Pa Child Protective Services Law (CPSL)

Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law (CPSL)

**Effective May 1, 2020″ –

The Diocese of Greensburg, after careful review of the existing requirements for Safe Environment Clearances & Training announced the following changes:

• All clergy, employees (parish, cemetery, school and diocesan) and all volunteers are required to complete VIRTUS training every five years to continue to work or perform ministry in the Diocese.
  • The initial course required for all employees and volunteers is “Protecting God’s Children Awareness.”
  • To meet the five-year update requirement there are two additional courses from which to choose, “VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children Re-certification for Adults” and “Keeping the Promise Alive“.
• Eliminates the requirement to review the monthly training bulletins for all except those employees that are Local Virtus Administrators.  The Training Bulletins will still available to all and are a good source of information.

To complete, access the www.virtusonline.org with your user name & password.  PLEASE NOTE:  If you completed the original Virtus training with a group, you will need to contact the parish office to obtain your User ID & a password so that you can complete the Recertification training.  

Click on “Training” tab

Left side: click on “Online Training Modules”

Bottom: click on “See available Training Modules”.

After completing, print out certificate of completion and turn into the parish office.

New Virtus recertiffication training instructions

In 2014, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Legislature enacted sweeping changes to the (CPSL), including but not limited to, expansion of mandated reporters, expansion of individuals subject to required clearances from the Pennsylvania State Police, Department of Human Services (formerly Department of Public Welfare) and the FBI, expansion of the frequency of the required clearances and imposition of significant criminal penalties for noncompliance.

As a result, all staff and ALL volunteers who have direct contact with children, including all Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Ushers, Adult and Youth Choir, Adult Altar servers, Religious Formation Catechists and aides, Children’s Liturgy, Greeters, Fish Fry workers, picnic volunteers, and anyone having contact with children are required to complete all six of the clearances/trainings listed below.

Effective: September 2015 —An additional change mandates that CPSL clearances are only valid for FIVE years and must be obtained again by both employees and volunteers every FIVE years. Thus for incumbent employees, CPSL clearances must be obtained within five years of the most recent clearances, or if clearances are older than five years, within one year of December 31, 2014.
Following is a checklist of the required clearances and trainings with links to the Diocese of Greensburg website. **PLEASE NOTE —- The Greensburg of Diocese webpage has been revised and the link to the CPSL page is posted below.   ** All information on how to register and file for the trainings and clearances are listed on their site.  As of July 1, 2015, the fee for both the Pa Criminal History Clearance and the Child Abuse Clearance has been waived for volunteers.

Click here for a link to the Greensburg Diocesan webpage with all required information regarding the CPSL requirements.     CPSL

The required trainings and clearances include:

• Mandated and Permissive Reporting Training Course  Mandated Reporting
• Virtus – Protecting God’s Children.  For questions regarding the VIRTUS website, (printing completion certificate) contact them directly at 1-888-847-8870.  Virtus
• Diocese of Greensburg Code of Pastoral Conduct Greensburg_Code_of_Pastoral_Conduct 2018
• Pa State Police Criminal History Report  – Phone # regarding online registration, 1-888-783-7972.   There is NO fee for a volunteer.  The $22 fee listed on the Diocesan website is for employees only. The quickest and easiest way to renew is online.  Click here:Criminal History online renewal   Click here for the paper form to mail in.   Criminal History no fee
• Child Abuse History Clearances – Phone # regarding online registration, 1-877-343-0494.  There is NO fee for a volunteer. The $13 fee listed on the Diocesan website is for employees only. Certification for the purpose of “volunteer” may be obtained free of charge once every 57 months.   Do not apply for renewal prior to the 57 months – otherwise there will be a fee for volunteers.  Suggested way to renew is to renew online.  You will need your original User ID & Password to log in.  When filling out the form, when asked if you have received certification within the last 57 months, choose “NO” for the free clearance.  Click here for online site:  Child abuse Online site  Click here for a paper copy to renew.   CY 113 – Pa Child Abuse Rev 12.15
• FBI Criminal History Report (Fingerprints required) – or -if you have been a Pa resident for the past 10 consecutive years : Volunteer Affidavit Option.   Click here : volunteer_affidavit

ALSO, effective September 2015, Fingerprinting is now only required ONCE.  Upon renewal of clearances, an affidavit is permitted. Please note the fee for fingerprinting has not been waived.

Please note that the law states that ALL THREE CLEARANCES (Pa Criminal History, Child Abuse and FBI Criminal History (either fingerprinting or affidavit) are needed.

 Failure to comply with CPSL Requirements is subject to significant criminal penalties and civil liabilities. 

Feel free to contact the parish office at 724-864-6364 for further questions, or visit the Greensburg Diocese website, www.dioceseofgreensburg.org.