Careful screening of those who have direct contact with Children, Youth or Vulnerable Adults can help prevent incidents of abuse and provides some assurance that only those with high integrity, competence and merit are permitted to work with or near those entrusted to us. St. Luke’s reserves the right to deny any applicant for any position, paid or unpaid, at any time and for any reason. It is our policy to never knowingly hire as Staff or appoint as Volunteers a sex offender in any capacity that would put that person near or in direct contact with Children, Youth or Vulnerable Adults. Likewise, no person convicted of a felony, with a history of assaultive behavior of any sort or history of a crime involving minors or Vulnerable Adults will be approved to work with or near Children, Youth or Vulnerable Adults. The following policies and procedures relate to Applicants and the process of approving Applicants to become Personnel:

1. Prerequisites to Apply
   1. 3 Month Rule - all volunteers who serve with a vulnerable population must have been active participants of St. Luke's for at least 3 months
   2. 5 Years Older Rule - volunteers must be at least 5 years older than the ago of the oldest child or youth they are responsible for
2. Application Process - all applicants to serve a vulnerable population will provide an application with at least two references
3. Approval Process
   1. Reference Check
   2. Background Check
   3. Interview
4. Documentation - documentation of the approval process will be stored in person's Rock profile
5. Training - All volunteers serving a vulnerable population will receive annual Safe Sanctuaries training in addition to ministry area specific training

*for complete details, see Section 1 in the Safe Sanctuaries Policy for detailed descriptions

All Staff and Volunteers who have access to Children, Youth and Vulnerable Adults will be trained with the following procedures. These provide protection not only to those who are served by the church’s ministries, but also for those serving within the church’s ministries.

1. 2 Adult Rule: No Personnel shall ever be alone with a Child, Youth, or Vulnerable Adult. There will be at least two Screened Adults present whenever Children, Youth, or Vulnerable Adults are present except in the case of emergencies. The two Adults should not be related or cohabitating.
2. Rule of 3: There may be exceptional cases or emergencies when the 2 Adult Rule cannot be supported even with the assistance of a Roamer. In these rare circumstances, Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults must be in the presence of two other individuals, one being a Screened Adult.
3. Clear View Rule: Any one-on-one session or interaction between two people or an activity or program involving Children, Youth, or Vulnerable Adults in which there are not two Screened Adults present must take place in a public or open setting or in a room with an open door or , it could be acceptable to meet behind a closed door with uncovered transparent glass or transparent mirror glass (interior side is reflective, but someone on the other side can see through window).

*for complete details and more information , see Section 2 in the Safe Sanctuaries Policy

St. Luke’s is intentional about providing a safe and welcoming environment for individuals impacted by disabilities and their families. The following best practices and procedures allow for increased security and any necessary accommodations for Children, Youth, and Adults with disabilities and the Adults committed to their care and unique needs.

1. Children or Youth with disabilities may require individual attention for such issues as sensory overload, bathroom breaks, diaper changes, or tube feedings. When removing a Child or Youth from a group environment or activity, special care is required to meet or exceed supervision policies.

2. Practicing Safe Restroom Assistance and Diaper Care for individuals with disabilities.

3. Consider best practices with disability etiquette. It should be noted that each individual may have specific preferences and best word choice is ever-evolving. Efforts should be made to understand preferences so individuals can best be respected by our words and actions.

*for complete details and more information , see Section 3 in the Safe Sanctuaries Policy

St. Luke's is committed to creating a safe, open, and welcoming environment for all who enter our doors. 

As part of our Open Statement, we renounce the way religion has been used throughout history to support racism, war, discrimination, genocide, violence, and poverty, and we pledge to rid ourselves of the conscious and unconscious biases when sacred stories are used to uphold injustice. WE are particularly sensitive to the issues facing our siblings of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals, both within the United Methodist Church and in the general society.

We cultivate allyship and advocacy to support communities that are diverse in many ways including racially, ethnically, sexual orientation and differently abled. All staff and volunteers will have a base understanding of DEI and belonging and can model behaviors that create an environment where everyone feels psychologically safe, included, and valued. 

We craft our policies around our fundamental principles. There will be no tolerance for language or actions from a child, youth, or personnel that are racist, homophobic, bullying, judgemental, or dismissive. 

Therefore, our communication policy states that verbal aggression of any kind and physical aggression, especially in front of children, will not be tolerated. For everyone's safety and to create a sense of belonging for all, anyone who is verbally and/or physically aggressive will be asked to leave the St. Luke's premises. If you witness any symbols, signage, literature at St. Luke's, or affiliate that is racist or homophobic in nature, please report it to your ministry leader. 

*for complete details and more information , see Section 5 in the Safe Sanctuaries Policy

St. Luke’s believes in partnering with outside organizations and allows approved outside groups to use its church facilities as a service to the community. As the safety of Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults remains a priority at all times, these groups will be required to, at a minimum, adhere to our protection policies and procedures while on St. Luke’s property. Groups will sign a covenant committing to abide by our policies while on site. 

*for complete details and more information , see Section 8 in the Safe Sanctuaries Policy

St. Luke’s will take any suspected or alleged abuse or neglect seriously, and it will be immediately reported to the proper authorities. The safety and overall well-being of Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults will be the highest priority. St Luke’s, where permissibly by law, will remain involved with a reported case to see it through to resolution.

*for complete details and more information , see Section 11 in the Safe Sanctuaries Policy