Creating a Safe Environment
As Catholics we are called to respect the life and dignity of every human person from conception to natural death. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People guides us in action to our calling.
The Catholic Church believes that when more people are familiar with the subtle signs of abuse or neglect, then children, young people and vulnerable adults will be safer in any environment in which we encounter them. It may be helpful to think of this from a biblical perspective. Like the Good Samaritan, we may find ourselves in a position to be like Christ to someone in a difficult or harmful situation.
Adults Ages 18 and Older
Diocese of Rochester asks all parishes to have volunteers serving in public and liturgical ministries complete Creating a Safe Environment (CASE) certification when entering or returning to ministry service, and again every three years while active. Certification includes a background check and the completion of an online course. Upon reaching the age of 70, volunteers who have previously taken the course only need to submit to a background check and sign a new Volunteer Code of Conduct form. A yearly DMV check is required for volunteers who drive as a function of their ministry.
- New Volunteers: Your ministry leader will notify Holy Trinity’s CASE Coordinator, that you are starting in ministry. If you are not currently CASE certified, you will receive an email with instructions for completing this process.
- Inactive Volunteers: Please alert your ministry leader when you plan to return to service so we can check your CASE status.
- CASE Certified Volunteers: you will be notified by the CASE Coordinator when it is time to renew your certification.
If you have questions or would like further information, contact our CASE Coordinator, Mary Kramer at (585) 943-0372 or mary.kramer@dor.org
Teens Ages 13-17
Minor volunteers, ages13-17, must complete a portion of CASE Training online (which includes electronically acknowledging the Volunteer Code of Conduct) and complete another portion of training in person at the parish. Background checks are not completed on minors. Certification must be renewed every three years until the age of 18 when the Adult CASE Training is required as detailed above.
Instructions for both online and in-person training for minors (age 13 – 17):
- Complete the online training module: CASE Volunteer Training (Online Module) for Teens and PRINT the Certificate of Completion at the end.
- To register to attend one of the next in-person CASE Teen Volunteer Training sessions, contact Mary Kramer at mary.kramer@dor.org or (585)265-1616, ext. 306.
Bring your Certificate of Completion from your completed online training module to the in-person training.
