Our “Safe Environment” Program

We have a lot of children and youth here and we are blessed to be able to minister to many older adults who are homebound or in care facilities. Sacred Heart fully participates in the Safe Environment Program (SEP) mandated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Training and background screenings of our volunteers enables children and vulnerable adults to feel secure and protected in their surroundings. We want our children and youth to feel free to receive a Catholic education and to experience healthy relationships. We want to foster a safe environment and to provide a healthy and loving relationship in the image of God for our vulnerable adults – those sick, homebound, or suffering from the infirmities of aging.

If you want more information on this program, including policies and how to report concerns, visit the diocesan website page https://www.dosp.org/safe-environment/. For information specific to how Sacred Heart ensures compliance, please call the office. We will be happy to respond to your inquiry.