Ida Valdez
Safe Environment Director
Safe Environment
407-246-4822

Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting System
This service has been created to gather and relay reports of sexual misconduct involving bishops of the United States, and reports of their intentional interference in a sexual abuse investigation. If you wish to report any other kind of misconduct by a bishop, please contact your local diocese or eparchy instead.
Make a report online or call 1-800-276-1562.

Statewide (DCF) Abuse Hotline
1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873)

Any form of sexual misconduct is sinful in the eyes of God. Certain forms of sexual misconduct can be criminal as well.

Church Personnel who engage in any form of sexual misconduct are violating the ministerial relationship, misusing their authority and power, and taking advantage of the vulnerability of those they meet. In these circumstances, there is an absence of meaningful consent to any sexual activity, even if the person is an adult. It is the responsibility of Church Personnel to maintain appropriate emotional and sexual boundaries with those with whom they work or serve.

Standards of Conduct for Church Personnel

While it is not possible to identify every form of inappropriate conduct that violates a person’s boundaries, based on the foregoing, it is inappropriate for Church Personnel to:

• perform any type of sexual act with anyone.

• give inappropriate gifts (such as lingerie).

• threaten or cause personal harm or injury.

• threaten or cause damage to property.

• smoke or encourage smoking on any diocesan property, school or entity.

• observe someone undressing while he/she is changing clothes at school, a sporting event or retreat other than necessary supervision in a locker room or approved changing area.

• denigrate or verbally abuse any person.

• provide medical advice, or medical procedure unless properly authorized or are required by law.

• administer drugs, including over-the-counter medication, in the absence of express written permission.

• provide massages or other physical therapy.

• examine the genitalia of any person, for any reason.

• touch an individual inappropriately.

• use the internet for pornographic* access.

• use pornography or participate in any acts of pornography involving adults or minors.

• show sexually suggestive objects or pornography.

• tell tales of sexual exploits, experiences or conflicts.

• make sexual propositions.

• use sexual vulgar language.

• offer a prolonged hug when a brief hug is customary behavior.

• kiss on the lips.

• invite children and young people to their home unsupervised or for overnight stays, even with the permission of the parent or guardian.

• offer children and young people rides to their homes, even with the permission of the parent or guardian.

*According to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the federal legal age for defining child pornography includes pornographic images of minors under the age of eighteen.

We recognize some of these restrictions would not apply due to marital status.

• • Overinvestment in children.

• • Over-identification with children.

• • Failure to set appropriate limits with children.

• • Excess animation around children.

• • Indications of anxiety regarding adult sexuality.

• • Overly anxious in interviews or under supervision.

• • Success in getting around the rules.

• • Lack of meaningful, in-depth relationships with adult peers.

• • No sense of responsibility for one’s actions.

• • Keeping secrets with children.

• • Allowing special relationships with individuals.

• • Allowing individuals to break some rules.

• • Gifts to individual young person.

• Safe Environment Policy (English | Spanish)
• Weapons on Diocesan Properties
• Instructions for Vetting Visiting Priests
• Social Communications Policy (English | Spanish)
• Image Release Form (English | Spanish)
• Use of Media and Request for Information from Media
• Statement Release Form 
• Conflict of Interest
• Grievance Review Process 
• Reduction in Force and Separation
• Reporting Serious Violations of Law or Policy
• Clearance Policy for Clergy or Lay Speakers
• Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Online Video (School of Communication, American Univ., Washington, DC)
• Photography & Video Policy 2017
• Guidelines for Projection
• Protocol for Catholic Media Programming and Media Outlets

Policy on Weapons on Diocesan Properties

• When an allegation of child sexual abuse is received:

  • Florida Reporting Law is followed. Call the toll-free abuse registry hotline at 1-800-962-2873 or 1-800-342-9152 immediately
  • The Victim Assistance Coordinator is notified, 407-246-7179.
  • The individual is removed from his/her position pending a law enforcement and internal investigation.
  • The Victim Assistance Coordinator commences an investigation as quickly as possible, in coordination with the Senior Director of Human Resources, but no later than within one week of the notification of the allegation, and consults with members of the Diocesan Review Board, the Diocesan Attorney, or others as needed.
  • Recommendations of the Diocesan Review Board are presented to the Bishop.
  • Click here to review how to report serious violations of law or policy.

The Diocesan Review Board acts in a confidential, consultative manner to advise the Bishop in any matter relating to alleged sexual abuse of a Vulnerable Person involving clergy or religious women. This Board and Board Chair are appointed by the Bishop. The Board consists of at least five individuals not employed by the Diocese. The current board has one priest serving. The others are lay members. At the request of the Diocesan Review Board members, their names and credentials are not posted. We honor their request for privacy. 

This service has been created to gather and relay reports of sexual misconduct involving bishops of the United States, and reports of their intentional interference in a sexual abuse investigation. If you wish to report any other kind of misconduct by a bishop, please contact your local diocese or eparchy instead.

• Make a report online or call 1-800-276-1562.
  • Statewide (DCF) Abuse Hotline:
    1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873)
• Vademecum – Certain points of procedure in treating cases of sexual abuse of minor committed by clerics (Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith)
• New Province Policy on Vox Estis Lux Mundi.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection has released the 2025 Annual Report – Findings and Recommendations on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

The secretariat has the following areas of responsibility: provide support and assistance to the National Review Board and Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, conduct diocesan audits, and exist as a resource for dioceses/parishes.

The committee provides the bishops of the United States with comprehensive planning and recommendations concerning child and youth protection, in coordination with the National Review Board, as dictated by the Charter for the Protection of Children & Young People.

The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People is a comprehensive set of procedures originally established by the USCCB in June 2002 for addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. The Charter also includes guidelines for reconciliation, healing, accountability, and prevention of future acts of abuse. It was revised in 2005, 2011, and 2018.

Spanish Translation of Charter: Estatuto para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes

The Charter directs action in all the following matters:

• Creating a safe environment for children and young people;
• Healing and reconciliation of victims and survivors;
• Making prompt and effective response to allegations;
• Cooperating with civil authorities;
• Disciplining offenders;
• Providing for means of accountability for the future to ensure the problem continues to be effectively dealt with through the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection and the National Review Board.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops established the National Review Board during their meeting in June of 2002. The functions of the Board were revised slightly and reconfirmed in June of 2004. The purpose of the National Review Board is to collaborate with the USCCB in preventing the sexual abuse of minors in the United States by persons in the service of the Church.

Functions of the National Review Board

• Advise the Committee for the Protection of  Children and Young People on matters of child and youth protection, specifically on policies and practices;
• Review the work of the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection and make recommendations to its Director, assisting the Director in the development of resources for dioceses and eparchies;
• Review, prior to publication, the annual report of the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection on implementing and maintaining the standards of the Charter and any recommendations that emerge from the report, providing its own assessment regarding its approval and publication to the Conference President;
• Advise the Conference President on future members of the Board and future Directors of the Office;
• Advise the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People on the annual audit process prescribed in the Charter, including methods, scope, and personnel;
• Alert and inform the appropriate parties of concerns that emerge from the above responsibilities that may run counter to the spirit of the Charter;
• Consult as requested with the Conference President, the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, the Administrative Committee, and other USCCB or relevant Church entities on matters relating to the protection of children and young people from sexual abuse;
• Make appropriate recommendations to prevent sexual abuse of minors.