In order to comply with the USCCB’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the Diocese of Camden is audited every year by StoneBridge Business Partners, an independent auditing firm. Bishop Dennis Sullivan received a letter from StoneBridge on March 29, 2021, that found the Diocese to be in compliance with the data collection requirements for the 2019/2020 audit period.
Guided by the Charter, StoneBridge examines several items including:
· That all allegations of sexual abuse of a minor by a priest or deacon are reported to civil authorities and recorded in the audit documentation. During this audit period, there were no allegations of sexual abuse of a current minor.
· That all adult volunteers and employees in regular contact with minors have passed a criminal history background check and have received safe environment training.
· That a Diocesan Review Board meets every year on a regular basis to review all allegations of sexual abuse of a minor by a member of the clergy and makes recommendations to the Bishop regarding his suitability for ministry. The DRB also reviews all policies regarding the protection of children.
· That the Bishop informs the major superiors of all priests from religious orders ministering in our Diocese about the policies regarding the protection of children.
“Due to the pandemic, much of the catechetical instruction of children in our parishes was done via computer,” says Rod J. Herrera, LCSW, Director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection. “Even though the contact between adults and minors was virtual, the contact still met the requirements of safe environment training and all employees and volunteers still had to be background checked and trained.”
StoneBridge forwarded the results of our Diocesan compliance to the national office of the Secretariat of Youth and Child Protection of the USCCB. The SYCP produces an annual report of all dioceses and eparchies in the United States.
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