Safe Environment Training

The Diocese of Phoenix requires all clergy, consecrated religious, deacons, lay employees, and volunteers to complete an annual Safe Environment Training. Please continue reading for instructions on completing your training:

FAQs

read the policy & procedures for the protection of minors document below:

Keep scrolling to the next section for detailed instructions on completing your training!

What is Safe Environment?

Safe Environment is the direct result of the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” by the Bishops of the United States. The programs implemented by the diocese in the United States help to educate clergy, consecrated religious, staff, and all volunteers (including minors and vulnerable adults) on the signs of an individual experiencing abuse (sexual or physical) and neglect. It also intends to teach the signs of grooming, predation, and who is at risk of becoming a victim of grooming or the victim of a predator.

So, it’s the catholic version of Title IX training?

You’re on the right track! Title IX training is a broad federal law passed in 1972 that focuses on students, faculty, and staff in an educational institution who receives federal funding; Title IX protects, particularly women, from discrimination based on gender and sexual misconduct/violence. Safe Environment differs because it is the intentional, focused education of all clergy, consecrated religious, staff, and all volunteers to prevent physical and sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable adults and is a way to provide education on how to identify the signs of grooming. Safe Environment does not protect any class of person but aims to educate all participants in creating a safe environment at a parish and protect children or vulnerable adults who are participating in programs at that parish.

Does this make me a mandatory report? I don’t want that liability…

Yes, it does. Remember that any reports made in good faith fall under Arizona State Law 13-3620 §J protects you from civil or criminal liability “by reason of that action unless the person acted with malice.”

Full law here.

So, how can I help?

It is vital that all parish clergy, staff, and volunteers adhere to the Diocese of Phoenix Policy & Procedures for the Protection of Minors. You can make a commitment to protect children and vulnerable adults by: completing the Safe Environment training (initial Foundations training or Renewal and mandatory background check), have 2 Safe Environment certified adults at every parish event, meeting, or catechetical class, and make reports as needed to the parish Safe Environment Coordinator as needed.

But my ministry is only adults. Why would we need to take safe environment?

Great question! Safe Environment Training is a mandatory training in order to protect children and vulnerable adults. A vulnerable adult is classified as a person who has a disability, has an illness, has developmental delays, or is elderly and relies on other adults to support them with procuring groceries, medicine, going to doctor’s appointments, or paying their bills. Vulnerable adults can be your friends, neighbors, or another person in your ministry. People aged 65 and older make up 18% of the population in the state of Arizona; reports of elder and vulnerable adult abuse have risen 150% in the last decade and continue to trend upward. It is part of our mission to help you gain the skills to report when something seems amiss, in order to help protect the dignity of every human person.What about that limited volunteer thing? why can someone who goes to a different parish do that but we can’t?

The Limited Volunteer designation was provided as an alternative to the background check in early 2020; however, the Diocese of Phoenix made it clear that allowing a Limited Volunteer option was to be left up to pastoral discretion and each parish would have its own norms and expectations. Our parish requires all volunteers to submit to the background check.

I am a foster parent, healthcare professional, state-licensed caregiver, teacher, etc. I’m already fingerprinted and have a background check. why can’t i just provide that?

We completely understand that you’ve done all the paperwork and fulfilled all the requirements of your employer or by the state. To our knowledge, the Diocese of Phoenix does not have access to that information and we have no way of cross-checking the validity of your current certifications through other channels, like your employer or a state agency. Please do take the additional minute or two that it takes to fill out the background check portion of the training! It should be pretty quick.

I am the victim of sexual abuse. this training makes me extremely uncomfortable and brings up really bad memories for me. do i still have to take it?

There are options for you that we can discuss discretely and with great care and compassion. Please call Kaitlynn in the parish office: (623) 975-5602.

Completing your renewal

This is for those who have already completed safe environment training in the diocese of phoenix and need to complete their annual renewal. if you have never completed the training in the diocese of phoenix or it as been more than one year since your renewal, please scroll to the section titled Completing Foundations Training.

  1. go to https://cmgconnect.org/users/sign_in

  2. in the box that says Username, enter your username

  3. in the box that says password, enter your password

  4. you will be directed to your trainings dashboard

  5. find the training titled safe environment training for LAY PERSONS ONLINE RENEWAL 2025-2026 SET year

  6. click the green start button

Please follow these instructions for completing your 2025-2026 renewal:

following the completion of your training, please double check the expiration date on your background check. if your background check expires any time after 7/1/2025 and any time before 6/30/2026, your background check must be renewed.

renewing your background check

  1. go to https://cmgconnect.org/users/sign_in

  2. in the box that says Username, enter your username

  3. in the box that says password, enter your password

  4. you will be directed to your trainings dashboard

  5. find the training titled Criminal Background Check Renewal

  6. click the green start button

Please follow these instructions for completing your criminal background check renewal:

completing foundations training

these instructions are for individuals who have never completed safe environment training in the diocese of phoenix or it has been some time since you last completed the training and it is now expired.

Please follow these instructions for completing your Foundations training (For new users):

  1. go to https://phoenix.cmgconnect.org

  2. you will be directed to a page that looks like this >

  3. Enter your information into the boxes on the bottom right, where it says register for a new account

    1. be sure to fill out all sections: account, personal, and affiliation

  4. click the green register button to create your account

  5. once your account has been made, log in using the username and password you created

  6. you will be directed to your trainings dashboard

  7. find the training titled safe environment for LAY PERSONS ONLINE FOUNDATION Safe haven - it’s up to you

    1. do not choose the Live training option - we are not offering in-person classes

  8. click the green start button

  9. the last step in the training is completing the background check. your training will be listed as 95% complete - this will resolve once your background check is returned to us.

if you have previously completed safe environment and need to re-take the foundations training due to a lapse in your training, simply log in to your profile using your login information. if you need assistance accessing your profile, please contact kaitlynn.

Kaitlynn Eaton Safe Environment coordinator (623) 975-5602 Click my photo to email me!