Protecting God's Children

Thank you for volunteering at St Elizabeth’s church.
In accordance with requirements mandated by the Archdiocese of Newark, all adults, staff and volunteers alike, involved with the children and/or teenagers of our parish must comply with the following requirements of the Protecting God’s Children Program prior to being able to volunteer:
If you have not participated in the “Protecting God’s Children” program in the last 5 years, you will need to complete the following.
(If you have participated in another diocese please let me know).

1. Complete the Protecting God's Children 2021 application . Return to parish office

2. Read the link to Policies on profession and ministerial conduct

3. Sign the Code of Conduct. Return to parish office

4. Go to www.virtusonline.org to Complete a background check, See FIRST TIME REGISTRANT below

5. Attend a PGC Workshop click here

Registration for workshops can be done thru your Virtus acct after you complete your background check. BACKGROUND CHECKS AND TRAINING ARE GOOD FOR 5 YEARS.

FIRST TIME REGISTERING ON VIRTUS WWW.virtusonline.org Click on the “FIRST-TIME REGISTRANT” tab on the left hand side of the page. Select the Newark (Archdiocese). Then create your account.

If you have volunteered in the past and have an existing Virtus account you can check your status. Any questions please email Joanne Ciaravino at jciaravino@saintelizabeths.org.

HOW TO REPORT ABUSE
The Archdiocese of Newark takes very seriously any and all credible complaints of sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy, religious, lay staff and volunteers of the Archdiocese. We encourage anyone with knowledge of an act of sexual abuse of a minor to inform the Archdiocese immediately so that we can take appropriate action to protect others and provide support to victims of sexual abuse.

If you suspect a child is in imminent danger from abuse, please call 911 immediately. To report known or suspected child abuse: Contact the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) 24-Hour Child Abuse Hotline: 1-877-652-2873 and contact the Bergen County Prosecutor (201) 646-2300 | New Jersey Clergy Abuse Hotline: (855) 363-6548.  Any person who wishes to report an incident of sexual abuse of a minor committed by a member of the clergy, religious, lay staff or volunteer of the Archdiocese of Newark should contact the Archdiocese as follows:

Karen Clark
Director, Department for the Protection of the Faithful
Archdiocese of Newark 973-497-4254
email: clarkkar@rcan.org

or

Gina Criscuolo, LCSW
Coordinator, Office of Accompaniment
201-407-3256 eugenia.criscuolo@rcan.org