More Than 9,000 Employees, Volunteers Trained in Diocese’s Safe Environment Program
By Colleen Rowan/The Catholic Spirit
WHEELING—In response to the church’s commitment to the protection of children, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston’s Office of Safe Environment has trained more than 9,000 employees and volunteers of the church in West Virginia through the Virtus program.

“The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston has been committed to the efforts of providing a safe environment for the children entrusted to the church,” said Rev. Mr. Doug Breiding, director of the diocese’s Office of Safe Environment. “The diocese has made great strides in providing the tools necessary to the parishes, Catholic schools and various agencies throughout the state. Our bishop has been committed to providing these tools with a minimum amount of payments burdening the local parishes.”

Training is offered through Virtus, a program and service of the National Catholic Risk Retention Group, and began to be offered online in June.

“There is always room for improvement in the process of keeping an individual in compliance with Safe Environment for the Children,” Deacon Breiding said. “Our most recent enhancement of this process is to allow persons needing Virtus training to attend a Virtus workshop online.”

Virtus workshops began to be facilitated in the diocese in October of 2003. All employees and volunteers working for the diocese in Catholic schools and other institutions are required to receive the training.

Virtus workshops continue to be offered at schools and other locations in the diocese.

Awareness training, the compliance listing, diocesan policy, the diocesan review board, how to report sexual abuse, instruction manuals, a listing of Virtus workshops and more is available online. To view this material, visit the diocese’s website at www. dwc.org, click, “Diocese,” and then “Office of Safe Environment.”

To register for Virtus training or online Virtus workshops, visit www.dwc.org, click “Diocese,” then “Office of Safe Environment,” and then click “Awareness Training.”

For more information, contact Deacon Breiding at (304) 233-0880 or toll free at (888) 434-6237, ext. 211, or by e-mail to dbreiding@ dwc.org
 

Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston · 1300 Byron Street, Wheeling, WV 26003 · Phone (304) 233-0880

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