Youth Safety at OSU Update on safety policy implementation

Kyle Cole, Assistant Director Precollege Programs (PCP)

Faculty SenateNovember 8th, 2012

Overview• Youth safety policy implementation• Compliance monitoring• Criminal History Check policy (OAR576)• Future work

Youth Safety at OSU

Youth Safety WorkgroupKaren Swanger (KidSpirit) Kyle Cole (PCP)Marianne Vydra (Athletics)Marilyn Lesmeister (4-H) Roger Rennekamp (4-H)Ryan Collay (SMILE) Skip Rochefort (PCP) Tracy Crews (Sea Grant)

PartnersBecca Lynch (General Counsel)Jacque Rudolf and Tracey Yee (OHR)Brandi Aston (Risk Management)Roni Sue (Equity and Inclusion)

• Youth Safety Workgroup convened by Larry Roper in December 2011

Charge to the workgroup• Develop comprehensive policies and procedures that protect youth,

meet program needs, minimize risk and satisfy legal requirements.

• Balance vigilant protection of youth, while ensuring the positive relationships between adults and youth are not lost.

Activities• Developed policies, procedures, training plans and materials to

ensure the safety of youth program participants.

• Culled information and adapted existing resources (e.g., 4-H, KidSpirit, CDC, DHS, Boy Scouts, ACA)

Youth Safety Workgroup

Youth Safety Policy Activities

Risk Management Screening Training Monitoring Response

Elements

•Liability release

Media release

Volunteer waiver

Special Event Insurance

Templates for:Volunteer applicationInterview questionsCriminal History ChecksReference Check

Training workshops for employees and volunteers

•All volunteers and employees receive training

•Online training

Yearly compliance certification

Programs keep documentation

Clear mandatory reporting policy

Internal response team: PCP, URM, OGC, ORM

Activities

Publicize policies

PCP assists programs with compliance

•Work with ORM on new liability waiver

•Work with OHR on criminal history check policy (OAR 576)

University-wide manual for working with youth

•Develop training materials

•Develop online training video

Program leaders document compliance

PCP collects information for annual report

Develop University-wide reporting policy for working with youth

Publicize information

= activity accomplished

Youth safety policy implementation

• Released “OSU Youth Program Policies and Guidelines” manual in April 2012.

• Rolled out new polices in May 2012:Notifications sent to Deans and all known program affiliates

PCP delivered 7 training sessions with Steven Harder, Youth Safety Specialist (3 general sessions, 4 for Athletic programs).

73 youth program leaders, employees and volunteers attended

45 Athletic Dept. coaches, staff and trainers attended. Jacque Babich and Hillary O’Brien held subsequent training sessions.

Policy compliance monitoring• PCP surveys youth programs annually for participant

numbers and demographic information.

• This year we included this mandatory field in the survey:“I certify to the Provost that I am responsible and accountable for my program complying with the policies stated in the OSU Youth Program Policies and Guidelines manual. I will maintain the following records for at least two years: verification that staff and volunteers received training, contact information for all staff and volunteers (including whether they passed a criminal history check) and accident/incident reports for my program. By entering my name above, I am certifying that my program is in compliance.”

• If programs are NOT in compliance, there is a text field to explain how and why.

• PCP goal: assist programs with compliance

New Criminal History Check Policy (OAR576)

• OAR576 planned implementation 1/1/13.

• Changes:• Expanded definition of “critical or security sensitive” positions

for employees and volunteers working with “Youth Programs”.

• CHCs will be repeated every two years for qualifying employees and volunteers working for a “Youth Program”.

• A CHC database will eliminate repeating checks within one year.

• Office of Human Resources will perform CHCs. FBI checks for people that have resided outside Oregon in the previous 7 years.

Mandatory child abuse reporting law

• As of 1/1/13 all OUS employees will be mandatory reporters of child abuse.

• (See ORS 419B.005 for more details)

• OHR will be conducting university wide training sessions and has partnered with PCP and Professional Noncredit Education to develop online training modules.

Future work• Revised manual released by 1/1/13

• Mandatory reporting, new liability waiver (ORM), etc.

• Develop training materials• Written training materials for program leaders, staff and volunteers• Online training video

• Host “Youth Safety Symposium” in Spring 2012• Youth community leaders across state engage in safety conversation.

• Youth safety training sessions will be offered in Spring 2013.