Safe Environment

Diocesan Safe Environment Coordinator

Secretary, Youth Protection and Catholic Human Services
Pamela J. Russo, L.S.W, M.S.
P.O. Box F
Allentown, PA 18105-1538
610-871-5200 ext. 2204

Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator

Ms. Wendy Krisak, MA, NCC, LPC

Direct telephone

800-791-9209

Welcome to St. Joseph the Worker

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at St. Joseph the Worker School and Parish.

Our safe environment office has worked very hard to streamline the process of obtaining your clearances. If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at lcastro@stjw.org.

As staff and volunteers of the Diocese of Allentown, YOU are the first line of defense in the diocese’s commitment to keeping our children safe.

We thank you for your patience during this process.

To learn more about the Diocese of Allentown's Youth Protection Programs, Sexual Abuse Policy, and Code of Conduct, please visit www.allentowndiocese.org and click on "Youth Protection" in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

Volunteer Clearance Information and Application Procedures

Please complete all of the necessary, safe environment paperwork. Follow steps #1 - 8 below. Please note that #9 & #10 are only necessary if applicable.

Diocesean compliance guidelines state that clearances should be submitted before the start of employment or volunteer service.

To effectively serve our volunteers, we ask that all safe environment paperwork is completed before it is submitted to our office.

Diocesan Requirement

State Requirement

1 FBI Fingerprinting

An Individual can obtain their own FBI fingerprint check at their own cost ($22.60) by going to https://uenroll.identogo.com/ to schedule an appointment for the background check and then provide a copy of the FBI fingerprint unofficial results to the STJW safe environment office.

A. Volunteers may request an FBI fingerprint payment code; click here

The following are service codes needed to register for all current or prospective school employees/volunteers:

School Volunteers-1KG6Y3 is the code for (PDE) Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Parish Volunteers- 1KG6ZJ is the (DHS) Department of Human Services code. (CYO & PREP)

Employment-1KG6TR is the code for (PDE) Pennsylvania Department of Education Educators/Staff.

1KG756 is the code for (DHS) Department of Health and Services-Parish Employees.

B. Fill out and sign the *Diocese of Allentown Background Check and Fingerprint Authorization Form.

For Employment, see below.

Diocesan Fingerprint Payment Code Reques

*REQUIRED

Recipients can scan the code on a phone or tablet to access the request form.

ALL SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS AND EMPLOYEES MUST HAVE FINGERPRINTS RUN THROUGH THE PA DEPT. OF EDUCATION.

FINGERPRINTS THROUGH THE DEPT. HEALTH SERVICES ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS PER STATE REGULATIONS.

2 P.A. State Police Criminal Record Check

Free and online. The time to complete the form is approximately 5-10 minutes, and the results are received within 24 hours.

PA State Police Criminal Record Check (PA Access to Criminal History (PATCH)

3 P.A. Child Abuse History Check

Free and online. The time to complete the form is approximately 15 minutes. The results come back within two days or up to seven days, provided you are as in-depth and detailed as possible. Failure to do so may delay the results.

PA Child Abuse History Clearance (less than five (5) years old)

📄Helpful Instructions

4 Mandated Reporter Training

Free and online. This training takes 3 hours to complete and can be done in segments and on different days by simply saving your progress.

Mandated Reporting Training (less than five (5) years old)

Submit the certificate of completion to the safe environment office.

5 Sexual Abuse Acknowledgment Form

Read: Diocese of Allentown Sexual Abuse Policy.

Sign and return: Acknowledgement Form for Diocese of Allentown Sexual Abuse Policy.

6 Diocesan Code of Conduct

Read: Diocese of Allentown Code of Conduct

Sign and return: Acknowledgement Code of Conduct Form.

7 Diocese of Allentown Child Protective Services Law Policy

Read: Diocese of Allentown Child Protective Services Law Policy

Sign and return: CPSL Acknowledgment Form. *New Diocesan Policy effective 1/1/2018.

8 Protecting God's Children Workshop

Option A. VIRTUS Protecting God's Children Online Training -Follow the direction on the PDF.

Option B. This workshop is approximately 2.5-3 hours of Zoom meeting. Protecting God's Children Workshop Schedule

This clearance is required to be completed once.

10 Motor Vehicle Report

ONLY IF DRIVING (less than five (5) years old).

If you have taken Defensive Driving or Safe Environment training in the past, you already have an account. CMG Connect-Catholic Mutual Group
Please call Lizbeth Castro, S.E. assistant coordinator, for your username and password, or email cmgconnect@catholicmutual.org to obtain this information. You will not need to set up a new account.

📄Helpful instructions

Please submit the certificate.