Child Protection Training

As a first-time volunteer, what do I need to do to be able to volunteer?

The three required steps are:

1. Attend the initial in person training class.

For locations dates and times of classes, please contact the school office, your parish office or check the Archdiocesan website at www.archdpdx.org/cpo to see Portland-area class offerings.

2. Request a background check

You can request a background check at your initial training class or notify the school office of your desire to complete a background check. Background checks are processed by Praesidium Inc. They will send you a link to complete the process online.  This authorization allows us to process your initial background check and all future background checks.  Your background check will be automatically updated every three years. Background checks must be updated every three years.

3. Complete “Standards of Conduct for Ministry with Children and Youth”.

Once your account is set up in Armatus, you will be able to complete the “Standards of Conduct for Ministry with Children and Youth” by logging in here.

Click on the link to Armatus courses

• Enter your login (first initial and last name) and password. Your password is the first four numerical digits of your birthday followed by your state abbreviation. For example, if you live in Oregon and your birthday is March 26, your password would be 0326or.
• Click submit
• Choose the course title “Standards of Conduct for Ministry with Children and Youth”
• After reviewing, click on “I formally acknowledge that the above statements are true”.

In subsequent years, volunteers are required to complete an online annual review to remain eligible to volunteer.

I volunteered last year. Am I still cleared to volunteer at this time?

Yes, you are cleared if you have been cleared in the past. However, in order to remain eligible you must complete the annual review. You will not be allowed to volunteer until your annual review is completed.

How long does it take to set up my account in Armatus?

Once your background check has cleared, it may take up to two weeks to activate your account.

Why can’t I login?

There are several reasons why you may be having trouble accessing the Armatus system:

• Your account is inactive. Each year the Archdiocese completes a training audit. At that time, all volunteers who have not completed the required training are classified as inactive. In addition, if your initial background check was completed at another school or parish and you no longer volunteer there, they may have inactivated your account.
• Your legal name and the name you use are not the same. Since background check information is used to create your account in Armatus, the name submitted on your background check authorization form is the name used in the Armatus system.
• Your name or date of birth may be inaccurate in Armatus. Sometimes it is difficult to translate information that is handwritten and sometimes it is simply human error. In addition, hyphenated names can create their own challenges when logging in.

What do I do if I can’t login?

Elementary & middle school parents contact Jessica Willison or Cyndy Attinasi in the school office. High school parents should contact Krista Jacobson.

• If your account is inactive, they can reactivate it.
• If your name or birthday is inaccurate, they can correct it.
• If your records are at another parish, they can arrange to have them transferred to Valley Catholic School or request that they be updated with the training you have completed at Valley Catholic.

How can I find out which training I have completed?

Click here and login using your user name (first initial and last name) and your password. Your password is the first four numerical digits of your birthday followed by your state abbreviation. For example, if you live in Oregon and your birthday is March 26, your password would be 0326or.

If I completed my initial training at another school or parish, do I need to retake it at Valley Catholic?

No, but you will need to let us know that you completed your training somewhere else. Once we receive notification, we will verify your training via the Archdiocesan database. If you prefer, you can drop off a copy of your training certificate.

If I took a course very similar to “C.A.S.E.”  for another agency, does that satisfy the requirements?

No.  We are not able to verify all the various courses from other agencies. The best way to make sure that all of our parents are properly trained is to insist on having everybody go through the same process.