Every volunteer who is involved with minors or vulnerable adults, and those who may have an opportunity to be alone with minors or vulnerable adults, during parish, school, or religious education sponsored events, are required to complete the following requirements prior to employment or volunteering: 

• Register with VIRTUS (create a VIRTUS account for the Diocese of Joliet/Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family)
• Read two Diocese of Joliet Policies and electronically acknowledge and date each one (see below for links)
• Complete a Protecting God’s Children training session
• Submit to a name-based criminal background check
• ​Additional requirements for employees, school board members, coaches, scout leaders, religious education, and youth ministry volunteers.

1. Go to http://www.virtus.org. 
2. Click on the green box First-Time Registrant. 
3. Click on Begin registration process. 
4. Select your organization. 
5. Then create a User ID and Password for your Virtus Account **. Be sure to list yourself with the proper Role and Secondary Role (if applicable), i.e., Volunteer: Coach. 
6. Follow the instructions on the screen which include reading and acknowledging two Diocesan Policies, and then complete a Protecting God’s Children online session. 
7. At this point, new employee applicants will stop and contact the hiring manager for instructions to be fingerprinted, and volunteers will be transferred from VIRTUS to selection.com/FASTRAX to complete a name-based background check. Do not enter a social security number-it is not needed. 
8. When you have completed the Protecting God’s Children session and your background check is complete, you will be notified. 
9. For employees and coaches - you must complete the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Mandated Reporter Training and recertification training every 3 years, (go to https://mr.dcfstraining.org/). Then, submit your Training Certificate, the Mandated Reporter Acknowledgement (DCFS Cants 22 Form), and a Volunteer Application. 
10. Employees must also complete Sexual Harassment Prevention Training annually through their Virtus Account. ​​

** If you already have a VIRTUS account in the Diocese of Joliet, sign in and add Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family in the green box labeled My Info at + Add Role and Location and contact the Safe Environment Coordinator listed below. If you do not know your login information, please contact the Helpdesk at helpdesk@virtus.org or call 1-888-847- 8870 to recover your login information. If you have a Virtus Account in another diocese or archdiocese, contact the Helpdesk to add or transfer your Account to the Arch Diocese of Baltimore/Chesterton Academy of The Divine Family.

• Visit our diocesan website at: https://www.archbalt.org/promise-protect-promote-healing/
• Read the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore is committed to protecting children and helping to heal victims of abuse. We urge anyone who has any knowledge of any child sexual abuse to come forward and report it immediately to law enforcement. If clergy or other church personnel is suspected of committing the abuse, we ask that you also call the

Victims’ Assistance Line at 1-866-417-7469. If you have any other information relevant to this matter, please contact the Archdiocese Office of Child and Youth Protection at 410-547-5348.