Dear Friends,

 The Preamble to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People cites

We, who have been given the responsibility of shepherding God’s people, will, with his help and in full collaboration with all the faithful, continue to work to restore the bonds of truth that unite us. Words alone cannot accomplish this goal. It will begin with the actions we take in our General Assembly and at home in our dioceses and eparchies.

In keeping with the guidelines outlined in the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, Article 12, I am pleased to renew the Diocese’s continued commitment for the following Safe Environment programs. The approved trainings are in accordance with Catholic moral teaching and meet the diocesan standards in training objectives.

Circle of Grace is presented annually to all students Pre-K through 12th grade enrolled in parish and school faith formation programs. Circle of Grace provides age-appropriate materials on how children and youth can keep themselves safe. The Circle of Grace program teaches children and young people to seek help from a trusted adult, reinforcing God’s presence in their real life struggles. Through the Circle of Grace program, adults assist children and youth to recognize God’s love by understanding that each of us lives and moves within a Circle of Grace. 

CMG Connect is a web-based database platform that assists to ensure that all employees and volunteers who are in a position of trust with children and vulnerable adults within our schools and parishes are trained to recognize behavior patterns of potential abusers and provide pro-active measures for preventing abuse in any context. CMG Connect also provides a streamlined screening process for employees and volunteers by use of a secure on-line background check.

“Safe Haven-It’s Up to You” is a three-part video series that provides vignettes of real-life situations to educate the viewer about methods of grooming, desensitization, bullying and neglect, all of which can lead to abuse. The training identifies and reinforces the prevalence of sexual abuse; behaviors and grooming techniques of predators; and what a person should do if there is suspicion or evidence of abuse.

I would like to acknowledge with great appreciation all those who contribute time and effort to assuring the safety of our children. May our efforts continue to be richly blessed and sustained daily by the Holy Spirit, who renews our faith and trust, helping us to move from darkness into the Lord’s glorious light. I remain,

:Sincerely yours in the Lord,

 Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis

In response to the clergy sexual abuse of minors, in 2002, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The Office of Safe Environment of the Diocese of Salt Lake City was created that same year to help ensure that children and youth in the care of the Church are protected from sexual abuse. Please review the diocesan policy on Instructions for Reporting Alleged Abuse in Schools and Parishes.

The Diocese of Salt Lake City is committed to ensuring the health and safety of young people within its community. Anyone who has been a victim of abuse or exploitation by clergy, religious or lay Church personnel and has not yet reported the incident is encouraged to do so. The Victim Assistance Coordinator is available to assist in making a report. The contact number for the Victim Assistance Coordinator is (801) 456-9344.

1. Adult Certification: Child & Youth Protection Training

AGES 18+

This training course is intended for adults only. 

To begin training, select: "CMG CONNECT: SAFE HAVEN IT'S UP TO ME."

For step-by-step instructions on how to create an account or log into an existing account in CMG Connect, press: Instruction Help.

Compliance in the Diocese of Salt Lake City

Safe Environment compliance in the Diocese of Salt Lake City is a prerequisite to ensure that all those whose duties include contact with children and youth are in compliance with the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. All diocesan personnel and volunteers must comply with diocesan policies and with applicable state and local laws. Certification is required every three (3) years.

"Safe Haven - It's Up To You"

The certification training entitled “Safe Haven-It’s Up to You” is a three-part video series that provides vignettes of real-life situations to educate the viewer about methods of grooming, desensitization, bullying and neglect, all of which can lead to abuse. The training identifies and reinforces the prevalence of sexual abuse, behaviors and grooming techniques of predators and what a person should do if there is suspicion or evidence of abuse.

The Diocese of Salt Lake City utilizes a web-based database plaform entitled CMG Connect to train, track and manage compliance of personnel and volunteers. CMG Connect assists to ensure that all personnel and volunteers who are in a position of trust with children, youth and vulnerable adults within our schools and parishes are trained to recognize behavior patterns of potential abusers and provide pro-active measures for preventing abuse in any context. Additionally, the platform offers a streamlined screening process for personnel and volunteers by use of a secure on-line background check program entitled, Selection.com.

Please use GOOGLE CHROME or MICROSOFT EDGE to complete the training error-free. FIREFOX will not run the training videos properly.

Best Practices for Responding to a Child's Disclosure of Abuse

It can be very hard for children and young people to reveal abuse. Only a minority of children or young people actively disclose abuse. Often they fear there may be consequences. Some children and young people delay telling someone about abuse for a long time, while others never tell anyone, even if they want to. Most child abuse is disclosed accidentally or through observation by an adult of a child’s or young person's behavior, words and physical appearance. When a child does disclose abuse, this needs to be taken very seriously. Children value being believed and, as the adult they have chosen to tell, it's vital that any disclosure is dealt with appropriately.

Please review the document entitled Responding to a Child's Disclosure of Abuse. This document provides adults with best practices and helpful information for responding to a disclosure of abuse in a calm, assuring manner. Please use the Allegation Intake Form to document the disclosure of abuse.

Responding to a Child's Disclosure of Abuse

Allegation Intake Form