.7)

Those under the age of 18 are unable to meet safe environment compliance requirement. Therefore, they may not be in a supervisory role or in charge of minors.

Safe Environment compliance is a condition of employment/volunteering and must be met prior to start date. All compliance recordkeeping is to be verified and tracked within the Virtus System Database and reported in the Annual OPCY Audit. (Policy 603.1)

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