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All rights reserved. California-Pacific Conference, 2020.

Ministry Safe

Introduction

All churches in the Conference must have an Abuse Prevention Policy. This is not only a requirement at the Conference level, but also an insurance company requirement, as a condition of abuse and molestation liability coverage. More importantly, a strong Abuse Prevention Policy is for the protection of our youth and vulnerable adults. It is our responsibility to keep them safe at our churches and offsite church trips and events.

Required for:

  • All Cal-Pac clergy, whether appointed to local churches or to conference staff, district superintendent positions, or to extension ministries
  • Conference:
  • Cal-Pac Churches:
    • Paid lay staff and volunteers at churches in positions identified in Ministry Safe and local church abuse prevention policies
    • Paid and volunteer staff at preschools incorporated as part of a California-Pacific Conference of The United Methodist church, if the training and screening requirements that currently exist for licensure in the state, do not meet AB506 requirements.

The Details

Each church is already set up in the Ministry Safe portal. The account has initially been set up with the church’s SPRC chair (or the Senior Pastor) as the administrator.

  • How To Access Ministry Safe (PDF) for instructions on how to access the portal, add users, send training and how to customize your training settings
  • Demo (video)

Ministry Safe’s Abuse Prevention System is comprised of 5 parts, that when used effectively together, creates a strong Abuse Prevention Program for your church. The five parts are as follows:

  1. Abuse Prevention Training – Training on an individual level to be completed by volunteers/employees working with children and youth, plus all pastors. Once they pass the training, they receive a certificate of completion that is valid for 2 years.
  2. Skillful Screening – This educates church leaders on how to recognize red flags and high risk indicators. Sample interview forms are available that includes follow up questions for evasive and high risk responses. There are sample application forms for employees, volunteers and teens. There are reference forms to be used by phone and email, plus additional documents.
  3. Policies and Procedures – All churches have access to the sample Abuse Prevention Policies and Procedures on Ministry Safe’s portal. The sample policies include:
    • Youth Ministry Policies
    • Youth Sports Policies
    • Children’s Ministry Policies
    • Daycare Policies
    • Education Policies
    • Camp Policies and Child Services Policies.
    • More are available upon request and availability.
  4. Background Checks – can include identity research, sex offender registry search, federal court criminal search, social security match, county of residence search, multi-jurisdictional search, state records search.
  5. Monitoring and Oversight – Making sure the above components are all executed and the policies and procedures are followed. The program should be revisited every few months to ensure that the church is continuing to implement these policies and procedures. It can be set up with multiple administrators to allow for a smooth transition, should an administrator leave the church or transfer the responsibilities to another person.

Access, Sample Policies, Abuse Awareness Training, Skillful Screening Training, Monitoring: no cost (covered by your insurance carrier, Philadelphia Insurance)

  • There is no limit to the number of employees and volunteers that you can add to the portal and assign training to.

Background checks: $40 per person for Level 1 background checks including:

    • Identity Research
    • Multi-Jurisdictional Search with Sex Offender
    • County of Residence
    • County of Employment
    • Federal Court Nationwide Search
  • For Motor Vehicle Report, extra $5 will be applied per person.

***Please do not call HR for Ministry Safe***

  1. Ministry Safe Help Desk: 833.737.7233 (Toll Free), support@ministrysafe.com
  2. HUB International
  3. District Offices

Ministry Safe is oversighted by the Cal-Pac Board of Trustees.

Rev. Joy Price
President, Conference Board of Trustees

Archana Carey
Executive Director of Finance & Facilities / Conference Treasurer

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