PENNSYLVANIA
Lancaster Online
Louis A. Butcher Jr. | Matters of Faith
Ever since the child abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church a number of years ago, there has been a heightened awareness that children need to be protected even in places that already should be considered safe havens.
Now, because of the recent crimes against children by a trusted, public figure — former Penn State football coach, Jerry Sandusky — the whole issue of child protection has been brought to the forefront.
New state legislation has placed a greater emphasis on the need for nonprofit organizations and places of worship of all sizes and creeds to maintain a healthy, safe environment for all children involved in the community they create. There now must be more thorough screening and closer scrutiny of the volunteer corps that help run these organizations. While training and greater awareness is clearly essential for those serving children, Samaritan Counseling Center of Lancaster has been ahead of the curve.
In 2011 under the leadership of Linda Crockett, Samaritan Counseling Center initiated a program called SafeChurch. Samaritan’s premise, according to the explanation on their website, is that a “safe church sees itself as a sanctuary where one finds protection, support, guidance and the presence of God.” They point out that their SafeChurch Project is designed to protect children and youth from sexual abuse. Their program helps churches to “create policies and guidelines developed in alignment with (their) mission and theological understanding to create a sanctuary where all can gather in an atmosphere of trust and safety.”
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