Diocese Appoints Compliance Officer for
Policies Regarding Child Sexual Abuse

The Diocese of Scranton has established a new position to ensure that parishes, schools and other Diocesan institutions are in compliance with all policies regarding the prevention of child sexual abuse.

Gail MacKenzie-Fromm has been appointed as the compliance officer. She is responsible for monitoring compliance with Diocesan policies and practices, and especially the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, enacted in 2002 by the United States bishops to address the issue of sexual abuse of minors by clergy.

Specifically, Mrs. MacKenzie-Fromm will oversee compliance with the charter provision requiring all employees in parishes and schools, as well as volunteers who spend 20 or more hours per year with children, to obtain a Pennsylvania Criminal Background Check (Act 34) and a Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151). She will be visiting parishes to assist them with these requirements.

She will also monitor other safe environment training for employees and volunteers, and will conduct human resource program reviews at Diocesan locations to ensure compliance with human resource procedures and employment laws.

For parishes to be in compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People as established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, there are three steps that need to be followed and documented in the Parish Compliance Binder.  

The requirements for all clergy, all paid employees and volunteers who spend 20 hours or more in contact with children are:  

1. A Pennsylvania Criminal History Background Check

2. A Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance

3. VIRTUS: Protecting God’s Children live training session and follow-up online recertification.
   

State of Pennsylvania Clearance Form Instructions  

This is a two step process. You will need two separate clearances to complete the background check. This clearance is good for three years.  

Request for Criminal Record Check  

Online-

·        Go to https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp

·        You will need a credit card to submit clearance. The fee is $10.00.

·        Put in your name, date of birth, and social security number.

·        Follow all directions and then submit.

·        In about 30 seconds, NO RECORD will appear next to your name. Click onto
    the control number, and then onto the words Certification Form.

·        Print out three copies of this form.

·        If anything else appears on the screen, such as PENDING, check to make
    sure your personal information is correct.  If it is, copy down the Requisition
    Control number. 

·        You may then exit.

·        Beginning the following day, go to the website and submit your requisition
    control number until the form NO RECORD appears.

·        Print out three copies of this form.  

One copy will go to the church for the compliance book. One copy must be submitted with the completed Child Abuse History Clearance Form to be processed.  The third copy, keep for your own record.  

Paper Request-

·        Fill out a Request for Criminal History Check form

·        Check box under reason for request as OTHER, then specify volunteer or
    works in parish.

·        Enclose a money order for $10.00. No personal checks accepted. An agency
    or business check is acceptable.

·        When NO RECORD form is mailed back to you, make two copies, keep
    original, give one copy to the parish for the compliance book and mail the
    third copy with your completed Child Abuse History Clearance Form.  

The forms for each clearance may be found by using the following links:

Criminal History Check Form- www.psp.state.pa.us
Then under PSP Services, click on Documents, Forms and Brochures,
Click on PSP Forms Available to Public,
Click on Criminal History Request Form sp. 164  

Child Abuse History Clearance Form- www.dpw.state.pa.us/child/childabuseneglect/003671038.htm

Instructions for filling out the form will precede the actual printable document.  

Please feel free to call or e-mail me at any time for help.  Thank you on behalf of all of God’s children for your diligence in helping to keep them safe.  

Gail M. Fromm
Compliance Officer
Diocese of Scranton
phone: 570-207-2214
fax: 570-207-2273
gail-fromm@dioceseofscranton.org