March 30, 2006
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information, Contact:
Bud Bunce (503) 233-8373
bbunce@archdpdx.org
Archdiocese of Portland is in full compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children
The Archdiocese of Portland was found to be in full compliance with the United States Catholic Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The Archdiocese was audited the first week in November 2005 by The Gavin Group, Inc., an independent auditing agency, which reviewed the child safety policies and procedures of Catholic dioceses in the United States. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released the national report on the audit today, March 30, 2006.
The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People was adopted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in June 2002, and revised and renewed in June 2005. Child protection policies and procedures of the Archdiocese of Portland were previously audited in 2003 and 2004. The Archdiocese was found to be in full compliance in those previous audits.
This most recent audit was a “focused on-sight audit,” which reviewed policy and procedures with particular emphasis on safe environment educational programs and procedures concerning background checks of those who working with children. Safe environment training for children and youth has been provided to students attending Catholic schools and to thousands of Catholic students who attend public schools and participate in parish programs in the Archdiocese of Portland. Adult training has been provided to the priests and deacons of the Archdiocese, to educators in Catholic schools, religious education programs, youth ministry staff and to parish and archdiocesan employees who have contact with children as well as to several thousand volunteers who assist in school and parish programs. Thousands of teachers, employees and volunteers have been background checked in compliance with the Charter. The Archdiocese of Portland is committed to providing a safe environment for all persons served in our parishes, schools and ministries.
The Child Abuse Policy of the Archdiocese of Portland is available in English and Spanish on our web page: www.archdpdx.org/abuse-policy-revised. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have released the 2005 Report on the Implementation on the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People on its web site www.usccb.org.