Who Needs Clearance?

Which adults 18 or over need the required Safe Environment clearance?

As stated in the diocesan policy, those specifically obligated to comply with Safe Environment, including training and background checks, are:

  1. Any person employed, full-or part-time, by the diocese, its parishes, or any Catholic entity that serves minors in any way
  2. Any adult participating in an overnight situation involving minors or vulnerable adults
  3. Anyone placed in a position of authority, trust, or supervision (of a minor or vulnerable adult) at an event that lasts more than twelve hours even if the individual is there only for portions of the event
  4. Anyone placed in a position of authority, trust, or supervision (of a minor or vulnerable adult) who serves for more than twelve hours in one year
  5. Special circumstances: The diocese, deanery, or parish may decide that, to address the risks for a particular setting or event, even supervisory adults falling below the “twelve hours” need to meet Safe Environment requirements. Any supervisory adult would need to abide by that decision to be involved.

NOTE:  Supervisory adults from other dioceses who are attending events within the Diocese of Owensboro must provide evidence from their diocese of compliance with their diocesan Safe Environment policies, set forth by the USCCB.

Which adults (18 or over) do NOT need Safe Environment clearance?

Non-Supervisory Adults: Some adults involved with events for minors and/or vulnerable adults are not placed in positions of authority or supervision. They come simply as adult participants or as parent observers. To provide adequate safety, those individuals are required to complete and submit Form B (Emergency Medical Release and Health Information for Adults) or its equivalent and the accompanying Non-Supervisory Adult/Adult Participant Code of Conduct (Form D-5). Contact the diocesan Office of Safe Environment for help in addressing any issues.

When a youth event includes non-supervisory adult involvement, the level of supervision must increase.

Supervisory/non-supervisory adults and participants should be identified in some way, e.g. color-coded name tags. Options for these situations include:

  • Non-supervisory adults may be specifically assigned to an individual who is Safe-Environment cleared.
  • Additional supervisory adults (not already assigned to other responsibilities) can be added to monitor the setting, e.g. hallways, restrooms, isolated areas.

Background Checks

Background Check forms
FAQ Concerning Background Checks