The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has on their website the following statement on Safe Environment: “Priests, deacons, clergy, employees, and volunteers are called at all times to engage in Christ-Centered and professional behavior. The background screening and Safe Environment training of all priests, deacons, clergy, employees, volunteers, groups, movements, and organizations is a requirement of the Archdiocese and assists in upholding our Safe Environment Policies”.
“Safe Haven-It’s Up to You” is a three-part video that provides vignettes of real-life situations to educate the viewer about methods of grooming, desensitization, bullying, and neglect, all of which can lead to abuse. Each part of the video is immediately followed by a brief questionnaire to further develop understanding.
Education is the key element of the Safe Environment program. All clergy, employees, contracted school personnel and volunteers over the age of 18, are required to complete the Archdiocesan Safe Environment Online Training. All individuals must submit to a criminal background check before they may begin employment or volunteer with ministries, groups, movements, and organizations.
In addition, all individuals listed above must complete the mandatory online refresher training upon the 5 year anniversary of the prior training and submit a new background check as a condition of continued ministry and/or continued employment in this Archdiocese.
IMPORTANT NOTES
You will be required to complete a criminal background check as part of the registration process. Failure to complete the criminal background check in its entirety will delay the approval process for volunteer service. Please make sure you enter your legal name as it appears on your Government Issued Id (Driver’s License, State-issued Identification card, Passport, Matrícula Consular).
For help using step by step instructions, please look in left hand column under "Link & Resources"
PREVIOUSLY ATTENDED VIRTUS TRAINING
If you have completed VIRTUS training in the past 5 years, do not create a new account in CMGConnect.
You will log-in at https://GalvestonHouston.CMGConnect.org. with your previous personal user id from VIRTUS and enter the password 1234.
Once you log into your CMGConnect account, you will be able to change your password.
If you do not remember your VIRTUS user id or are unable to log-in, please contact your local Safe Environment Coordinator or Daphne Woods for log-in assistance at 800.228.6108 ext. 2375 or dwoods@catholicmutual.org.
NEW USERS (NEVER ATTENDED A TRAINING BEFORE)
If you have never attended VIRTUS training in the past or never taken the Safe Haven online training, please register to create a new account via CMGConnect at https://GalvestonHouston.CMGConnect.org.