Diocese of Grand Island found to be in Compliance with USCCB Charter Audit

Every year, as mandated by the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the Diocese of Grand Island gathers source documentation and compiles statistics regarding their efforts to protect children and youth, responds to allegations of abuse, and offers outreach to individuals who have experienced abuse.
     This data is submitted to Stonebridge Business Partners, an independent auditing company under contract with the USCCB to audit each diocese and eparchy in the United States.
     In addition, every third year the audit includes site visits to the diocese, parishes and Catholic schools.
     The Diocese of Grand Island successfully completed their last site audit in October of 2018. The next site audit for the Diocese of Grand Island will be in 2021.
     The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People is a comprehensive set of procedures originally established by the USCCB in June 2002 for addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. The Charter also includes guidelines for reconciliation, healing, accountability, and prevention of future acts of abuse. It was revised in 2005, 2011, and 2018.
     Among the mandates of the Charter are the screening and training of all adults who have supervisory contact with children and youth or adults who are vulnerable, the implementation of a safe environment plan to prevent abuse, an effective and transparent approach to the reporting and investigation of allegations of abuse, and outreach to provide reconciliation and healing to those harmed by abuse.
     During the 2018/2019 audit period (July 1, 2018—June 30, 2019) the Diocese of Grand Island:

• Educated 6,208 children and youth in qualities of right relationships, signs of abuse, and how to seek help.
• Screened and trained over 1,750 parish, school and diocesan staff; youth-serving volunteers; and Catholic school teachers; and 86 priests, deacons, and candidates for ordination.
• Worked with Law Enforcement, the Attorney General’s Office, the Diocesan Review Board and the Child Protection Offices of other U.S. dioceses to report and investigate reports of abuse.
• Provided community and individual outreach through their Victim Assistance Ministry.