Opcva Director Comments on Audit Report on Charter on Sex Abuse

By Roberta Ward
Valley Catholic
May 17, 2012

http://www.valleycatholiconline.com/viewnews.php?newsid=3091&id=10&mode=archive

The national audit of U.S. dioceses has been published in keeping with the mandates of the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People."

Enrique Flores, second Director of the diocesan Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults, who has been in the position since last fall, said that hundreds of parish and school employees and volunteers have gone through safe environment training.

He said that computer files are currently being updated and that many people, especially volunteers, are presently in the process of training and that an updated report would be available for the current fiscal year soon.

Flores said that there are eight members of the Diocesan Review Board and they meet twice a year, in March and November. If allegations emerge, the board would meet as many times as necessary.

He added that there have been no credible allegations of sexual misconduct in the DSJ in the past year involving clergy; with two credible allegations involving parish volunteers.

The diocese offers to cover the cost of on-going therapy for credible victims of sexual abuse, Flores said.

He noted that the diocese has a record-keeping process for background checks on adults working with minors which employs a computer tracking system including fingerprints and training status.

"The Human Resources department currently keeps track of all employee data," he said, "however, we are planning to incorporate the Shield the Vulnerable audit-compliance system, which is used by other dioceses."